Submissions: Published response
What is your name? - Name
Are the official fees set by IP Australia a barrier for SMEs? - Are the official fees set by IP Australia a barrier for SMEs?
Yes, because good independent inventors have the ideas but have not the finances to go further than a IP. They get stuck there and cannot move forward.
Are the professional fees for patent attorneys and IP lawyers a barrier for SMEs? Are professional fees good value for money? - Are the professional fees for patent attorneys and IP lawyers a barrier for SMEs? Are professional fees good value for money?
The fees are too high for independent Inventors.
Is the support offered by the Australian Government on patents useful for SMEs? How can these resources better reach SMEs? - Is the support offered by the Australian Government on patents useful for SMEs? How can these resources better reach SMEs?
Yes, they are very useful. But there is a need for attorneys to be assigned to help make the patents stand internationally.
Is the fear of litigation putting small businesses off patenting? - Is the fear of litigation putting small businesses off patenting?
Yes, cause of the costs and the fact that once the patent lapses its public property. Its not protected anymore.
Is the fear of litigation well founded? Is enforcement actually that difficult and expensive? - Is the fear of litigation well founded? Is enforcement actually that difficult and expensive?
Yes it is very expensive for an individual stand alone inventor.
How could enforcement be made more accessible? Is it possible for costs to be contained at certain points? - How could enforcement be made more accessible? How much cheaper would patent litigation need to be to be within reach of SMEs?
Yes it is possible to be contained. Once the inventor patents his idea, a progressive committee of three or five can consult the inventor and examine if the patent is worth going ahead with then take the necessary actions and provide the necessary funds to make it the patent worldwide with monopoly rights.
How and when can SMEs best be encouraged to consider patents as part of their commercialisation and broader IP plans? - How can SMEs be encouraged to consider patents as part of their commercialisation plans?
They can have face to face meetings.
Do you have any other comments on the issues raised in this paper, or on any other barriers that may hinder SMEs from accessing the patent system? Do you have any other suggestions for initiatives to improve accessibility? - Do you have any other comments on the issues raised in this paper, or on any other barriers that may hinder SMEs from accessing the patent system?
In general the barrier is the cost for independent inventors. It is important to be able to have the opportunity to make a full patent with monopoly rights for 20yrs.
Unique ID