The typical questions often raised in webinars or IP sessions among a group of researchers or professors be like
“I have published my research work / thesis earlier; Will I be able to patent it now?”
“I have already presented / showcased my research work in a conference, is it possible to patent this?”
In this article, we try to address such questions by outlining the provisions of the Patent Act regarding the grace period allowed for patenting such inventions even after disclosures.
When an invention is published or displayed publicly, the invention lacks novelty and it cannot be patented. The disclosures made by the inventors themselves may act as prior arts destroying the novelty of the invention. However, Indian Patent Act provides a grace period of 12 months for such disclosed inventions and exemptions in anticipations under certain circumstances.
Chapter VI – Sections 29-34 of the Indian Patent Act outlined below, defines what will not be anticipations and where the grace periods can be applicable.
Sec 29: Anticipation by previous publication – i) If the publication is done through fraudulent means without the consent of the inventor and
- ii) If the inventor applies for patent as soon as he is aware of the prior publication
Under these conditions the prior publications will not be considered as prior art, the inventor has to prove that the publication was made without his consent and after knowing about the publication he has filed the patent within a reasonable time.
Sec 30: if the disclosure is made to Government or authorized personnel by the Government through any communications or for the purpose of investigation will not be considered as prior art.
Sec 31: If the invention is publicly displayed in an exhibition organised by the Government or published in the proceedings or presented / read by the inventor before a learned society or published in transactions of such a society, the inventor should file the patent within 12 months after any such display. Further, if someone uses the invention after the public display without the consent of its true inventor, it will not be an Anticipation.
Sec 32 allows that if the invention was publicly worked for trial purpose, the inventor can file the patent within one year after the invention was publicly worked in India. But working of an invention on a commercial scale before filing the patent amounts to anticipation.
Sec 33 allows use and publication after filing provisional specification either in India or in convention countries till the filing of complete specification (One year).
Sec 34 summarizes that any circumstances mentioned in sec 29-32 does not constitute an anticipation of the invention.
Apart from the above mentioned circumstances, any publication or public display may be considered as prior art and the invention will not be able to pass the novelty criteria. The inventors should therefore apply for a patent before making any public display or publishing the invention elsewhere.