Peer-to-Patent Australia (see here and here) is a joint initiative of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and IP Australia’s patent office, and is designed to improve the patent examination process and the quality of issued patents by encouraging members of the public to assist the patent office locate prior art relevant to pending patent applications.After making a promising start in December 2009, the project has now entered its second phase bringing a new set of patent applications to be peer reviewed. The second phase of the project boasts patent applications from General Electric, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Western Union and Aristocrat. QUT and IP Australia invite appropriately qualified people to contribute to the project.
They are looking for scientists, engineers, patent examiners, patent searchers, patent attorneys, lawyers and others to take part. Members of the public are encouraged to join the online peer community to review patent applications and put forward relevant prior art. You do not need to be an Australian to contribute – peer reviewers from all countries are invited.
To register as a peer reviewer and join the prior art search, visit the Peer-to-Patent Australia website at: www.peertopatent.org.au.
It is good to see projects like this popping up around the world. It makes sense to share the load as far as patent examination is concerned.
Hopefully the patent office in India will follow the lead of Australia and the US and establish a peer-to-patent site if its own.
The Peer-to-Patent Australia project has only 3 weeks left to run.