 |
 |
 |
|
April 2012 |
Patent Drafting
The workshop held at The UWI from April 2nd to 5th, 2012 was designed to assist inventors, and those providing services to them, in acquiring the technical skills necessary to prepare and file patent applications. The workshop, while encompassing all aspects of patent drafting, focused on the all-important claims that determine the scope of protection to be granted by the patent. Scientists and engineers from The UWI St. Augustine Campus, along with representatives from the Mona and Cave Hill Campuses and from the University of Trinidad and Tobago were invited to learn how to draft patent applications that are likely to be granted and that will fully protect their inventions. Presenters included Mr. Paul Regis, Head of WIPO’s Caribbean Unit; Mrs. Yumiko Hamano of WIPO’s Innovation Division; Mr. Thomas Ewing, Attorney at Law, Avancept LLC, Oklahoma, USA; and Mr. David Barford, a former UK Patent Examiner, and Ms. Mary-Ann Richards, WIPO Regional Consultant and Coordinator. Presentations included an introduction to intellectual property (IP), what can be patented and the determination of patentability, preparing and filing patent applications, designing around prior art, and prosecuting patent applications. (Rey-Anne Paynter, ORDKT) |
As an academic institution, the acquisition of patents is essential not only for the protection of intellectual property, but for establishing The UWI as a centre for innovative research. However, the process of patenting an invention is unfamiliar to many regional inventors. In an effort to bridge this knowledge gap, the Office of Research Development and Knowledge Transfer (ORDKT) in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), hosted a four-day workshop on Patent Drafting and Examination.