IP Australia lose patent dispute over software patent

Ecommerce marketing company Rokt has won the right to have its software patent granted following a dispute with IP Australia.

In a ruling, justice Alan Robertson overruled a previous ruling from the Australian IP commissioner which denied Rokt’s patent.

Robertson found the patent to solve “not only a business problem but also a technical problem” and ordered the patent to proceed to grant.

In a statement, Rokt called its victory “a win for all Australian software innovators and start-ups who will now be able to protect their innovations”.

Rokt says it now believes that this ruling will aide Australian entrepreneurs who are currently “at a disadvantage on the global stage”.

Commenting on the ruling, Rokt’s CEO, Bruce Buchanan, said: “Software plays a critical role in innovation, and IP Australia and the Government owe it to our country to help support this innovation.”

“By trying to deny software patents created by talented Australians, they are not only wasting taxpayer dollars but severely limiting Australia’s ability to compete on the world stage.”

Buchanan continued: “The future of Australia is undoubtedly going to centre around software and technology—IP Australia should be promoting and encouraging this innovation rather than fighting it and creating barriers for entrepreneurs.”

“For startups building great software to solve new problems, this win means they can finally receive the support they need to compete on the global stage.”