Brazil
Contents
2012 patent office consultation
Brazil's patent office has launched a consultation on the granting of software patents.
- Portuguese original: Patent office (INPI) page about the software patent consultation (English translations[?]: Google, bing translator)
Deadline: Monday May 15th (60 days after the launch, March 16th).
Links to be checked
These pages might have useful info:
- Portuguese original: INPI: Guia Básico - Programa de Computador (English translations[?]: Google, bing translator)
- Portuguese original: INPI: Quanto Custa - Programa de Computador (English translations[?]: Google, bing translator)
Legislation
National law
Patentable subject matter is defined in the law "Regula direitos e obrigações relativos à propriedade industrial":
Portuguese original Art. 10. Não se considera invenção nem modelo de utilidade:
I - descobertas, teorias científicas e métodos matemáticos;
II - concepções puramente abstratas;
III - esquemas, planos, princípios ou métodos comerciais, contábeis, financeiros, educativos, publicitários, de sorteio e de fiscalização;
IV - as obras literárias, arquitetônicas, artísticas e científicas ou qualquer criação estética;
V - programas de computador em si;
VI - apresentação de informações;
VII - regras de jogo;
[...]
Unofficial translation Art. 10. Shall not be considered an invention or a utility method:
I - discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods;
II - purely abstract concepts;
III - schemes, plans, principles or methods for commerce, accounts, financing, education, advertising, lottery and control;
IV - literary, architectural artistic and scientific works, or any, aesthetic creations;
V - computer programs per se;
VI - presentation of information;
VII - rules of a game;
[...]
International agreements
Brazil is a signatory of the TRIPS agreement. This does not carry any requirements about software being patentable, but it defines some words that can be confusing. To avoid the confusing terms, legislation should describe software as being a work by an author (see TRIPS art. 10), and avoid saying that software is a field of technology. Software does not meet the legal definition of "technology".
Related pages on ESP Wiki
External links
- http://www.inpi.gov.br - Brazil's patent office
- Leis Federais - list by FSFLA of Brazil's mains laws on software