New Payment Gateway Integrated to e-Filing System; Indian Patent Office (IPO) becomes first IPO in the World to begin Real Time Transparency

Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India launched a new payment gateway integrated to the e-filing system of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). This new facility will be dedicated to the working of the Indian Patent Office as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
The new facility will facilitate payment by means of internet banking, credit cards or debit cards of more than 70 Banks as against internet banking of 2 banks previously. This will result in rise in online filing of forms for patent and trademarks by 25 to 75%.
Fresh initiatives:
Fresh office of IPO: This new facility will be dedicated to the working of the Indian Patent Office as International Searching Authority (ISA) and International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).
IP Expressions: First issue of IP Expressions, a technical magazine released. The magazine offers a stage for the officials of Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to share the experience acquired in the field of Intellectual Property. Initially it will start as a twice-a-year publication, the IP Expressions is likely to help the IP groups, researchers, scholars, academicians and public at large as a source of IP information.
Stock and Flow: This facility at present existing for trademarks has now been extended to patents also. Via this service the work occurring in the whole Patent office will be now open to the world. The stock and flow in the Patent Offices at various places is shown on a real time basis on the official website. IPO is the first amongst intellectual property offices throughout the world to attain this extreme transparency.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2014