On July 6, 2024, the Brazilian PTO joined the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) program, representing another significant advancement in Brazil’s intellectual property framework. This initiative, aligned with the 2023-2025 Action Plan of the Intellectual Property National Strategy, aims to streamline patent examination processes and enhance Brazil’s participation in the global IP system. On December…

Software-driven innovations have become so embedded in our daily lives that almost every single activity we perform has some degree of interaction with them. The massive presence of software-related innovations in our lives is accompanied by an increasing number of patent filings therefor. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in 2023, computer technologies…

On February 20, 2024, a Brazilian Congressman introduced a bill to amend the national IP Statute (Law #9,279/96) and regulate the ownership of inventions generated by artificial intelligence systems. Bill #303/2024 proposes the addition of a paragraph to Article 6 of the IP Statute, which regulates ownership of inventions, with the following wording: “in the…

Divisional filings are one of the most controversial topics in patent prosecution in Brazil. The Patent Office (BRPTO) severely limits the ability of patent applicants to file divisionals. For instance, the BRPTO rejects divisionals filed after receiving a notice of allowance, after receiving a denial or during the appeal stage. Article 26 of the Brazilian…