The Global Governance of Knowledge : Patent Offices and Their Clients

"Patent offices around the world have granted millions of patents to multinational companies. Patent offices are rarely studied and yet they are crucial agents in the global knowledge economy. Based on a study of forty-five rich and poor countries that takes in the world's largest and smallest offices, Peter Drahos argues that patent offices have become part of a globally integrated private governance network, which serves the interests of multinational companies, and that the Trilateral Offices of Europe, the USA and Japan make developing country patent offices part of the network through the strategic fostering of technocratic trust. By analysing the obligations of patent offices under the patent social contract and drawing on a theory of nodal governance, the author proposes innovative approaches to patent office administration that would allow developed and developing countries to recapture the public spirit of the patent social contract"--Provided by publisher. Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Diagrams and tables......Page 13 List of abbreviations......Page 14 Preface......Page 16 The patent ocean: Kiribati......Page 19 Global patent governance......Page 21 Definitional clarifications......Page 23 Patents as private taxation......Page 25 Collective action, co-evolution and diffusion: explaining the changes in patent office administration......Page 28 Patent offices: the business model approach......Page 36 Disclosure and social value: two versions of the patent social contract......Page 45 The duties of the patent office......Page 51 The fieldwork trail and some findings......Page 56 ‘Invisible’ patent harmonization and why patent offices matter......Page 65 Welcome to the maze......Page 73 Filing routes......Page 74 A procedure, another procedure and yet more procedures......Page 78 Grant procedure......Page 82 Patent quality......Page 87 The dark heart of complexity: patent claims......Page 97 Patent statutes......Page 109 Monopoly privileges......Page 110 Procedures for the grant of monopoly privileges......Page 112 The gap between patent law and patent administration......Page 123 The rise and spread of patent administration......Page 128 Europe’s national patent offices......Page 132 The birth of the European patent system......Page 135 The European Patent Convention......Page 140 Funding and fees at the EPO......Page 142 Surf’s up: PCT waves......Page 146 The EPO and national patent offices: from centralization to cooperation and competition......Page 148 Technical assistance and technocratic trust......Page 152 The effects of technocratic trust......Page 156 The echoes of empire......Page 160 The US patent system in the blink of an eye......Page 162 The problems in 1845......Page 167 The problems today......Page 170 Gaming behaviour......Page 173 Patent fees......Page 176 In whom do we trust?......Page 177 The Japanese patent system: from diffusion to monopoly rights......Page 180 Joining the club......Page 182 On being a senior member of the club......Page 185 Becoming an IP nation......Page 189 Trust and automation......Page 192 Trilateral cooperation......Page 195 Overwork......Page 198 The spirit of cooperation: the Patent Cooperation Treaty......Page 199 The spirit of cooperation: companies and the PCT......Page 201 On being an international authority......Page 206 The Trilateral hub......Page 207 Superhighways of cooperation......Page 209 The superhighway elite: trust, cooperation and competition......Page 211 The manual is the message......Page 213 Integration......Page 217 India: re-designing a colonial institution......Page 218 The patent raj......Page 224 India’s patent office: the jewel in the crown......Page 225 Modernization......Page 227 ‘How can we win?’: India’s strategy on patents......Page 230 From bright line rules to shades of grey......Page 231 A patent-bright future?......Page 235 Patent law in the era of decline, rebellion and war......Page 239 Patents in communist China......Page 241 Opening the door to patents......Page 244 The great leap forward: the State Intellectual Property Office......Page 248 The Asian Trilaterals......Page 253 The tiger office......Page 254 Brazil: the nineteenth century......Page 260 Brazil the leader......Page 263 Brazil’s Patent Office: ‘making the IP business much bigger’......Page 268 The force of empire......Page 275 New empires......Page 278 New missionaries......Page 282 Regional automation......Page 290 Regional patent organizations......Page 292 One patent god......Page 300 A private insider governance network......Page 303 A counter network of outsiders......Page 308 The separation of powers principle......Page 311 New insiders for insider governance......Page 312 An external audit check......Page 313 Taking transparency seriously......Page 316 Transparency registers......Page 322 ‘The ticket clippers’: regulating the patent attorney profession......Page 326 Examiners and patent quality......Page 332 Sovereignty matters......Page 336 Outsourcing the patent social contract......Page 339 Centralized regionalization: making regulatory capture easier......Page 342 Nodal governance......Page 344 Public nodal governance in patent administration......Page 350 Not raising one’s head above the parapet: lost opportunities in a world of nodal governance......Page 354 Index......Page 359 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Diagrams and tables 13 List of abbreviations 14 Preface 16 1 Patent offices and the global governance of knowledge 19 The patent ocean: Kiribati 19 Global patent governance 21 Definitional clarifications 23 Patents as private taxation 25 Collective action, co-evolution and diffusion: explaining the changes in patent office administration 28 Patent offices: the business model approach 36 Disclosure and social value: two versions of the patent social contract 45 The duties of the patent office 51 The fieldwork trail and some findings 56 ‘Invisible’ patent harmonization and why patent offices matter 65 2 Labyrinths and catacombs: Patent office procedure 73 Welcome to the maze 73 Filing routes 74 A procedure, another procedure and yet more procedures 78 Grant procedure 82 Patent quality 87 The dark heart of complexity: patent claims 97 3 The rise of patent offices 109 Patent statutes 109 Monopoly privileges 110 Procedures for the grant of monopoly privileges 112 The gap between patent law and patent administration 123 The rise and spread of patent administration 128 4 The Sun and its planets: The european Patent office and national offices 132 Europe’s national patent offices 132 The birth of the European patent system 135 The European Patent Convention 140 Funding and fees at the EPO 142 Surf’s up: PCT waves 146 The EPO and national patent offices: from centralization to cooperation and competition 148 Technical assistance and technocratic trust 152 The effects of technocratic trust 156 The echoes of empire 160 5 The USPTO and JPO 162 The USPTO 162 The US patent system in the blink of an eye 162 The problems in 1845 167 The problems today 170 Gaming behaviour 173 Patent fees 176 In whom do we trust? 177 The Japanese patent system: from diffusion to monopoly rights 180 Joining the club 182 On being a senior member of the club 185 Becoming an IP nation 189 Trust and automation 192 6 The age of Trilaterals and the spirit of cooperation 195 Trilateral cooperation 195 Overwork 198 The spirit of cooperation: the Patent Cooperation Treaty 199 The spirit of cooperation: companies and the PCT 201 On being an international authority 206 The Trilateral hub 207 Superhighways of cooperation 209 The superhighway elite: trust, cooperation and competition 211 The manual is the message 213 7 The jewel in the crown: India’s Patent office 217 Integration 217 India: re-designing a colonial institution 218 The patent raj 224 India’s patent office: the jewel in the crown 225 Modernization 227 ‘How can we win?’: India’s strategy on patents 230 From bright line rules to shades of grey 231 A patent-bright future? 235 8 The dragon and the tiger: china and South Korea 239 Patent law in the era of decline, rebellion and war 239 Patents in communist China 241 Opening the door to patents 244 The great leap forward: the State Intellectual Property Office 248 The Asian Trilaterals 253 The tiger office 254 9 Joining the patent office conga line: brazil 260 Brazil: the nineteenth century 260 Brazil the leader 263 Brazil’s Patent Office: ‘making the IP business much bigger’ 268 10 Islands and regions in the patent stream 275 The force of empire 275 New empires 278 New missionaries 282 Regional automation 290 Regional patent organizations 292 One patent god 300 11 Reclaiming the patent social contract 303 A private insider governance network 303 A counter network of outsiders 308 The separation of powers principle 311 New insiders for insider governance 312 An external audit check 313 Taking transparency seriously 316 Transparency registers 322 ‘The ticket clippers’: regulating the patent attorney profession 326 Examiners and patent quality 332 Patent administration sovereignty: Nodal solutions for small countries, developing countries 336 Sovereignty matters 336 Outsourcing the patent social contract 339 Centralized regionalization: making regulatory capture easier 342 Nodal governance 344 Public nodal governance in patent administration 350 Not raising one’s head above the parapet: lost opportunities in a world of nodal governance 354 Index 359 Patent Offices Around The World Have Granted Millions Of Patents To Multinational Companies. Patent Offices Are Rarely Studied And Yet They Are Crucial Agents In The Global Knowledge Economy. Based On A Study Of Forty-five Rich And Poor Countries That Takes In The World's Largest And Smallest Offices, Peter Drahos Argues That Patent Offices Have Become Part Of A Globally Integrated Private Governance Network, That Serves The Interests Of Multinational Companies ... And That The Trilateral Offices Of Europe, The Usa And Japan Make Developing-country Patent Offices Part Of The Network Through The Strategic Fostering Of Technocratic Trust. By Analysing The Obligations Of Patent Offices Under The Patent Social Contract And Drawing On A Theory Of Nodal Governance, The Author Proposes Innovative Approaches To Patent Office Administration That Would Allow Developed And Developing Countries To Recapture The Public Spirit Of The Patent Social Contract--back Cover. Patent Offices And The Global Governance Of Knowledge -- Labyrinths And Catacombs : Patent Office Procedure -- The Rise Of Patent Offices -- The Sun And Its Planets : The European Patent Office And National Offices -- The Uspto And Jpo -- The Age Of Trilaterals And The Spirit Of Co-operation -- The Jewel In The Crown : India's Patent Office -- The Dragon And The Tiger : China And South Korea -- Joining The Patent Office Conga Line : Brazil -- Islands And Regions In The Patent Stream -- Reclaiming The Patent Social Contract -- Patent Administration Sovereignty : Nodal Solutions For Small Countries, Developing Countries. Peter Drahos. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Machine generated contents note: 1. Patent offices and the global governance of knowledge; 2. Labyrinths and catacombs: patent office procedure; 3. The rise of patent offices; 4. The sun and its planets - the European Patent Office and National Offices; 5. The USPTO and JPO; 6. The age of trilaterals and the spirit of co-operation; 7. The jewel in the crown - India's Patent Office; 8. The dragon and the tiger: China and South Korea; 9. Joining the patent office conga line: Brazil; 10. Islands and regions in the patent stream; 11. Reclaiming the patent social contract; 12. Patent administration sovereignty - nodal solutions for small countries, developing countries.