Patenting blockchain: criteria and uses

On December 4th, the EPO (European Patent Office) organized the first conference on the patenting of blockchain technology.

The first interesting outcome is the significant increase in blockchain technology patent applications received from 2015 to date. During the conference, the participants discussed the criteria that the EPO should use for the examination and evaluation of patent applications.

The conference showed that patent applications will be evaluated according to stable criteria, developed on the basis of the legal framework related to computer-implemented inventions, which are available in the Guidelines, which are constantly updated and reviewed to ensure that the criteria adopted are transparent and that the procedure is clear and predictable for economic operators.

The term “blockchain” is now widely known, even if it is mainly associated with cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin); in reality, it is a technology that can be used in different sectors and which has countless advantages.

In healthcare it is crucial to safely manage the huge amount of patient data resulting from, for example, electronic health records, electromedical devices, and data collected from wearable devices. In all these cases, the blockchain technology ensures data integrity, as well as the recording of data with a precise date and sharing data in a secure way.

Other areas where blockchain can be used are those related to the registration of trademarks or the protection of copyright as well as the fashion industry. In fact, blockchain technologies have the ability to track the product along the entire production and distribution chain, reducing counterfeiting and thus protecting both the producer and the final consumer.

More information available at: www.epo.org