Patents Act 1990
`Act No. 83 of 1990 as amended
`
`This compilation was prepared on 4 February 2000
`taking into account amendments up to Act No. 146 of 1999
`
`The text of any of those amendments not in force
`on that date is appended in the Notes section
`
`Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
`Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra
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`Contents
`Chapter 1—Introductory
`1
`Short title [see Note 1] ......................................................................1
`1
`Commencement [see Note 1].............................................................1
`2
`3
`Definitions.........................................................................................1
`4
`What are typical steps in getting and maintaining a patent? ..............3
`5
`Associated applications .....................................................................1
`6
`Deposit requirements.........................................................................1
`7
`Novelty and inventive step ................................................................1
`8
`Disclosure in basic applications ........................................................3
`9
`Secret use...........................................................................................3
`10
`Certain international applications to be taken to have been
`given an international filing date.......................................................4
`Act binds the Crown..........................................................................4
`11
`Application of Act .............................................................................5
`12
`Chapter 2—Patent rights, ownership and validity
`Part 1—Patent rights
`6
`13
`Exclusive rights given by patent........................................................6
`14
`Assignment of patent .......................................................................6
`Part 2—Ownership
`15
`16
`17
`Part 3—Validity
`9
`Division 1—Validity
`9
`18
`Patentable inventions.........................................................................9
`19
`Certificate of validity.........................................................................9
`20
`Validity of patent not guaranteed ....................................................10
`21
`Validity not implied by making or refusal of
`non-infringement declaration ..........................................................10
`Division 2—Matters not affecting validity
`11
`22
`Invalidity in relation to one claim not to affect validity in
`relation to other claims ....................................................................11
`Validity not affected by publication etc. after priority date .............11
`Validity not affected by certain publication or use..........................11
`Validity: patents of addition ............................................................12
`Validity not affected in certain cases involving amendments..........12
`
`7
`Who may be granted a patent?...........................................................7
`Co-ownership of patents....................................................................7
`Directions to co-owners ...................................................................8
`
`6
`
`23
`24
`25
`26
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`15
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`35
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`Division 3—Notice of matters affecting validity
`13
`27
`Notice of matters affecting validity of standard patents...................13
`28
`Notice of matters affecting validity of petty patents.......................13
`Chapter 3—From application to acceptance
`Part 1—Patent applications
`15
`Division 1—Applications
`15
`29
`Application for patent......................................................................15
`30
`Filing date........................................................................................15
`31
`Joint applicants................................................................................15
`32
`Disputes between applicants etc. .....................................................16
`33
`Applications by opponents etc.........................................................16
`34
`Applications by eligible persons arising out of court
`proceedings......................................................................................17
`Applications by eligible persons following revocation by
`Commissioner..................................................................................17
`Other applications by eligible persons.............................................17
`36
`Complete application may be treated as provisional........................18
`37
`Time for making complete application ............................................19
`38
`Divisional applications ....................................................................19
`39
`Division 2—Specifications
`20
`40
`Specifications ..................................................................................20
`41
`Specifications: micro-organisms....................................................20
`42
`Micro-organisms ceasing to be reasonably available.......................21
`Division 3—Priority dates
`23
`43
`Priority dates ...................................................................................23
`Part 2—Examination of patent requests and specifications
`24
`Division 1—Examination
`24
`44
`Request for examination..................................................................24
`45
`Examination.....................................................................................24
`46
`Request for deferment of examination.............................................25
`Division 2—Modified examination
`26
`47
`Request for modified examination...................................................26
`48
`Modified examination .....................................................................26
`Part 3—Acceptance
`49
`50
`51
`52
`
`27
`Acceptance of patent request: standard patent.................................27
`Consideration and acceptance of patent request: petty patent .........28
`Application or grant may be refused in certain cases.......................28
`Appeal .............................................................................................29
`
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`36
`
`36
`Grant of standard patent ..................................................................36
`Grant and publication of petty patent.............................................36
`Joint patentees .................................................................................36
`Grant: multiple applications ............................................................36
`Date of patent ..................................................................................37
`Sealing of duplicate of patent ..........................................................37
`
`Chapter 4—Publication
`30
`53
`Publication of certain information about applicants etc. .................30
`54
`Notice of publication .......................................................................30
`55
`Documents open to public inspection..............................................32
`56
`Certain documents not to be published............................................32
`57
`Effect of publication of complete specification ...............................33
`58
`Result of search may be disclosed ...................................................34
`Chapter 5—Opposition
`35
`59
`Opposition to grant of standard patent ............................................35
`60
`Hearing and decision by Commissioner ..........................................35
`Chapter 6—Grant and term of patents
`Part 1—Grant
`61
`62
`63
`64
`65
`66
`Part 2—Term
`38
`Term of standard patent...................................................................38
`67
`Term of petty patent ........................................................................38
`68
`Part 3—Extension of term
`39
`Division 1—Petty patents
`39
`69
`Extension of term of petty patent.....................................................39
`Division 2—Standard patents relating to pharmaceutical
`substances
`41
`Applications for extension of patent................................................41
`Form and timing of an application...................................................42
`Notification and public inspection of application............................42
`Withdrawal of application ...............................................................43
`Acceptance or refusal of application ...............................................43
`Opposition to grant of extension .....................................................44
`Grant of extension ...........................................................................44
`Notification of extension to the Secretary, Health and Family
`Services ...........................................................................................44
`Calculation of term of extension......................................................45
`Exclusive rights of patentee are limited if extension granted ..........45
`Rights of patentee if extension granted after patent expires ............46
`
`70
`71
`72
`73
`74
`75
`76
`76A
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`77
`78
`79
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`79A
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`Commissioner not to make decision if court proceedings
`pending............................................................................................47
`Chapter 7—Patents of addition
`48
`80
`Chapter does not apply to petty patents...........................................48
`81
`Grant of patent of addition ..............................................................48
`82
`Revocation of patent and grant of patent of addition instead ..........48
`83
`Term of patent of addition ...............................................................49
`85
`Revocation of patent for main invention .........................................50
`86
`Renewal fees not payable ................................................................50
`87
`Fees payable where patent of addition becomes an
`independent patent...........................................................................50
`Chapter 8—PCT applications and convention applications
`Part 1—PCT applications
`51
`88
`PCT applications .............................................................................51
`89
`Modified application of Act ............................................................52
`90
`Publication of PCT applications......................................................53
`91
`Application of certain provisions to PCT applications....................53
`92
`Notice of publication .......................................................................53
`93
`Evidence of matters arising under PCT ...........................................54
`Part 2—Convention applications
`55
`94
`Convention applicants may make Convention applications ............55
`95
`Manner of making Convention application .....................................55
`96
`Withdrawn, abandoned or refused applications .............................55
`Chapter 9—Re-examination
`57
`97
`Re-examination of complete specifications .....................................57
`98
`Report on re-examination ................................................................57
`99
`Statement by applicant or patentee ..................................................58
`100
`Copies of report to be given to court ...............................................58
`101
`Revocation of patent following re-examination...............................58
`Chapter 10—Amendments
`Part 1—Amendments that are not allowable
`60
`102
`What amendments are not allowable? .............................................60
`103
`Consent of mortgagee or exclusive licensee needed........................60
`Part 2—Amendments of patent requests, specifications and
`other filed documents
`61
`104
`Amendments by applicants and patentees .......................................61
`105
`Amendments directed by court........................................................62
`106
`Amendments directed by Commissioner: patents............................62
`
`51
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`60
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`107
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`108
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`Amendments directed by Commissioner: patent applications
`.........................................................................................................63
`Amendments directed by Commissioner: extensions of term
`of petty patents ................................................................................64
`Appeal .............................................................................................64
`109
`Part 3—Miscellaneous
`65
`110
`Advertisement of amendment of complete specification .................65
`111
`Amendments relating to micro-organisms.......................................65
`112
`Pending proceedings........................................................................65
`113
`Persons claiming under assignment or agreement ...........................65
`114
`Priority date of certain amended claims...........................................66
`115
`Restriction on recovery of damages etc. ..........................................66
`116
`Interpretation of amended specifications.........................................66
`Chapter 11—Infringement
`Part 1—Infringement and infringement proceedings
`67
`117
`Infringement by supply of products.................................................67
`118
`Infringement exemptions: use in or on foreign vessels,
`aircraft or vehicles ...........................................................................67
`Infringement exemptions: prior use.................................................68
`119
`Infringement proceedings ................................................................68
`120
`Counter-claim for revocation of patent............................................69
`121
`Burden of proof—infringement of patent for a process...................69
`121A
`Relief for infringement of patent .....................................................69
`122
`Innocent infringement .....................................................................70
`123
`Part 2—Non-infringement declarations
`71
`124
`Interpretation ...................................................................................71
`125
`Application for non-infringement declaration .................................71
`126
`Proceedings for non-infringement declarations...............................71
`127
`Effect of non-infringement declarations ..........................................72
`Part 3—Unjustified threats of infringement proceedings
`73
`128
`Application for relief from unjustified threats .................................73
`129
`Court’s power to grant relief ...........................................................73
`130
`Counter-claim for infringement.......................................................73
`131
`Notification of patent not a threat....................................................74
`132
`Liability of legal practitioner or patent attorney..............................74
`Chapter 12—Compulsory licences and revocation of patents
`75
`133
`Compulsory licences........................................................................75
`134
`Revocation of standard patent after grant of compulsory
`licence..............................................................................................76
`
`67
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`Reasonable requirements of the public............................................77
`135
`Orders to be consistent with international agreements ....................78
`136
`Revocation on surrender of patent...................................................78
`137
`Revocation of patents in other circumstances..................................78
`138
`Parties to proceedings......................................................................79
`139
`Commissioner to be given copies of orders.....................................79
`140
`Chapter 13—Withdrawal and lapsing of applications and
`ceasing of patents
`80
`141
`Withdrawal of applications..............................................................80
`142
`Lapsing of applications....................................................................80
`143
`Ceasing of patents............................................................................81
`Chapter 14—Contracts
`82
`144
`Void conditions ...............................................................................82
`145
`Termination of contract after patent ceases to be in force ...............83
`146
`Effect of Chapter .............................................................................83
`Chapter 15—Special provisions relating to associated
`technology
`84
`Certificate by Director as to associated technology.........................84
`147
`Lapsing etc. of applications.............................................................84
`148
`Revocation of direction ...................................................................85
`149
`Restoration of lapsed application ....................................................85
`150
`Reinstatement of application as an international application...........86
`151
`Notice of prohibitions or restrictions on publication.......................87
`152
`Effect of order..................................................................................87
`153
`Chapter 16—Jurisdiction and powers of courts
`89
`154
`Jurisdiction of Federal Court...........................................................89
`155
`Jurisdiction of other prescribed courts.............................................89
`156
`Exercise of jurisdiction....................................................................89
`157
`Transfer of proceedings ...................................................................90
`158
`Appeals............................................................................................90
`159
`Commissioner may appear in appeals..............................................91
`160
`Powers of Federal Court..................................................................91
`Chapter 17—The Crown
`Part 1—Introductory
`92
`161
`Nominated persons and patentees....................................................92
`162
`Commonwealth and State authorities ..............................................92
`Part 2—Exploitation by the Crown
`93
`163
`Exploitation of inventions by Crown...............................................93
`
`92
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`Nominated person or patentee to be informed of exploitation.........93
`164
`Remuneration and terms for exploitation ........................................94
`165
`Exploitation of invention to cease under court order.......................94
`165A
`Previous agreements inoperative .....................................................94
`166
`Sale of products...............................................................................95
`167
`Supply of products by Commonwealth to foreign countries............95
`168
`Declarations that inventions have been exploited............................96
`169
`Sale of forfeited articles...................................................................96
`170
`Part 3—Acquisitions by and assignments to the Crown
`97
`171
`Acquisition of inventions or patents by Commonwealth.................97
`172
`Assignment of invention to Commonwealth ...................................97
`Part 4—Prohibition orders
`98
`173
`Prohibition of publication of information about inventions ............98
`174
`Effect of prohibition orders .............................................................98
`175
`Disclosure of information to Commonwealth authority ..................99
`176
`International applications treated as applications under this
`Act ...................................................................................................99
`Chapter 18—Miscellaneous offences
`100
`177
`False representations about the Patent Office................................100
`178
`False representations about patents or patented articles ................100
`179
`Failure to comply with summons...................................................101
`180
`Refusal to give evidence................................................................101
`181
`Failure to produce documents or articles.......................................101
`182
`Officers not to traffic in inventions................................................102
`183
`Unauthorised disclosure of information by employees etc. ...........102
`184
`Other unauthorised disclosures of information..............................102
`185
`Commissioner etc. not to prepare documents or search
`records ...........................................................................................102
`Chapter 19—The Register and official documents
`104
`186
`Register of Patents.........................................................................104
`187
`Registration of particulars of patents etc. ......................................104
`188
`Trusts not registrable .....................................................................104
`189
`Power of patentee to deal with patent............................................104
`190
`Inspection of Register....................................................................105
`191
`False entries in Register.................................................................105
`192
`Orders for rectification of Register................................................105
`193
`Inspection of documents................................................................106
`194
`Information obtainable from Commissioner..................................106
`195
`Evidence—the Register .................................................................106
`196
`Evidence—unregistered particulars...............................................107
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`108
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`Evidence—certificate and copies of documents ............................107
`197
`Chapter 20—Patent Attorneys
`Part 1—Registration, privileges and professional conduct
`108
`198
`Registration of patent attorneys.....................................................108
`199
`Deregistration ................................................................................109
`200
`Privileges.......................................................................................109
`200A
`Designated Manager......................................................................110
`Part 2—Offences
`111
`Offences: unregistered persons etc. ...............................................111
`201
`Documents prepared by legal practitioners....................................112
`202
`Documents prepared by a member of a partnership.......................113
`202A
`Attendance at patent attorney’s office ...........................................113
`203
`Time for starting prosecutions.......................................................113
`204
`Chapter 21—Administration
`114
`205
`Patent Office and sub-offices.........................................................114
`206
`Patent Office seal...........................................................................114
`207
`Commissioner of Patents...............................................................114
`208
`Deputy Commissioner of Patents ..................................................114
`209
`Delegation of Commissioner’s powers and functions ...................115
`210
`Commissioner’s powers.................................................................115
`211
`Recovery of costs awarded by Commissioner ...............................115
`Chapter 22—Miscellaneous
`116
`212
`Copies of examination reports to be communicated......................116
`213
`Making and signing applications etc. ............................................116
`214
`Filing of documents.......................................................................116
`215
`Death of applicant or nominated person........................................116
`216
`Exercise of discretionary power by Commissioner........................117
`217
`Assessors .......................................................................................117
`218
`Costs where patent invalid in part .................................................117
`219
`Security for costs ...........................................................................117
`220
`Costs of attendance of patent attorney...........................................117
`221
`Service of documents.....................................................................118
`Publication of Official Journal etc...............................................118
`222
`223
`Extensions of time .........................................................................118
`224
`Review of decisions.......................................................................120
`225
`Conduct of directors, servants and agents .....................................121
`226
`Reproduction of published specifications does not infringe
`copyright........................................................................................122
`Fees ...............................................................................................122
`
`227
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`227A
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`130
`
`133
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`Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks
`Attorneys .......................................................................................124
`Regulations....................................................................................125
`228
`Consequential amendments ...........................................................129
`229
`Repeal............................................................................................129
`230
`Chapter 23—Transitional and savings provisions
`130
`231
`Application of Part III of 1989 Amending Act..............................130
`233
`Patents ........................................................... granted under 1952 Act
`234
`Applications under 1952 Act.........................................................130
`235
`Other applications and proceedings under 1952 Act.....................131
`236
`Micro-organisms............................................................................132
`237
`Orders, directions etc. under 1952 Act ........................................132
`238
`The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner .............................132
`239
`The Register of Patents and Register of Patent Attorneys .............132
`240
`Registered patent attorneys............................................................132
`Schedule 1—Dictionary
`Schedule 2—Consequential Amendments
`Notes to the Patents Act 1990
`
`143
`
`145
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`Patents Act 1990
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`Patent rights, ownership and validity Chapter 2
`Ownership Part 2
`
`Section 15
`
`Part 2—Ownership
`
`15 Who may be granted a patent?
`(1) Subject to this Act, a patent for an invention may only be granted
`to a person who:
`(a) is the inventor; or
`(b) would, on the grant of a patent for the invention, be entitled
`to have the patent assigned to the person; or
`(c) derives title to the invention from the inventor or a person
`mentioned in paragraph (b); or
`(d) is the legal representative of a deceased person mentioned in
`paragraph (a), (b) or (c).
`
`(2) A patent may be granted to a person whether or not he or she is an
`Australian citizen.
`
`16 Co-ownership of patents
`(1) Subject to any agreement to the contrary, where there are 2 or
`more patentees:
`(a) each of them is entitled to an equal undivided share in the
`patent; and
`(b) each of them is entitled to exercise the exclusive rights given
`by the patent for his or her own benefit without accounting to
`the others; and
`(c) none of them can grant a licence under the patent, or assign
`an interest in it, without the consent of the others.
`
`(2) Where a patented product, or a product of a patented method or
`process, is sold by any of 2 or more patentees, the buyer, and a
`person claiming through the buyer, may deal with the product as if
`it had been sold by all the patentees.
`
`(3) This section does not affect the rights or obligations of a trustee or
`of the legal representative of a deceased person, or rights or
`obligations arising out of either of those relationships.
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`From application to acceptance Chapter 3
`Patent applications Part 1
`Applications Division 1
`
`Section 29
`
`Chapter 3—From application to acceptance
`Part 1—Patent applications
`Division 1—Applications
`
`29 Application for patent
`(1) A person may apply for a patent for an invention by filing, in
`accordance with the regulations, a patent request and such other
`documents as are prescribed.
`
`(2) An application may be a provisional application or a complete
`application.
`
`(3) A patent request in relation to a provisional application must be in
`the approved form and accompanied by a provisional specification.
`
`(4) A patent request in relation to a complete application must be in
`the approved form and accompanied by a complete specification.
`
`(5) In this section:
`person includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not.
`[Note: see also section 5 for requirements relating to associated
`applications.]
`
`30 Filing date
`A patent application is to be taken to have been made on the filing
`date determined under the regulations.
`
`31 Joint applicants
`2 or more persons (within the meaning of section 29) may make a
`joint patent application.
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`Chapter 19 The Register and official documents
`
`Section 193
`
`(2) On hearing an application, the court may:
`(a) decide any question which it is necessary or expedient to
`decide in connection with the rectification of the Register;
`and
`(b) make any order it thinks fit for the rectification of the
`Register.
`
`(3) The Commissioner:
`(a) must be given notice of an application; and
`(b) may appear and be heard in the proceedings; and
`(c) must appear if directed to do so by the court.
`
`(4) An office copy of an order must be served on the Commissioner by
`the Registrar or other appropriate officer of the court.
`
`(5) On receiving an office copy of an order, the Commissioner must
`rectify the Register accordingly.
`
`193 Inspection of documents
`All documents filed in connection with the registration of
`prescribed particulars under section 187 must be available for
`inspection at the Patent Office by any person during the hours
`when it is open for business.
`
`194 Information obtainable from Commissioner
`The Commissioner may give any person information about:
`(a) a patent; or
`(b) an application for a patent that is open to public inspection;
`or
`(c) any prescribed document or matter.
`
`195 Evidence—the Register
`(1) The Register is prima facie evidence of any particulars registered
`in it.
`
`(2) If the Register is wholly or partly kept by use of a computer, a
`document signed by the Commissioner reproducing in writing all
`or any of the particulars comprising the Register, or that part of it,
`
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`The Register and official documents Chapter 19
`
`Section 196
`
`is admissible in any proceedings as prima facie evidence of those
`particulars.
`
`196 Evidence—unregistered particulars
`A document in respect of which particulars have not been entered
`in the Register is not admissible in any proceedings in proof of the
`title to a patent or to an interest in a patent unless:
`(a) the court or tribunal before which the proceedings are
`brought otherwise directs; or
`(b) the proceedings are:
`(i) for an order under section 192; or
`(ii) to enforce equities in relation to a patent or licence.
`
`197 Evidence—certificate and copies of documents
`(1) A signed certificate to the effect that:
`(a) anything required or permitted by this Act or the 1952 Act to
`be done or not to be done had or had not been done on a date
`specified in the certificate; or
`(b) a document in the Patent Office or its library was available
`for public inspection on a date specified in the certificate;
`is prima facie evidence of the matters in the certificate.
`(2) A signed copy of or signed extract from the Register is admissible
`in any proceedings as if it were the original.
`
`(3) A signed copy of or signed extract from a document in the Patent
`Office or its library is admissible in any proceedings as if it were
`the original.
`
`(4) In this section:
`signed means signed by the Commissioner.
`
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