IPR Amicus: January 2022

Article

Delhi High Court lays down rules of claim construction – Literal rule of interpretation to be applied while interpreting claims

By Dr. Malathi Lakshmikumaran and T. Srinivasan

The article in this issue of IPR Amicus elaborately discusses a recent Delhi High Court decision wherein the Court has emphasised that the literal rule of interpretation should be applied while interpreting patent claims. Laying down several guidelines for claim construction, the Court had stated that each claim must be understood according to the ordinary meaning of the words used in a claim. It had also highlighted that the claims must be construed objectively and understood ‘on its own terms ’. Applying the law, the Court ascertained the ordinary meaning imputed to the term ‘comprising ’, used in the claim and stated that where a claim comprises of three elements ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’, it would still be an infringement if someone adds a fourth element ‘D’. According to the authors, claims must be read as ordinary English sentences without incorporating or changing their meaning by reference to the language used in the body of the specification. They also state that two independent patent claims from different patent applications must not be construed in reference to each other...

Statute Update

  • Biological diversity Act sought to be amended – Bill proposed in Lower House of Indian Parliament

Ratio decidendi

  • Words ‘Renaissance’ and ‘Sai Renaissance’ are phonetically as well as visually similar – Confusion to be presumed in infringement action when marks and goods/services identical – Supreme Court
  • Trademarks ‘Rooh Afza ’ and ‘Dil Afza ’ not similar – No confusion even if words ‘Rooh ’ and ‘Dil ’ connote deep emotion – Delhi High Court
  • Trademark disparagement – No assumption that goods depicted in advertisement are that of plaintiff, merely because plaintiff is a dominant market player – Delhi High Court

News Nuggets

  • Limitation for judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings – Supreme Court excludes period from 15 March 2020 till 28 February 2022
  • ‘Tattva ’ and ‘Tatva(s) ’ are phonetically identical and not merely similar
  • IPR disputes – Delhi High Court implores members of bar, specially Senior Counsels, to keep constraints of time of Court in mind
  • Identity of subject matter in two suits – Second suit to be stayed
  • Singapore amends its IP laws to streamline IP policies and processes
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