Gaming giant Aristocrat Technologies has succeeded in its appeal of an IP Australia decision rejecting four of its gaming patents, with a judge finding they were “not a mere scheme” but an actual manner of manufacture.
A trade mark infringement lawsuit filed by the former CEO of the Australian Bar Association was not properly brought as a class action on behalf of member barristers, a judge has found.
Australian bookmaker Sportsbet has filed a lawsuit against betting competitor Sportsbetting.com.au for alleged trade mark infringement and consumer law violations.
In its recent decision, the Federal Court has confirmed that schemes are not patentable merely because they are “new and ingenious” and are implemented using a computer. While the door is not completely closed on computer implemented schemes, the patentability threshold will never be passed unless there is some innovation in the computer technology, says Jane Owen and Rebecca Currey of Bird & Bird.
An Australian burger chain that opened in Sydney as a tribute to the popular American burger franchise In-N-Out is set to appeal a trademark infringement ruling that found its name choice was “deceptively similar” and “cheeky”.
The Morrison government has launched a review of Australia’s patents system aimed at promoting innovation by smaller businesses.
Fuchs Lubricants is contesting a finding that it infringed patents owned by Quaker Chemicals in supplying hydraulic fluid to a BHP Billiton-owned mine.
Norton Rose Fulbright has lost its second partner this month, with the defection of IP specialist Helen MacPherson to Baker McKenzie.
IP Australia has rejected a patent application by financial software firm Intuit, finding that its invention was not a manner of manufacture and contained “nothing of substance” from which patentable claims could be found.
The Full Federal Court has rejected a patent application for a digital advertising system by e-commerce firm Rokt in a test case by IP Australia that comes as a blow to the patentability of computer software in Australia.