IPO seeks views on helping SMEs get value from their IP

No items found.
June 25, 2012
#
Patent Strategy

The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is seeking comments on its proposals to offer support to SMEs to maximise the value of their IP assets.

A discussion paper published in April 2012 outlined these plans, which would include improving the availability of commercially based IP advice, funding for IP audits, awareness raising seminars on the subject of IP, and the provision of online tools to help SMEs assess their IP assets.

The IPO is inviting interested parties to submit comments on these proposals via e-mail by 3 July 2012.

Recent Case Reports

Closest Prior Art Not Quite Close Enough
29 May 2026
WIRPLAST v VILPE (UPC Munich, April 2026): a roof-fan disclosure was a fair starting point, but the patent for a through-roof ventilation pipe with a spirit level survived; the skilled person would not have leaped.
Transfer of costs application from Court of Appeal to Court of First Instance rejected
22 April 2026
The UPC Court of Appeal ruled that it lacks jurisdiction to assess costs applications and confirmed they must be filed at the Court of First Instance, rejecting a transfer request in Rematec v Europe Forestry.
Revocation of an independent claim does not automatically affect the validity of unchallenged dependent claims
21 April 2026
In Emporia v Seoul Viosys, the UPC Central Division confirmed that the revocation of an independent claim does not automatically affect the validity of unchallenged claims. The decision underscores the importance of challenging all relevant claims where full patent revocation is sought.