New Patent Web-marking Scheme

What's changed?

On 1 October 2014, new legislation came into force that allows products to be marked with a website link instead of having to mark products with the patent number itself. Products can still be marked with patent numbers though - the website link is simply an alternative option for product marking.

The website must be accessible (free of charge) and must clearly list the relevant patent(s) and the product(s) to which they relate. As you might expect, the website provided must be kept up to date with relevant patent information. However, it is envisaged that this will be less of a burden for patent holders than updating the products themselves.

How is this relevant to me?

If you decide to make use of this law change by marking products with a website link, it could make your life a whole lot easier (at least when it comes to patent product marking).

That said, you will have to ensure that the website provided is kept up to date and is accessible by the public at large.

In short, patent holders can now either mark products with the patent number itself or provide a relevant website link to the patent number. The choice is yours!

I have some questions....

If you would like more information on the web-marking scheme or have a patent query generally, please contact Alex Craig on 0191 211 7911.