Unitary Patent System

Until now, the long awaited Unitary Patent System, along with the proposed centralised European patent litigation system seemed like something of a distant reality. However, a number of recent developments have seen the System take one step closer to being brought into effect, and it is hoped that the first unitary patent will be registered in 2014.

The Unitary Patent System and the European Unitary (EU) Patent:

Part of the proposed system is the introduction of the European unitary (EU) patent. The proposed EU patent is closely related to, but different from the European patent, which is granted under the European Patent Convention. European patents, once granted, become a bundle of nationally enforceable patents, in the states designated by the applicant.

At present, European patents (once granted) require validating in each EPO member state for which the patent proprietor seeks patent protection. Validation requires payment of the associated fees, and can require a full translation of the patent specification into the national, official language. Accordingly, validation can be costly, coupled with the need to appoint a national representative to act on applicant's behalf. Further costs arise annually with renewal fees being payable in each member state in which the patent is validated.

It is proposed that the new EU patent will, once granted and at the proprietor's request, become a European patent having unitary effect. The application and examination procedure will be identical to that of European patents, until such time that the patent is granted. However, it will be during the post-grant phase that the process will differ, with the proprietor being presented with the opportunity to opt for a European unitary patent with unitary protection (in all member states participating in the system), instead of the usual European patent with individual territorial protection. The new process would also provide for the patent proprietor to combine both schemes, i.e. to request a European patent in a selection of member states party to the European Patent Convention and not of the unitary patent system (at the time of writing, of the 27 EU countries, only Italy and Spain are not party to the unitary patent system), and a unitary patent in those states party to the unitary patent system, thus providing the proprietor with much flexibility.

The EU patent, if introduced, will provide proprietors with the benefit of a simplified validation procedure, as well as fewer translation and renewal requirements. It is further hoped that the new system will help in making patent protection more accessible, particularly to SMEs, and in making Europe more attractive to inventors, both those within Europe and across the world. The EU patent is awaited with much anticipation, as it has been since it was first discussed way back in the 1970s...

The Centralised European Patent Litigation System (Unitary Patents Court):

A second aspect of the proposed system is the introduction of a centralised European patent litigation system. The centralised system is intended to provide a mechanism by which patent proprietors will have greater legal certainty, particularly in relation to infringement and revocation proceedings concerning European patents (and the new European unitary patent). It is also hoped that a centralised system will significantly reduce patent litigation costs, eliminating the need to conduct litigation in each member state of interest (and under the current system, where the patent has been validated). And yet given the major advantages such a system would bring, it is the introduction of the centralised European patent litigation system that has stalled the introduction of the unitary patent system as a whole.

The reasons for the delay are numerous, not least due to a decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that the introduction of the European Unified Patent Court (a substantial part of the proposed system) would be incompatible with the European Union.

The proposed Regulation on the creation of the unitary patent system may change as a result of this judgement, with the European Council (which represents the governments of the Member States of the European Union) suggesting a number of alterations in a recent statement, published on the 29 June 2012. The European Council recommended the deletion of three provisions, Articles 6 to 8 of the Regulation, which define the acts which constitute infringement of a unitary patent. Deletion of these Articles is thought to remove the possibility of the Unified Patent Court making referrals on substantive patent law to the CJEU. If these recommendations are adopted, the result will likely be that the CJEU will have no jurisdiction in UPC cases. Whether the CJEU adopts this is yet to be seen.

The plans were further stalled on the issue of the location of a central divisional court. However a recent development appears to suggest that progress in respect of the introduction of a Unified Patent Court is gradually taking place. In its statement of 29 June 2012, the European Council also reported that the Unified Patent Court is to be headquartered in Paris. It further reported that the central court will be supported by two specialist courts residing in London (for pharmaceutical related cases) and Munich (for mechanical engineering cases). It has been suggested that the Unified Patent Court, if introduced, will have the jurisdiction to hear issues relating to European Patents granted under the European Patent Convention and also those patents granted under the new unitary right.

The final decision now rests with the European Parliament, which in combination with the European Council forms part of the two-part legislative framework of the European Union. This too has been delayed, largely due to the recent announcement of the European Council, as set out above.

The European Parliament was due to vote on the unitary system on the 4 July 2012, however, the vote was postponed while the European Parliament decides whether the CJEU can be excluded from the unitary system. It is not yet known when the European Parliament will vote on the introduction of the system. Until then, the launch of a unitary patent system hangs in the balance pending the approval of the European Parliament.

Backlink Building Service: Link Building Strategies for Foreign Sites

Approximately 50 to 80 percent of online content is in English. Building links for English-based sites is a challenging task. What about international websites and blogs? Search engines operate locally and internationally. A search query in Google will give different results for the same keyword in Google.nl, Google.es, and Google.co.uk. If you want to set up a foreign site and build quality links, you need to learn a few things about SEO and find the best link building strategy for your online business.

It is important to understand that no matter what niche you are in, if you don't have a link building campaign for your website, your content will not be found by your target audience. Quality is a key factor in off-page optimization in foreign marketers. The central component of a successful link building campaign is your website and its content. Start by identifying your audience and then optimize your website so that it can provide value to your prospects. Studies indicate that building links to foreign sites delivers results much more quickly than link building for English sites.

First of all, you should submit your website to local directories. Each country has its own web directories. You may also contact local business partners and offer your products or services in exchange for a listing. Analyze your competitors and see where they are getting links from. Keep in mind that not all links are created equal. Add your site only to the most relevant directories.

Join business organizations in your country. Some of them may offer free advertising space, while others may have member directories where you can submit your site. Write articles and press releases related to your niche. Send them to newspapers, online magazines, and article directories. Include a link to your website in the resource box. Article submission and press release distribution are powerful marketing tools that can generate huge traffic to your site and help you get relevant backlinks.

Add fresh content on your website and include the right keywords. Use research papers, diagrams, and infographics for developing interest amongst locally-based online communities. Hiring a local link building team is a viable option. Encourage your customers to leave feedback and testimonials on social media sites, forums, and third-party review sites. You may also join local forums, provide useful information, and spread the word about your website. Building links for foreign sites is not very different from getting links to an English website - you just have to think globally and act locally.

Solar Water Heaters - Save Money and the Environment

With the every growing cost of energy and the alarming issue of global warming, solar heating has become a great way to save money and also save the environment. Unlike solar photovoltaic which converts the sun's energy to electricity, Solar water Heaters use the heat radiation of the sun directly. This means there is very little loss. As an example, a solar heating system can be 97% efficient versus a PV cell which is typically 8-14% efficient.

How does it Work?

A Solar heater uses a special coating that absorbs the sun's radiation. This is very similar to how a black car heats up in the sun. The absorbed heat energy is then transferred to a heating medium such as water or glycol. Glycol is normally used when the home owner experiences freezing conditions. The heated liquid is then moved via as small energy-efficient pump to where it is needed. The heat is then transferred to the home or hot water via a heat exchanger.

The most common use of solar water heaters is to heat domestic hot water. A typical solar heating system comprises 5 key elements.

Solar collectors - capture the suns energy Piping - holds the heating medium that is heated in the solar collectors (usually copper or stainless steel) Pump - that moves the solar heating fluid from the collector through the piping to where it is needed Solar Tank with an internal heat exchanger- this is where the heating fluid transfers its energy to the domestic hot water through the internal heat exchanger inside the tank Solar controller - this calculates when the heating fluid is hotter than the water in the solar tank. If it is then it activates the pump so that the heating fluid can circulate through the heat exchanger in the tank

Solar Water Heaters can typically provide home owners 60-70% saving on their water heating bill. With the Federal Energy Tax credits being applied, a typical solar water heater cost about $3000-$4000 and can have paybacks in less than 5 years in some states. This makes them very popular for home owners. In fact in some states such as Hawaii and European countries, new home construction must have a solar water heater as part of the build.

As energy cost are sure to continue to rise and energy management solutions' continue to gain in popularity, so will solar water heating. Next time you see a black looking solar collector on a neighbour's roof, thank them for helping save our planet!

Keeping Personal Information Safe From Identity Fraud

Due to the increased number of incidents involving identity theft in the last ten years, new tactics are being employed to counter this for both business and residential paper shredding is fast becoming the best way to help keep personal information away from people who may wish to act fraudulently. Shredding, also known as document destruction, helps to keep personal details safe because it quickly tears up paper that may have your address or credit card details on and makes it impossible for anyone to be able to reattach the different pieces and copy down your details. Many families now have a shredder in their home office that is in place to deal with documents containing sensitive information and it is also commonplace to see them in offices.

Shredders come in a range of different sizes and styles and it is possible to pick up a small version quite cheaply that will be more than adequate to deal with your shredding needs at home.It is not just bank statements that people are disposing of either; identity thieves also look for other items containing personal details that you may not have thought of. Simply by looking through the average person's waste paper you are able to find multiple ways in which your identity can be compromised. Identity thieves are on the lookout for anything containing your date of birth and credit or debit card information. Even if you are careful to dispose of bank statements it is still possible to get this information from other sources including monthly statements where you pay by direct debit and this may be all that they need in order to start applying for credit in your name and adversely affecting your credit score. Don't let this happen to you. Act before it is too late.

Increase Your Safety at Home

Recent years have shown that many people are giving more time and consideration towards protecting their home and their personal lives from being targeted by thieves and fraudsters. The age of the internet has meant that there are always new scams that are being devised in order to separate innocent people from their hard-earned cash and they are also becoming more advanced and difficult to spot. There are several ways that you can improve your security in everyday life and keep you protected from being targeted and scammed. The most important step to take is to invest in a residential paper shredding system to enable you to ensure that any personal information is protected by using paper shredding to get rid of old credit card bills and anything else that may contain your personal information. Residential paper shredding systems can be bought form a number of outlets and paper shredding is fast becoming more commonplace in everyday life.You should also take steps to protect yourself when coming into contact with sales people on the telephone.

Unfortunately inconvenient sales calls are a part of our normal life, and most are from genuine companies who are trying to sell you a product or service; however, there are some fraudsters who also use this tactic as a way of getting you to part with your personal information over the telephone. If you have a suspicion that someone you are talking to may be a fraudster trying to obtain your details then it is important to hang up the telephone as soon as possible and avoid giving them any further details. If you need clarification regarding the authenticity of a sales call it can help to use the internet to check whether it is a reputable company or not. You should get enough information first before doing any action.

The Hushed Willow - A Review

The Hushed Willow by Lorna Joy Knox nee Ramsamugh is a collection of poetry that will stir your emotions as you embark on a rollercoaster ride through life. As the title suggests the poetry contained in The Hushed Willow is that of emotions and feelings that are kept silent, feelings of sadness, loss, betrayal and hurt. The author has an exceptional gift of portraying such vivid emotions in such few words and is a joy to read. The words of her poetry flow together so gracefully with images from nature jumping up to meet you as you read.

This book takes us through the many adventures of life and recalls a multitude of emotions on its way. Lorna Knox is an extremely talented poet who endeavours to portray so much in so few words. Lorna uses modern free style poetry but maintains the constant rhythm necessary for great poetry.

Containing so many wonderful works of poetry it is quite difficult to choose a favourite or even favourites, however, one poem that really grabbed my attention was "Despair", this poem contains very powerful emotions especially those in the second verse as the poet describes love as a dream. I was also really taken by the poem "Magic", a short and uplifting collection of words where I found myself smiling as I reached the end. The last two lines of this poem really help to sum up this feeling - "To sit among a band, That will soothe me into never, never land."

At the end of this wonderful collection of poetry, Ms. Knox has concluded by giving us a taste of her other skills by including a short story titled "Bound in Friendship --- The Story of Two Friends". A remarkable story, well written that tests the boundaries of friendship in a light romantic story.

The Hushed Willow is a must for anyone with lust for poetry. There is a poem for everyone in this book, if you've lived at all you will definitely find a poem to relate to.

Lorna Joy Knox nee Ramsamugh is also the author of "Flames of a Rose" which can be purchased from all major bookstores including Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Essential Ski Holiday Guide

Whether it be the powder filled Rocky Mountains, the picturesque resorts in the Alps, or a trip to the far north of Scandinavia, a ski holiday is a luxury enjoyed by an increasing number of Brits.

To make sure the trip goes without a hitch, follow the three top tips in this essential ski holiday guide.

Do Your Homework

Before booking a trip, make sure the resort is suited to your needs - and not just with regard to the accommodation or the selection of bars and restaurants!

The size and difficulty of ski areas varies widely. Beginners will want to avoid areas with many red and black runs - suitable only for intermediate and advanced skiers respectively - while blues and greens will present little challenge for those with serious slope skills.

Be aware that the classifications can vary between countries and take note of the guidance on the resort's website. They know what they're talking about if they say it's not ideal for beginners!

Pack Well

When it comes to packing for a winter holiday, the watchword is layers. Ideally people should have a base layer, a mid layer for extra warmth and an outer layer to protect against the elements.

Think about multi-purpose items of clothing, which are not only practical but help save space in the case, and items which are breathable and windproof. Up on the mountain, the weather can change at a moment's notice.

A pair of sturdy and waterproof boots are a must for walking around the resort. The majority of restaurants in ski hotspots are pretty casual, so don't worry about trying to find an evening outfit for freezing, blizzard conditions.

Buy Travel Insurance With Winter Sports Cover

No one wants to think about the worst happening, but its best to be covered if it does.

Research from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) shows 31 per cent of people believe a standard travel insurance policy will cover them if they're injured while skiing.

Sixty-two per cent think the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will cover repatriation after an accident. Unfortunately, they're wrong on both of these points.

Comprehensive travel insurance with winter sports cover is the only thing that will cover you if you're injured on the slopes.

Without it, an injury could get seriously costly. One snowboarder who broke their leg in the US ended up having to pay £18,220 for emergency treatment and repatriation.

Before buying any travel insurance policy, read the details carefully and ensure it meets all your needs.

The Best of the Rest

A few final pointers before you head off to enjoy the snow:

Keep your EHIC card on you at all times in case there is an accident Note down key contact numbers for emergencies Don't head off piste alone - or without the correct level of experience Ski or board to your ability and in line with the conditions Learn the rules of the slope and don't assume the skill of other holidaymakers around you Check the temperature before heading out in the morning