The Importance of Registering Licenses on Patents in the Patent Office
1
THEIMPORTANCEOFREGISTERINGLICENSESONPATENTSINTHEPATENTOFFICE
By
BobH.Sotiriadis,ZhenWongandSergeHarpin*
LEGERROBICRICHARD,Lawyers
ROBIC,Patent&TrademarkAgents
CentreCDPCapital
1001Square-Victoria-BlocE–8
thFloor
Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH2Z2B7
Tel.(514)9876242-Fax(514)8457874
www.robic.ca-info@robic.com
Resultsofacademicorindustrialresearchprogramsaremoreandmoreoften
protectedbywayofpatents.Thetechnologystemmingfromthoseresearch
effortscanbetransferredindifferentways,includingbyassignmentofrightson
patentsorpatentapplications,orbygrantingexclusiveandnon-exclusive
licensesonintellectualproperty.
Ifregistrationofassignmentsofpatentrights,intheCanadianPatentOffice,isa
commonpractice,registrationofexclusiveandnon-exclusivepatentlicensesis
lessprevalent.Infact,companiesoftenneglecttoregistertheirlicense
documentsintheCanadianPatentOffice.However,accordingtosubsection
50(2)oftheCanadianPatentAct,:
Everyassignmentofapatent,andeverygrantandconveyance
ofanyexclusiverighttomakeanduseandtogranttoothersthe
righttomakeandusetheinventionpatented,withinand
throughoutCanadaoranypartthereof,shallberegisteredinthe
PatentOfficeinthemannerdeterminedbythe
Commissioner.[Emphasisadded]
Moreover,ithasbeenestablishedbyourCourtsthat,inordertobeinvocable
againstathirdparty,anyassignmentorlicenseagreementdocumentshouldbe
registeredintheCanadianPatentOffice.
Inthisconnection,registrationofrightsacquiredbyassignmentorlicenseinthe
CanadianPatentOfficeprotectstheholderoftheassignmentorlicensefrom
anysubsequentacquirorofthesamerightsforthegiventechnology.OurCourts
haveestablishedthatthefirstownerorlicenseeofapatentwhoregistershis
rightsatthePatentOfficeacquiresanopposableright.TheCourtofAppealsof
©LEGERROBICRICHARD,2004.
*TheauthorsaremembersofthelawfirmLEGERROBICRICHARD,g.p.andofthepatentand
trademarkagencyfirmROBIC,g.p.ThischroniclewaspublishedintheSpring2004issueofthe
magazineTrans-Script.
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Quebechasevendecidedthatasubsequentacquirorofapatent,whoknew
verywellthatthepatenteehadpreviouslygrantedalicenseonthepatent,was
notboundbythelicensetermsandwasfreetoactasifthelicensedidnotexist.
Registrationisanefficientandinexpensivewaytoensurethatrightsacquiredby
alicensewillnotbelost.Itisalsoawaytoprotectoneselfincasethepatentee
goesbankrupt.
Theseconsiderationsbearevenmoreimportancewhentheplatformofa
company’stechnologyisbasedonboththecompany’sowntechnologyandon
technologyacquiredfromothersbywayoflicensesandpartialassignments.
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depuis1892àlaprotectionetàlavalorisationdelapropriétéintellectuelledanstousles
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pharmaceutiquesetobtentionsvégétales;secretsdecommerce,know-howetconcurrence;
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protectionandthevalorizationofallfieldsofintellectualproperty:patents,industrialdesigns
andutilitypatents;trademarks,certificationmarksandindicationsoforigin;copyrightand
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