Draft guidelines for patents involving computer programs

The Commerce Select Committee has recommended that the Patents Bill includes a provision that computer programs are not patentable inventions.

The recommendation was made in March 2010 when the Select Committee reported the Patents Bill back to the House. In its report, the Committee noted that while computer programs in general should not be patentable, inventions involving 'embedded' computer programs should continue to be patentable.

The Committee recommended that the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) develop guidelines for examining patent applications for inventions involving embedded computer programs.

Draft guidelines were released for public comment and submissions closed on Friday 11 March 2011.

Contact us

If you have any questions please email patentsbill@med.govt.nz or phone (04) 474-2830.

Examination guidelines: Patentability of inventions involving computer programs

Draft guidelines for IPONZ when examining patent applications for inventions involving embedded computer programs.

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