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€325 million Funding for Semiconductor Research and Innovation in the UK and the EU
Europe’s Chips Joint Undertaking has bolstered its support for the semiconductor industry by announcing three funding calls with a combined value of up to €325M. The funding calls are to create: a pilot line for photonic integrated circuits ...
T 0192/22 - Is a first medical use claim a magic bullet?
The EIP team was pleased to receive the BoA Decision on T 0197/22 earlier this month, providing the reasons for revocation of Translate Bio’s EP 3318248 B1 at the oral proceedings held in March, where we represented one of the Opponents. The p...
Trade Secrets vs. Patents in the UK Space Sector
In this article we take a look at how trade secrets and patents compare as means of protecting inventions by UK space sector businesses. Background Properly protecting intellectual property is a key issue for innovative UK space sector businesses. ...
A Year in Patents - Part 3/4: The Procedures of International Patent Prosecution
Dr Girish Nivarti joined EIP’s London office in October 2022. In this four-part series, he chronicles his first year as a trainee patent attorney. A mulberry tree near my current home reminds me of my childhood. The smell, texture, and taste of...
Weathering IP challenges: how can patents help offshore wind innovators?
Over the past few years, a worldwide patent dispute has been rumbling between two giants of the renewables sector, GE and Siemens Gamesa. Although that storm has now subsided, following the recent settlement of all US and European litigation between th...
A Year in Patents - Part 2/4: Getting to Grips with the Law
Dr Girish Nivarti joined EIP’s London office in October 2022. In this four-part series, he chronicles his first year as a trainee patent attorney. Patents are often misconceived as secretive instruments that hinder scientific progress. In fact, ...
Patenting in the Space Sector
A look at the important role patents can play in the success of businesses in the UK space sector, and beyond. The Space Sector is Growing The UK space sector is worth over £17.5 billion per year and is growing faster than the rest of the UK ec...
Court of Appeal ends anticipation for InterDigital’s 3G Standard Essential Patent by revisiting claim construction
This Update deals with an interesting determination of the Court of Appeal before Lord Justices Lewison, Asplin, and Arnold where they overturned a finding of anticipation (lack of novelty) made by Justice Mellor in the High Court. The Patent The app...
A Year in Patents - Part 1/4: Swapping Simulations for the Patent Profession
Dr Girish Nivarti joined EIP’s London office in October 2022. In this four-part series, he chronicles his first year as a trainee patent attorney. On this day last year, I was in the depths of academia. A postdoctoral research fellow in applied ...
Key provisions and IP considerations of the incoming EU CHIPS Act
This article originally appeared in IAM. Draft regulation not explicit on IP policy but some early guidance is on offer Act offers extensive opportunities for investment and collaboration Risk that SMEs in particular could give away too much of the...
VLSI agrees to dismiss latest semiconductor patent complaint against Intel in Delaware
EIP partner Andrew Thompson has recently written an article for The Patent Lawyer on the VLSI v Intel case regarding a semiconductor patent complaint. Read the full article here.
Intellectual property key UK strength in global semiconductor supply chain – Select Committee Report
A group of influential MPs from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)Select Committee has released its Report on the semiconductor industry in the UK. The Committee took evidence from various industry representatives over the summer and i...
Changes in the semiconductor industry: how patent strategies need to adapt
Introduction Nobody can deny that the semiconductor industry is going through something of a renaissance period. Semiconductors are firmly in the public eye thanks mainly to the ongoing chip shortages which have disrupted everything from car production...
UKIPO Case Studies Open the Black Box on Examining Patent Applications Relating to AI Inventions
On 22 September 2022, the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (IPO) published Enhanced Guidance on Examining Patent Applications Relating to Artificial Intelligence (AI) Inventions (referred to hereafter as the Guidance). The Guidance may be se...
Significant inventions that have gone under the mainstream radar
Powering Kipchoge Most people interested in sports will be aware of Project 1.59 – Eluid Kipchoge’s 2019 first sub-2 hour marathon. Technology played a significant part; he had an arrow-shaped formation of lead runners to draft, a car to pa...
Are electric vehicles tackling climate change?
Governments across the world are encouraging the switch to electric vehicles as part of the global effort to combat climate change. California recently enacted regulations to require 100% of new vehicles sold in the state must be electric, hybrid or hy...
The Concept of “Technical Character” becomes increasingly relevant for healthcare patents – Lessons from Recent EPO BoA Decisions
As patent attorneys practicing in the healthcare sector, we are encountering more and more inventions which straddle the life and computer science fields. AI and smart technologies are now a central feature in many medical technologies. In claims inco...
Internet video evidence as prior art? The EPO Boards of Appeal have views...
Recent EPO decision T3000/19 casts doubt on how (and practically, whether) audio/video prior art available on the internet should be cited at the EPO. T3000/19 concerns an appeal from the examining division who had refused an application based on a vid...
Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property – the Government’s Plans to amend UK law – or not!
Background On 28 June 2022, the UK Government published its updated conclusions to the consultation it launched in October 2021 which looked at how patents and copyright, which respectively are intended to reward inventors and creators by protecting in...
IP considerations arising from increased micro mobility competition
Following the Queen’s Speech, and years of consultations and lobbying from the micro mobility sector, it looks like the e-scooter industry is in for a bumper year. The vehicles have until now been legal to buy, yet illegal to use on the UK’...
Are open-source patent portfolios the key to the EV revolution?
The widespread rollout of electric vehicles is viewed as a crucial part of the UK’s green revolution. When discussing how this can be achieved, charging infrastructure is often cited as the key to ensuring the appeal and accessibility of electric vehic...