Issuance Of Revised Guidelines For Examining Computer Related Inventions By The Patent Office

The Indian Patent office (IPO) had earlier issued guidelines on 21 August 2015 to Patent Examiners relating to the examination of computer related inventions (CRIs). Subsequently, the IPO vide its order dated 14 December 2015 abruptly kept these guidelines in abeyance. On 19 February 2016, the IPO passed an order issuing revised guidelines for the examination of CRIs.

Similar to the earlier guidelines, various technical terminologies in relation to CRIs have been defined by relying upon either the Information Technology Act 2000 or general dictionary meanings. The guidelines further elaborate on the sufficiency and types of disclosures required for CRIs. The guidelines also set out fifteen illustrative examples of claims which are not patentable. However, no examples of patentable claims have been provided.