- Part I Preliminary
- Part II Administration
- Part III Applications Generally
- Persons entitled to make application
- Form of application
- Complete and provisional specifications
- Contents of specification
- Effective date of claims of complete specification
- Examination of applications and specifications
- Ante-dating and post-dating of applications and specifications
- Refusal of application in certain cases
- Powers of Registrar if specification or application defective
- Lapsing of applications
- Acceptance and publication of complete specification and cancellation thereof
- Opposition to grant of patent
- Substitution of applicants
- Prior knowledge or publication of invention excused in certain circumstances
- Provisions for secrecy of certain inventions
- Part IV Grant, Effect and Term of Patent
- Grant and sealing of patent
- Amendment of patent granted to deceased applicant
- Date of patent
- Extent, effect and form of patent
- Term of patent
- Patents of addition
- Renewal of patents
- Restoration of lapsed patents
- Licences of right
- Cancellation of entry made in terms of section 29
- Compulsory licence in case of abuse or insufficient use of patent rights
- Inventions relating to food or certain other commodities
- Supplementary provisions as to licences
- Use of patented inventions for service of the State
- Special provisions as to State use during emergency
- Reference of disputes as to State use
- Part V Special Provisions Relating to Specifications. Anticipation and Rights in Inventions
- Amendment of specification by Registrar
- Amendment of specification with leave of Court or Patents Tribunal
- Restrictions on recovery of damages in certain cases
- Savings for anticipation
- Co-ownership of patents
- Disputes as to inventions made by joint inventors
- Disputes as to inventions made by employees
- Avoidance of certain restrictive conditions in contracts
- Revocation of patents
- Consequences of revocation on grounds of fraud
- Surrender of patents
- Part VI Infringements
- Part VII Assignments and Corrections
- Part VIII Functions of Registrar in Relation to Certain Evidence, Documents and Powers of Registrar
- Part IX Patent Agents
- Patent agents and their functions
- Qualification and registration of patent agents
- Removal of names from Register of Patent Agents
- Privileges of attorneys
- Entitlement to practise as patent agent and power of Controller to refuse to deal with certain agents
- Prohibition of certain acts of patent agents
- Part X Patents Tribunal and Appeals
- Part XI International Arrangements
- Part XII Offences and Penalties
- Part XIII General
- Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs Within the Framework of the African Regional Industrial Property Organization (ARIPO)
Patents Act [Chapter 26:03] * (as last amended by Act 20/1994 (s. 7))
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Section
Part I: Preliminary
Short title....................................................................... 1
Interpretation................................................................. 2
Part II: Administration
Patent Office, Controller, registrars of patents and other officers................................................................. 3
Seal............................................................................... 4
Register of Patents........................................................ 5
Part III: Applications Generally
Persons entitled to make application............................. 6
Form of application....................................................... 7
Complete and provisional specifications....................... 8
Contents of specification............................................... 9
Effective date of claims of complete specification........ 10
Examination of applications and specifications............ 11
Ante-dating and post-dating of applications and specifications................................................................. 12
Refusal of application in certain cases.......................... 13
Powers of Registrar if specification or application defective........................................................................ 14
Lapsing of applications................................................. 15
Acceptance and publication of complete specification and cancellation thereof................................................ 16
Opposition to grant of patent......................................... 17
Substitution of applicants.............................................. 18
Prior knowledge or publication of invention excused in certain circumstances................................................ 19
Provisions for secrecy of certain inventions.................. 20
Part IV: Grant, Effect and Term of Patent
Grant and sealing of patent........................................... 21
Amendment of patent granted to deceased applicant.... 22
Date of patent................................................................ 23
Extent, effect and form of patent................................... 24
Term of patent............................................................... 25
Patents of addition......................................................... 26
Renewal of patents........................................................ 27
Restoration of lapsed patents......................................... 28
Licences of right........................................................... 29
Cancellation of entry made in terms of section 29........ 30
Compulsory licence in case of abuse or insufficient use of patent rights........................................................ 31
Inventions relating to food or certain other commodities.................................................................. 32
Supplementary provisions as to licences....................... 33
Use of patented inventions for service of the State....... 34
Special provisions as to State use during emergency.... 35
Reference of disputes as to State use............................. 36
Part V: Special Provisions Relating to Specifications Anticipation and Rights in Inventions
Amendment of specification by Registrar..................... 37
Amendment of specification with leave of Court or Patents Tribunal............................................................ 38
Restrictions on recovery of damages in certain cases... 39
Savings for anticipation................................................. 40
Co-ownership of patents............................................... 41
Disputes as to inventions made by joint inventors........ 42
Disputes as to inventions made by employees.............. 43
Avoidance of certain restrictive conditions in contracts 44
Revocation of patents.................................................... 45
Consequences of revocation on grounds of fraud......... 46
Surrender of patents...................................................... 47
Part VI: Infringements
Procedure and conditions in action for infringement.... 48
Relief for infringement of partially valid specification. 49
Restrictions on recovery of damages for infringement.. 50
Remedy for groundless threats of infringement proceedings................................................................... 51
Power of Court to make declaration as to non-infringement.................................................................. 52
Part VII: Assignments and Corrections
Provisions as to assignments......................................... 53
Power of Registrar to authorize corrections.................. 54
Rectification of Register............................................... 55
Part VIII: Functions of Registrar in Relation to Certain Evidence, Documents and Powers of Registrar
Evidence of certain entries and documents................... 56
Requests for information as to patent or patent application..................................................................... 57
Loss or destruction of patent......................................... 58
Exercise of discretionary powers of Registrar............... 59
Proceedings before Registrar........................................ 60
Registrar may award costs............................................ 61
Advertisements to be approved by Registrar................. 62
Part IX: Patent Agents
Patent agents and their functions................................... 63
Qualification and registration of patent agents.............. 64
Removal of names from Register of Patent Agents....... 65
Privileges of attorneys................................................... 66
Entitlement to practise as patent agent and power of Controller to refuse to deal with certain agents............. 67
Prohibition of certain acts of patent agents................... 68
Part X: Patents Tribunal and Appeals
Appeals from Registrar................................................. 69
Patents Tribunal............................................................ 70
General powers of Patents Tribunal.............................. 71
Right of audience.......................................................... 72
Costs and security for costs........................................... 73
Appeals to Supreme Court............................................ 74
Assessors....................................................................... 75
Time for appeals........................................................... 76
Rules............................................................................. 77
References to Patents Tribunal by Registrar................. 78
Part XI: International Arrangements
Convention countries.................................................... 79
Supplementary provisions as to Convention applications................................................................... 80
Special provisions as to vessels, aircraft and land vehicles......................................................................... 81
Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs................... 82
Protection of inventions communicated under international agreements............................................... 83
Part XII: Offences and Penalties
Falsification of certain documents................................ 84
Deceiving or influencing Registrar or other officer...... 85
Witness giving false evidence....................................... 86
Prohibition on trafficking in patents by officers............ 87
Unauthorized claim of patent right................................ 88
Unauthorized use of certain words................................ 89
Penalties........................................................................ 90
Part XIII: General
Lodging and authentication of documents ................... 91
Expenses of administration........................................... 92
Provisions as to fees...................................................... 93
Saving for certain forfeitures......................................... 94
Patent and Trade Marks Journal.................................. 95
Power to make regulations............................................ 96
Savings.......................................................................... 97
Schedule: Protocol
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to patents; and to provide for matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing.
Part I Preliminary
Short title
1. This Act may be cited as the Patents Act [Chapter 26:03].
Interpretation
2.—(1) In this Act—
Section
Part I: Preliminary
Short title....................................................................... 1
Interpretation................................................................. 2
Part II: Administration
Patent Office, Controller, registrars of patents and other officers................................................................. 3
Seal............................................................................... 4
Register of Patents........................................................ 5
Part III: Applications Generally
Persons entitled to make application............................. 6
Form of application....................................................... 7
Complete and provisional specifications....................... 8
Contents of specification............................................... 9
Effective date of claims of complete specification........ 10
Examination of applications and specifications............ 11
Ante-dating and post-dating of applications and specifications................................................................. 12
Refusal of application in certain cases.......................... 13
Powers of Registrar if specification or application defective........................................................................ 14
Lapsing of applications................................................. 15
Acceptance and publication of complete specification and cancellation thereof................................................ 16
Opposition to grant of patent......................................... 17
Substitution of applicants.............................................. 18
Prior knowledge or publication of invention excused in certain circumstances................................................ 19
Provisions for secrecy of certain inventions.................. 20
Part IV: Grant, Effect and Term of Patent
Grant and sealing of patent........................................... 21
Amendment of patent granted to deceased applicant.... 22
Date of patent................................................................ 23
Extent, effect and form of patent................................... 24
Term of patent............................................................... 25
Patents of addition......................................................... 26
Renewal of patents........................................................ 27
Restoration of lapsed patents......................................... 28
Licences of right........................................................... 29
Cancellation of entry made in terms of section 29........ 30
Compulsory licence in case of abuse or insufficient use of patent rights........................................................ 31
Inventions relating to food or certain other commodities.................................................................. 32
Supplementary provisions as to licences....................... 33
Use of patented inventions for service of the State....... 34
Special provisions as to State use during emergency.... 35
Reference of disputes as to State use............................. 36
Part V: Special Provisions Relating to Specifications Anticipation and Rights in Inventions
Amendment of specification by Registrar..................... 37
Amendment of specification with leave of Court or Patents Tribunal............................................................ 38
Restrictions on recovery of damages in certain cases... 39
Savings for anticipation................................................. 40
Co-ownership of patents............................................... 41
Disputes as to inventions made by joint inventors........ 42
Disputes as to inventions made by employees.............. 43
Avoidance of certain restrictive conditions in contracts 44
Revocation of patents.................................................... 45
Consequences of revocation on grounds of fraud......... 46
Surrender of patents...................................................... 47
Part VI: Infringements
Procedure and conditions in action for infringement.... 48
Relief for infringement of partially valid specification. 49
Restrictions on recovery of damages for infringement.. 50
Remedy for groundless threats of infringement proceedings................................................................... 51
Power of Court to make declaration as to non-infringement.................................................................. 52
Part VII: Assignments and Corrections
Provisions as to assignments......................................... 53
Power of Registrar to authorize corrections.................. 54
Rectification of Register............................................... 55
Part VIII: Functions of Registrar in Relation to Certain Evidence, Documents and Powers of Registrar
Evidence of certain entries and documents................... 56
Requests for information as to patent or patent application..................................................................... 57
Loss or destruction of patent......................................... 58
Exercise of discretionary powers of Registrar............... 59
Proceedings before Registrar........................................ 60
Registrar may award costs............................................ 61
Advertisements to be approved by Registrar................. 62
Part IX: Patent Agents
Patent agents and their functions................................... 63
Qualification and registration of patent agents.............. 64
Removal of names from Register of Patent Agents....... 65
Privileges of attorneys................................................... 66
Entitlement to practise as patent agent and power of Controller to refuse to deal with certain agents............. 67
Prohibition of certain acts of patent agents................... 68
Part X: Patents Tribunal and Appeals
Appeals from Registrar................................................. 69
Patents Tribunal............................................................ 70
General powers of Patents Tribunal.............................. 71
Right of audience.......................................................... 72
Costs and security for costs........................................... 73
Appeals to Supreme Court............................................ 74
Assessors....................................................................... 75
Time for appeals........................................................... 76
Rules............................................................................. 77
References to Patents Tribunal by Registrar................. 78
Part XI: International Arrangements
Convention countries.................................................... 79
Supplementary provisions as to Convention applications................................................................... 80
Special provisions as to vessels, aircraft and land vehicles......................................................................... 81
Protocol on Patents and Industrial Designs................... 82
Protection of inventions communicated under international agreements............................................... 83
Part XII: Offences and Penalties
Falsification of certain documents................................ 84
Deceiving or influencing Registrar or other officer...... 85
Witness giving false evidence....................................... 86
Prohibition on trafficking in patents by officers............ 87
Unauthorized claim of patent right................................ 88
Unauthorized use of certain words................................ 89
Penalties........................................................................ 90
Part XIII: General
Lodging and authentication of documents ................... 91
Expenses of administration........................................... 92
Provisions as to fees...................................................... 93
Saving for certain forfeitures......................................... 94
Patent and Trade Marks Journal.................................. 95
Power to make regulations............................................ 96
Savings.......................................................................... 97
Schedule: Protocol
An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to patents; and to provide for matters incidental to or connected with the foregoing.
Part I Preliminary
Short title
1. This Act may be cited as the Patents Act [Chapter 26:03].
Interpretation
2.—(1) In this Act—