Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.
The term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Industrial Design Information Activities.
In 2004, 236 patents were filed. 231 of these were lodged under ARIPO. This shows an increase of 12.38% in comparison with the previous year. The distribution of foreign fillings by country of origin of applicant showed a leadership of the United States of America followed by France. As regards patent grants, the office experienced a decrease of 18.68% in relation with the previous year when 91 patent applications were granted.
Patent applications: an increase of 12.38% in comparison with the previous year. As regards patents grants, the office experienced a decrease of 18.68% in relation with the previous year when 91 patent applications were granted.
The Malawi patent office publishes new patent applications, accepted applications and granted patents through local patents journal. Information published in the journal includes patent application number, applicant filing date, title of invention, date of acceptance, International Patent Classification (IPC) Patent number priority date, patentee, name of agent etc. Technical content of the document is made available to the public for inspection in our library or can be supplied as a photocopy on request.
Announcements e.g. renewals, assignments, official notices, rulings (in case of objections) are also done in the journal. Copies of the journals are sent to ARIPO, WIPO, Japanese Patent Office and Intellectual Property Offices.
Main mode of storage of patent information is in paper format.
Word processing is done on typewriters.
No new techniques.
Malawi Patent Office does not abstract technical information from patent documents.
International Patent Classification (IPC) is used at the office by the examiners.
We use keyword indexing.
No, we do not use hybrid system indexing.
Bibliographic data is used for search purposes.
Registers for applications and granted patents are kept.
Registers for applications and granted patents are updated regularly.
Storage is in paper form and each of the new patent application received, a fresh file is opened, in addition to the registers.
The office receives patent documentation s from WIPO on CD, DVD and sometimes on paper form. Documentations include: Patent Specifications from United States of America, Britain , France, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Italy, India, Australia, South Africa. Periodicals and publicatiobs are also received at the office from other intellectual property offices. eg. ARIPO, Japanese patent office.
Retrieval of information on CDs and DVDs -ROM which include: Espace Access Mimosa, Espace World Mimosa, Espace Globat Pat, Patent Abstracts of Japan is done on request.
Activities relating to WIPO's (IPRAS) Industrial Property Registration and Administration System are underway and progressing.
Statistics are prepared in electronic form by Examining Officers.
Compaq
Operating System name is MS Windows 2000 Professional
Version: 5
Optical device: CD / DVD- ROM
No existing online for computerized searches.
Applicants seeking protection of their inventions file applications through International Bureau ( in case of PCT applications ) or any member state of PCT, or ARIPO office or any contracting member state of ARIPO ( in case required to be represented by the Agent (s) (Patent Attorneys).
Applicants are required to be represented by the Agent(s) ( Patent Attorneys)
Applications are currently filed in paper form.
No networks of patent libraries in Malawi.
Searches are conducted within the office. Personal aided search is allowed for interested applicants. Any document concerning patents can be obtained on request from the library.
Patent journals on paper form are sent to WIPO, Japanese patent office and ARIPO in exchange for their gazettes and journals respectively.
Patent world is received on subscription in paper form.
Filling of applications is done in paper form.
Publications and periodical received on donations include: WIPO magazine, intellectual property laws and treaties, South African Intellectual Property Newsletter, Journal of the Japanese Group of AIPPI, who Drug information, PCT Newletter PCT gazettes, Patent studies.
On CD and DVD the office receives European and PCT International Patent Application Bibliography,Espace Global Pat, Patent Abstracts of Japan, WIPO handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation and Espace World Mimosa.
During the period under review, the office organised two workshops sensitizing the business community on the importance of intellectual property rights. Office staff were guest speakers.
No
The office organized two workshops sensitizing the business community on the importance of intellectual property rights. Office staff were guest speakers.
No
The receives CDs and DVDs from WIPO and Japanese Patent Office. IPRAS (Industrial Property Registration and Administration System is underway and progressing.
In the year 2004 three officers attended workshops and conferences in the following countries:-
(a) WTO Regional Workshop on TRIPS for English Speaking Countries in Sandtown, Republic of South Africa.
(b) Jitap Subregional Workshop on the Dessemination of Toolkit for Module II on Reference Centres and National Enquiry Points in Gaborone, Botswana.
(c ) WTO Council for TRIPS in Geneva, Switzerland
(d ) Ministrial Conference on Intellectual Property for Least Development Countries in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
(e ) WIPO 40th series of Assemblies in Geneva, Switzerland.
1. | Classification is allotting one or more classification symbols (e.g., IPC symbols) to a patent application, either before or during search and examination, which symbols are then published with the patent application.
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2. | Preclassification is allotting an initial broad classification symbol (e.g., IPC class or subclass, or administrative unit) to a patent application, using human or automated means for internal administrative purposes (e.g., routing an application to the appropriate examiner). Usually preclassification is applied by the administration of an office.
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3. | Reclassification is the reconsideration and usually the replacement of one or more previously allotted classification symbols to a patent document, following a revision and the entry into force of a new version of the Classification system (e.g., the IPC). The new symbols are available on patent databases.
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