Nurturing Innovative Minds in Institutions...
Integration of Intellectual Property Rights
T
he role of an engineer has transcended the
improvement to a known product or process.
The proposed approach is to seamlessly integrate
narrowness of geographical boundaries in
Such an invention may be in a new or improved
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in technical edu-
this flat world of globalization. The trans-
material, machine, apparatus, testing, or measur-
cation by incorporating the IPR process in the stu-
national and cross-cultural competitive world
ing equipment, component of a product, or a
dent thesis / projects from a very early stage so
demands innovation abilities of an engineer be-
method or a process for making any of these. It
that the students get exposed to significance of
yond technical skills.
could also be a new use of an existing material or
prior art searches, analysis of prior art in the con-
a new combination of prior known but separate
text of the problem they are solving, developing
Educational institutes are wellsprings of know-
features that produce an unexpected new result
solutions that are novel, have tailored inventive
ledge. They contribute to the development of
when so combined.
steps and are useful.
the students to respond to the ever-changing
In operational terms, a patent is a grant by a sov-
The system is designed to catalyse the initial crea-
contours of social and economical needs of the
ereign or state to a person giving him exclusive
tion of a core group from interested students and
society and thereby the nation. To take up this
right to stop others from making, using, exercis-
/ or faculty from departments or research groups
challenge it is necessarily to seed, nurture and cre-
ing, and vending his invention for a limited period
or fields of studies. The core group is exposed
ate open, inspired, prepared, and enriched minds.
of time, in exchange for disclosing his invention
to the basics of IPR in structured training pro-
To sustain the fierce competition, it is necessary to
in a patent specification in a manner such that a
grammes, taught how to identify problems, how
develop in students the ability to perceive the fu-
person skilled in the art can reproduce the inven-
to conduct patent searches, how to design inven-
ture, learn continually from the exhaustive global
tion without undue experimentation. The patent
tions to solve the identified technical problems,
knowledge bank and innovate to meet evolving
system requires a disclosure of the invention in a
how to design inventive steps in an invention,
needs of society.
specified manner, patent specification, defined by
how to read patents and interpret claims. The IP
the statute.
literate core group then helps other students on
young minds.
Educational institutes prepare
Intellectual Property (IP) system could be effec-
how to approach their projects.
tively used as one of the tools to seed and nurture
It is well established that a significant portion of
creativity and innovation capability in students.
information related to technology resides in pat-
Such is a stress and burden free approach that
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) provides a legal
ent applications and granted patents that does
does not add IPR as yet another subject but in-
framework that facilitates innovation by granting
not appear in other publication platforms.
tegrates and internalizes it in the student thesis
limited protection to the innovator against illegiti-
itself. It adds value to the “learning” ability of the
mate copying and unauthorized use, in return for
The documents in the patent system is one of
students and instills in them ethical values and
the innovator disclosing his creation to the socie-
the most well-structured, indexed and retrievable
trains them to observe, critically analyse and pro-
ty. The IPR system in effect provides a platform for
documentation of technology.
Patent search
vide innovative solutions thereby nurturing in-
the equitable sharing of knowledge so that others
can be strategically used in the early process of
novations. The problem-based “learn as you do”
have access to protected knowledge for further
research for effective technology development
system naturally induces a student to explore and
legitimate development, with a proviso that any
process. Patent search in research can be carried
exploit the richness of existing knowledge (prior
exploitation of IPR is done with the consent of the
out to understand the trend of the new technol-
art), contextually build on it and provide technical
IPR holder, with reasonable benefits and returns
ogy through patent information and to deter-
solutions to problems as he assesses it, and in the
to him.
mine the main point of the technology described
process fosters innovations and creative minds.
in the patent. The public availability of free patent Patent is one of the tools of IP. In the context of
databases over the internet provides a rich source
a patent, an invention pertains to technological
of technical information provided in the patent
problem-solving or technological improvements
documents.
in relation to an article of manufacture or a manufacturing process. These technological changes
It is necessary to effectively use the IP system in
add new functional features or improve the cur-
research and development in institutions. The
rent functionality of a product, process, or ma-
richness of the patent documents needs to be
chine. An invention may be a major break through
well exploited in the research by students to de-
that results in the creation of an entirely new
velop innovative technologies in educational
product or process, or it may be an incremental
institutions.
4 Technology | January 2013
Author
Siddharth Jabade, Ph.D. Director, Innovation and Intellectual Property Rights, AIT Consulting
References Jabade , Siddharth, Abhyankar Hemant and Ganguli Prabuddha (2008) “Model IPRinternaliseTM – Integrating Intellectual Property Rights in Technical Education”, World Patent Information
