WITH THE aim of telling inventors how they can benefit from professional
advice, the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents is currently sponsoring
a free exhibition on 鈥楶rotecting Innovation鈥� at the Design Centre in Haymarket,
London.
The CIPA鈥檚 decision to sponsor the Design Centre exhibition is likely
to be connected with the Institute鈥檚 recent loss of monopoly on the right
to represent inventors (see lead story).
One of the most interesting stories told by the exhibition is that of
the recent court battles fought by Quantel, whose 鈥楶aintbox鈥� system generates
video special effects. Ironically, although the exhibition contains many
video displays, the Quantel story is not illustrated by a video demonstration.
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Too late for the exhibition, there has been a new twist in the Quantel
tale. Although Quantel successfully sued rival firms selling similar systems
called Matisse and Pastiche in Britain, the judgment has no effect in the
US, and Quantel may now have to sue all over again under its patents there.
