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Peer-to-Patent Australia trial
IP Australia in collaboration with a research team at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) headed by Professor Brian Fitzgerald is trialling a web-based initiative aimed at supporting the patent examination process and improving the quality of issued patents in Australia.
Peer-to-Patent Australia opens part of the patent examination process and invites the public to review patent applications volunteered for the trial. The role of reviewers is to find and submit information corresponding to the claims of patent applications participating in the trial. These applications are then examined by IP Australia.
The trial aims to give subject-matter experts the opportunity to find information that might not otherwise have been located by IP Australia’s patent examiners, particularly within rapidly advancing and relatively new areas of technology.
The process is designed to tap into the expertise of the public to help assess whether a particular application is eligible for a patent. These interactions may also encourage greater collaboration and partnerships in the marketplace which will help Australia’s business community.
What’s involved?
The Peer-to-Patent Australia trial will run for 12 months and is limited to business method or related applications. Participating applicants who opt in to the trial must consent to their application being posted on the Peer-to-Patent Australia website. Up to 40 patent applications will be posted on the Peer-to-Patent Australia website for a 90 day review period.
The expert reviewers first need to register a profile. They then select an application and submit and explain evidence of existing information related to that patent application. They can also comment on submissions already posted on the website.
At the end of an application’s review period, IP Australia will receive the ten most relevant submissions, as judged by the community of reviewers, for consideration as part of the normal examination process.
Potential applicants should note the trial does not impact on IP Australia’s responsibility to fully assess a patent application.
Join the trial
IP Australia encourages you to participate in two ways - by reviewing patent applications or by consenting to allow a review of an application that may be suitable subject matter for the trial. The success of the initiative relies on the participation of appropriately qualified people from industry, government, academia and the broader community.
Reviewing participants can register to review applications on the Peer-to-Patent Australia website. To join as a reviewer you must register a profile on the Peer-to-Patent Australia website at www.peertopatent.org.au . To participate as an applicant you should submit a suitable business methods patent application to Ben McEniery at QUT on (07) 3138 2833 or email: contact@peertopatent.org.au For other inquiries contact Paulette Paterson at IP Australia on (02) 6283 2749 or email: Paulette.paterson@ipaustralia.gov.au .
For information about the United States Peer-to-Patent trials, visit www.peertopatent.org.
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