Intellectual Property Rights Workshop @WeSchool

Did you know that Thomas Alva Edison has over 1,000 patents filed? The patents protected his ideas.

To know and understand the how-to Intellectual Property Rights in India, a knowledge session was organised on 24 January, 2019 on WeSchool campus. It was conducted by Prof. Dr. Kiran Talele for faculty and students. The session highlighted the importance of IPR in an age of fast pace technological innovations and unique startups. The talk answered the key question posititively, mentioning that any business process or idea that is practically implementable, new and innovative is eligible for application of a patent.

IPR is gaining ground like never before. IPR rights acquired for relevant inventions is leveraging brand value, protecting one’s research, dominating the market, contributing to science and industry, understanding the domain better, developing other’s innovations and driving monetary profit for the inventor.

There are different forms of IPR like trademarks, patents, copyrights, industrial design and geographical indication. Different forms of IPR were described through real life examples of ITR case study in context to entreprenuers and businesses in India.

One of the communal benefits of publishing patents is creating awareness in society. It eventually may happen that someone is able to make that innovation even better. However, some things which cannot be patented are computer programs, business methods, mathematical models, methods of playing games and presentation of information.

Patent laws, salient features and general procedure of obtaining a patent were explained. The contents of specification and statutory fees or e-filing of a patent were shared. The stages for filing the grant of a patent was mentioned in great detail. Jargons like concept of broadening and IP ownership were touched upon.

The talk provided clarity on the topic of importance of filing patents and the step-by-step process of filing ITR. It concluded with a question and answer round by students to the guest lecturer. The overall session was very informative and practically useful for any aspiring professionals.