The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) will hear TVS Motor Company?s appeal against rejection of its patent for an ?invention? on fluorescent-made self-locating ignition lock assembly in motor vehicles.
The assistant controller of patents & designs, Chennai, had in February 2011 rejected the company?s patent application and specifications for an invention titled ?a self-locating ignition lock assembly? citing lack of novelty and inventive step. He cited two US patent documents, which according to him, had similar technological specifications and methods.
TVS Motor had moved to the IPAB with an appeal which was taken up by the patent tribunal on Wednesday and fixed November 5, as date for hearing.
According to the company’s, a self-locating ignition lock assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a lock body with a key slot for the ignition key, with a plate made of a fluorescent substance that absorbs light energy during the day and render itself fluorescent at night.
However, M Ajith, assistant controller of patents & designs, Chennai, as per the first examination report of the experts, said that the application has failed to meet the requirements of novelty and inventive step under various sections of the Patent Act 1970. When the matter came up at IPAB on Wednesday, MK Rao of Kamath & Kamath, representing TVS Motor, submitted that they had filed a petition seeking recording a ‘paper book’ submitted by them that contains case documents from the Patent office.
The IPAB bench of Justice KN Basha, chairman, and DPS Parmar, technical member-patents, while observing that the board was for affording equal opportunity for both the parties, fixed the date next month for hearing to commence as the patent office too wanted adjournment of hearing.