Patent Protections

January 14, 2010
Intellectual Property News and Interesting Facts

In South Africa it is not possible to get patent protections for scientific discoveries, literary or musical work, artistic work, aesthetic designs, rules, and method of thinking, mathematical formulas or discoveries.

It is also not possible to get patent protections for methods of doing business, presenting information, programming for computers, and playing a game.

None of the above is seen as an invention and although protection can be obtained against copying of the above it falls under other categories of intellectual property law. It doesn’t however, mean that you cannot file for a patent application if your so-called work falls within one of the above categories.

It does mean that the chances for successfully applying for the patent will be slim and the process may entail extensive litigation to get a patent granted.