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Biotechnology Intellectual Property Manual Prepared by Spruson and Ferguson Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys this Biotechnology Intellectual Property Manual Note to Readers and Users of this Manual This manual aims to alert the reader to the broad areas at issue in respect of IP identification, creation, protection, management and exploitation. While the authors have endeavoured to ensure that the manual provides a current and accurate overview of relevant IP law as at the time of writing, the authors are not qualified IP practitioners in jurisdictions beyond Australia and New Zealand and accordingly descriptions of the law in other jurisdictions may be incomplete. Further, IP law is constantly evolving and a new decision from any court in any jurisdiction could result in at least certain parts of this manual being rendered inapplicable. Therefore please view this manual as providing an introductory guide on IP management and not a complete statement on the subject. Please use the manual as a starting point and not as a source of specific advice. The reader should seek appropriate professional advice prior to commencing any course of action. This manual was commissioned by Biotechnology Australia and written by Spruson and Ferguson Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. In particular Biotechnology Australia wishes to thank the principal authors Andrew Blattman, Shahnaz Irani, John McCann and Colin Bodkin of Spruson and Ferguson Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys. ISBN 0 642 72129 7 ISR 2001/106 © Commonwealth of Australia (2001) This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source and no commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above, require written permission from the Commonwealth available through AusInfo. Requests and inquiries should be addressed to the Manager, Legislative Services, AusInfo, GPO Box 1920, Canberra ACT 2601. Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.1 Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.2 How to Use this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3 Why Protect and Manage Intellectual Property 1.3.1 An incentive for innovation . . . . . . . 1.3.2 Lost opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.3.3 Freedom to operate . . . . . . . . . . 2. Intellectual Property 2.1 Types 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.1.5 2.1.6 2.1.7 2.1.8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of Intellectual Property . . What is intellectual property? Patents . . . . . . . . . . Trade marks . . . . . . . . Designs . . . . . . . . . . Plant Breeder's Rights . . . . Copyright . . . . . . . . . . Trade secrets . . . . . . . . Patents v. trade secrets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3 Australian Patent Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.1 Filing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.2 Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.3 Opposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.4 Sealing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.5 Re-examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.6 Compulsory licences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.7 Patentee rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.8 Infringement of patents . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.3.9 Revocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .