[Fsf-friends] Norms for software patents to be finalised

[Mahesh T. Pai]

Apologies if this has been noticed on this list. 

----- Forwarded message from Ram <prabhuram ( at ) gmail.com> -----

 > Norms for software patents to be finalised 
 >  
 > Business Standard 
 >  
 >  
 > The government will finalise detailed guidelines for patent examiners
 > over the next one month specifying the conditions under which
 > software, polymers and other chemicals can be patented.
 >   
 > "There is a general notion that software can be patented. That is not
 > true. You cannot patent software. However software embedded in
 > hardware can be patented. All such issues are sought to be clarified
 > through these working guidelines for the patent examiners which will
 > be put up on the web once they have been finalised," an official told
 > Business Standard.
 >   
 > Officials said that the first draft had been prepared and was being
 > discussed by the ministry officials with legal experts and industry
 > representatives. The guidelines would be finalised in the next one
 > month.
 >   
 > The government has already hired 175 patent examiners to deal with the
 > load of patent applications. The modernisation of patent offices is
 > underway and the new patent office in the capital will be inaugrated
 > next month.
 >   
 > Along with patent, work on the other areas of intellectual property
 > like Geographical indicators (GI) is also picking up pace. The
 > government has granted GI on six products including chanderi sarees
 > and Darjeeling tea and is considering proposal to grant GI on 30 other
 > items, officials said.
 >   
 > Earlier today Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said that the
 > new modernised product patent regime will help attract more foreign
 > direct investment and make India a new destination for contract
 > manufacturing and contract research.
 >   
 > "The modernised patent law is expected to provide a secure and
 > conducive environment to investments. India could be new destination
 > for contract manufacturing and contract research since India has cost
 > and capabilities advantages," Nath said in his address to the National
 > Seminar on Promotion, Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual
 > Property Rights organised by his ministry in association with the
 > World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Ficci.
 >   
 > The minister, whose speech was read out in his absence, said that the
 > government had undertaken an ambitious programme to modernise the
 > intellectual property rights administrative infrastructure with a view
 > to making the system efficient, IT-enabled and more user-friendly
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----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
         Mahesh T. Pai    <<>>   http://paivakil.port5.com
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