The Patent Linkblog

1. Korean companies “license in” way more than they “license out” - Koreans announce $3 billion patent licensing deficit

Not only is there a licensing deficit, but the article notes that 2007 brought both an increase in license fees paid by Korean companies to foreign entities and a decrease paid by others to Korean compaines.

“The Koreans are demonstrating the truth of their central point – that the benefits of IP should not just be measured in purely national terms, but should also be seen in the global context.”

2. Just-n-Examiner notes an interesting disparity between hiring targets at the US Patent and Trademark Office and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO). The difference is interesting indeed…but the comments on the post are even more so. Especially those from Canadian examiners discussing the mechanics of Canadian examination.

3. The PLI Patent Blog live blogged last week’s summary judgment hearing in the GSK/Tafas v. Dudas case, complete with audio reports from the courtroom.

4. The IP Kat explains the latest developments for software patents in the United Kingdom.

From a recent practice notice from the UK-IPO:

“the claim to the computer program must be drawn to reflect the features of the invention which would ensure the patentability of the method which the program is intended to carry out when it is run.”

From the IP Kat:

“This appears to settle for now the matter of computer program claims, which many will be relieved to see (although not, of course, those against software patents in general).

The IPKat sees no reason why he should not have the following claim allowed by a UK-IPO examiner (where claim 1 is an allowable method claim):

“A computer program comprising computer program code adapted, when said program is loaded onto a computer, to make the computer execute the procedure of claim 1″. “

5. Nipper noted some interesting consequences of the US Patent and Trademark Office’s recent addition of a CAPTCHA to the front door of the public PAIR system. Read the comments…turns out, many who can are electing to use private PAIR instead. An unintended consequence?