Category Archives: Patent/s

NATIONAL: BEACON of INDIA INC. : Ratan Tata family tree: From Jamsetji Tata to Maya Tata, know all the members here

Ratan Tata Family tree: Here’s a look at the family lineage of the Tatas.

Ratan Tata complete family Tree: Ratan Naval Tata, chairman emeritus of Tata Sons, passed away at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai Wednesday night. He was admitted following age-related health issues and was undergoing treatment at the hospital. Tata, a beacon of India Inc, steered his group amid India’s economic liberalisation and, subsequently, guided its global expansion.

Conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, Tata was considered one of the greatest philanthropists in the country who touched lives of millions through his work in the field of healthcare, education, drinking water and many other areas.

Here’s a look at the family tree of the Tatas

Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata Group was born to Nusserwanji Ratan Tata and Jeevanbai Kavasji Tata, in 1939. apart from Jamsetji, Nusserwanji had four other children — Ratanbai, Maneckbai, Virbaiji, Jerbai.

Born into a family of Parsi priests, Jamsetji broke the tradition as he started his own trading firm in 1868 at a young age of 29. He started with a textile mill in central India in the 1870s. His vision later set the foundation for technical education in India and helped the nation to be counted among the industrialised nations.

Jamsetji married Hirabai Daboo and had three children — Sir Dorabji Tata, Dhunbai Tata and Sir Ratan Tata. 

Dorabji, the elder son of Jamsetji, was instrumental in translating his father’s vision into reality. It was under his leadership that the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust was created, propelling the Tata tradition of philanthropy. Jamsetji’s younger son, Ratan, was a philanthropist who created a trust to fund educational development, alleviate human sufferings and other public utility works.

Sir Ratan Tata married Navjbai Sett and adopted Naval H Tata. Naval married Sonoo Commisariat and had two sons — Ratan N Tata and Jimmy N Tata. But Naval and Soonoo divorced when Ratan N Tata was only 10 years old. Naval later married Simone Dunoyer and with her, had a son, Noel Tata. Noel is Ratan and Jimmy’s half brother.

While Ratan and Jimmy never married, Noel tied knot with Aloo Mistry, sister of late Cyrus Mistry, who served as Chairman of Tata Group. Noel and Aloo have three children — Leah Tata, Maya Tata and Neville Tata.

Neville is married to Manasi Kirloskar and together they have two children – Jamset Tata and Tiana Tata.

Again, Jeevanbai Kavasji Tata’s brother Dadabhai Kavasji Tata (adopted son of Kavasji Maneckji Tata) had a son with his wife Bhikhibai. Dadabhai’s son Ratanji Dadabhai Tata married a French woman Suzanne Briere. They had five children — Syla Petit, Jehangir Ratanji Dababhai Tata, Rodabeh Tata, Darab Tata and Jimmy Tata. 

Jehangir or JRD Tata, who went on to become Tata Chairman, pioneered civil aviation on the subcontinent in 1932 by launching the airline which is now known as Air India.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: DRONE PATENTS: Patent Granted: Path-Breaking Drone Technology Developed by Anna University Researchers to Revolutionise Package Delivery Applications

A path-breaking technology has been developed by the researchers at the Madras Institute of Technology, Anna University, Chennai that may open up a new era of drone operations.

The airborne-based intelligent autonomous landing system for mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that come with accurate identification of geographical location of landing sites from the plurality of images captured has been granted patent by the Indian Patent Office, Intellectual Property India.

“The technology would immensely help in the delivery/pick up of load such as weapons, ammunition, medicines, food etc. to armed forces deployed along hilly terrains or inaccessible locations along the border,” said Dr K. Senthil Kumar, Professor and Director, Dr Kalam Advanced UAV Research Centre, Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT,

The system developed by his team of researchers is capable of not only finding the precise location of a marker like a particular coloured dress or object on the site and land there safely even if it were to be a hilly terrain with uneven surface and slope. At present, existing UAVs were designed to land at a pre-determined well prepared plain surface locations,

Dr Senthil Kumar explained, “Once the landing site is identified, the position coordinates are obtained and UAV lands at the target including moving platforms. Further, QR code can also be used to enhance reliability. The efficiency of the UAV landing system is increased, landing time is reduced, and the complete process is on-board and autonomous using AI and deep learning algorithms. The system is particularly useful for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) applications.”

According to Dr Senthil Kumar, the UAV landing system could be utilised in high-altitude logistics drones to assist armed and border security forces in day-to-day essential supplies delivery to border posts, emergency relief and rescue operations or delivery of certain goods to strengthen combat missions.

“We now have UAVs with the capability to fly up to 50 kg load to 20 km. Efforts are on to enhance the load to 100 kg and flying distance to 50 km,” he added.

Highlighting the UAVs utility, Dr Senthil Kumar said, besides defence, firefighting and surveillance operations, the intelligent autonomous landing system for mini-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles could also be used for civilian missions such as organ/medicine delivery in healthcare, product delivery in e-commerce etc.

“The invention marked a significant breakthrough in drone technology as it would revolutionise the package delivery applications. The existing delivery methods were done only by way of airdrop from certain altitudes,” he remarked.

source/content: raksha-anirveda.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL: SCIENCE – RESEARCH & DISCOVERY: Living walls: Indian student Prantar Tamuli develops carbon capturing building material in University College London(UCL)

Tamuli developed the C-ELM under the guidance of research supervisors during his MSc in Bio-Integrated Design, even innovating new methods to culture cyanobacteria at home during the Covid-19 lockdown in London.

An Indian student at University College London (UCL) has developed an innovative construction biomaterial that utilises living microorganisms to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, potentially revolutionising the building industry’s carbon footprint.

Prantar Tamuli, a Master’s student in UCL’s Biochemical Engineering Department, recently introduced this material as part of an art installation at St Andrews Botanic Garden in Scotland.

The biomaterial, known as a cyanobacterial engineered living material (C-ELM), incorporates living cyanobacteria within translucent panels that can be mounted on the interior walls of buildings. As the microorganisms grow through photosynthesis, they capture carbon dioxide from the air.

“My goal with developing C-ELM is to shift the construction of our future human habitats from being a significant carbon-emitting activity to one that actively sequesters carbon,” Tamuli was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Through a process called biomineralisation, the captured CO2 is converted into calcium carbonate, effectively trapping the carbon.

A kilogram of C-ELM can capture up to 350g of carbon dioxide, while the same amount of traditional concrete would emit approximately 500g of CO2. A wall covered with 150 square metres of these panels could sequester about one tonne of carbon dioxide.

“The potential of this biomaterial is immense. If scaled up and widely implemented, it could significantly reduce the construction industry’s carbon footprint,” said Professor Marcos Cruz of UCL’s Bartlett School of Architecture and co-director of the Bio-Integrated Design Programme, according to the report by PTI.

Tamuli developed the C-ELM under the guidance of research supervisors during his MSc in Bio-Integrated Design, even innovating new methods to culture cyanobacteria at home during the Covid-19 lockdown in London.

Dr Brenda Parker, co-director of the Bio-Integrated Design Programme, added, “By breaking down traditional disciplinary barriers, we can enable breakthroughs like these. Biotechnology is now in a position to transform sustainable design and construction,” PTI reported.

Inspired by studying stromatolites—ancient structures formed by algal mats—Tamuli focused on the cyanobacteria species *Kamptonema animale*, which grows in long strands that easily bind to surrounding materials within the panels. The calcium carbonate produced by the cyanobacteria strengthens and reinforces the panels.

These panels offer multiple benefits for buildings, including being lightweight, sound-absorbing, translucent enough to allow light to pass through, and thermally insulating to improve energy efficiency.

The first panels were publicly displayed inside the “Bioscope” pavilion at St Andrews Botanic Garden, showcasing low-carbon, nature-inspired construction methods designed by the collective Studio Biocene. A patent for C-ELM technology has been filed by UCL’s commercialisation company, UCL Business.

source/content: indianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL : PATENT RECORD: Indian patent office grants record 1 lakh patents in past year, March 2023 – March 2024

The Patent Office granted over one lakh patents in the last 1 year (15-Mar-2023 to 14-Mar-2024). Every working day, 250 patents were granted, the ministry said.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Saturday (March 16) that the Patent Office has granted an unprecedented one lakh patents within a single year. As per an official release, in the fiscal year 2023-24 alone, the Patent Office received an all-time high of 90,300 patent applications.

The Patent Office granted over one lakh patents in the last 1 year (15-Mar-2023 to 14-Mar-2024). Every working day, 250 patents were granted, the ministry said. Alongside patent grants, there has been a notable surge in GI registrations, demonstrating a threefold increase compared to the previous year. Currently, India boasts 573 registered GIs, with 98 new registrations in the fiscal year 2023-24, according to the release.

Additionally, copyright registrations have reached a record-breaking 36,378, underscoring the vast potential within the creative sector. In the realm of design, the fiscal year 2023-24 witnessed the highest number of registrations to date, totalling 27,819, alongside the final disposal of 30,450 applications.

Noteworthy initiatives such as Toycathon, jointly organized by J&K SCERT and the Indian IP Office, have facilitated the registration of 115 novel designs by J&K school students, according to the release. The Trade Marks Registry has also redoubled its efforts to expedite trademark protection, committing to issuing examination reports within 30 days of receiving trademark applications.

In parallel, the National Intellectual Property Academy (NIPAM) has played a pivotal role in raising IP awareness, offering training to 24 lakh youths, particularly students and teachers, across over 7,000 institutions in the last two years. The announcement coincided with the official notification of the Patent Rules, 2024, which introduces several provisions aimed at simplifying the patent prosecution and maintenance processes.

These rules are poised to streamline the acquisition and management of patents, thereby nurturing an environment conducive to innovation and economic growth. Notable features of the revamped rules include provisions for acknowledging inventors’ contributions through a new ‘Certificate of Inventorship’ and reducing the time limit for filing examination requests to accommodate the fast pace of technological advancements, read the press release.

Highlighting the significance of these developments, government officials emphasized their commitment to enhancing the IP ecosystem and administration in the country. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is dedicated to creating an environment that fosters innovation and economic development through robust IP protection mechanisms.

The surge in patent grants reflects India’s emergence as a hub for technological innovation, with one technology seeking IP protection every six minutes.

source/content: indiatvnews.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: PATENTS: Mahindra & Mahindra receives a record 674 patents in FY24

Mahindra & Mahindra has received a record 674 patents in FY24, the most of any Indian 4-wheeler automobile/farm equipment manufacturer. This is a 380% increase in the number of patents issued to M&M over FY23.

The company said, “M&M is constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation by investing in research and the use of cutting-edge technology. Our strategy of prioritizing R&D has helped us to come up with futuristic automotive brands with world-class features. We firmly believe that by staying at the forefront of technology, we can deliver the loftiest expectations of our customers.

So far, we have been conferred 1185 patents across multiple geographies, and we currently have 193 applications awaiting patent approval, as of 31st March 2024. Cumulatively, we have filed 2212 patent applications to date. The patent portfolio also includes fillings of M&M’s subsidiary, Mahindra Electric Automobile Ltd. In addition to our patents, we have also got 115 designs registered and 178 new applications filed. This record-breaking achievement is a testament to our cutting-edge research prowess.”

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source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

INTERNATIONAL / NATIONAL: PATENTS: IIT Madras records 92% jump in Indian patents granted during 2023

The number of international patents filed, including those granted under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, also recorded a significant increase, going up to 105 in 2023, from 58 in the preceding year.

The Indian Institute of Technology – Madras (IIT Madras) saw a 92 per cent jump in the number of Indian patents granted in 2023, rising from 156 patents in 2022 to 300 in 2023.

Additionally, the number of international patents filed, including those granted under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), also recorded a significant increase, going up to 105 in 2023, from 58 in the preceding year. Furthermore, as many as 221 patents have already been filed during the current financial year (as of December 2023), including 163 Indian patents and 63 international patent applications (including PCT).

Since the institute’s inception, a total of about 2,550 IP (including patent) applications have been filed both in India (1,800) and abroad (750) so far, out of which about 1,100 are registered IPs/granted patents (about 900 Indian and 200 international). Interestingly, the institute started filing patent applications as early as January 1975 (granted in May 1977). The total number of IP applications filed crossed 1,000 in 2016, 2,000 in 2022, and 2,500 in 2023.

Lauding the faculty, researchers, and students on their pioneering and translational research, V Kamakoti, director of IIT Madras, said, “As we are marching towards our 100th year of Independence, for Bharat to become a superpower, it is very important to protect our ideas. In this direction, I congratulate the faculty and students and the Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) who have put together a very comprehensive programme, by which we have created a record in the number of patents filed.”

Researchers at IIT Madras are generating IP in domains such as wireless networks, advanced materials, robotics, additive manufacturing technology, engine advancements, assistive devices, advanced sensor applications, clean energy, aerospace applications, polymer materials, thin films, catalysts, and biomedical applications, among other emerging technologies. The Office of Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (ICSR) at IIT Madras coordinates the different aspects related to intellectual property and technology transfer. The centre collaborates with faculty, researchers, and students and also has a dedicated legal cell.

Elaborating on the institute’s support provided to researchers, Manu Santhanam, dean (ICSR) at IIT Madras, said, “The institute has made it easy for inventors to access existing patent information through an online AI-based patent search tool. This facility has helped the inventors not only to quickly evaluate the invention by themselves but also to improve their ideas and claims. The emphasis is also equally on the quality of the work being translated as IP. This is only possible because of the collaborative effort of our inventors and the IP team.”

source/content: business-standard.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: PATENT: Madhya Pradesh’s Science & Innovation: SGSITS’s Professor Satish Jain Created ‘Radiator Miniaturization’ To Be Used By ISRO, DRDO

Government of India recognized and granted the patent for the invention of ‘Noble and Optimized-Effective Ground Structural for Radiator Miniaturization’ created by Shri Govindram Seksaria Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) professor Satish Jain. He registered a patent for the same.

“I have reduced the size of the antenna to be installed on the nano satellite,” Jain said. He added that due to this, the quality of the satellite will improve.

“This has become possible after my hard work of the last 7 years,” Jain said. The invention is expected to be useful for the sky related satellite activities of the Government of India (Indian Space Satellite Research Center ISRO, DRDO)!

“Due to the smaller size of the antenna, the possibility of expanding the service by installing more modules in the satellite increases,” Jain said.

Director of the institute Rakesh Saxena said, “Nano satellite is a small satellite platform with very high density technology, which must use reliable design.” The invention can help in reliable and efficient nano satellites, he added.

source/content: freepressjournal.in (headline edited)

IIT-Bombay researchers patent technology that will save crores for steel industry and reduce emissions

A groundbreaking energy-efficient carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology has been developed, offering the potential to revolutionize the steel industry while advancing India’s aim of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. Developed by the National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (NCoE-CCU) at IIT Bombay with support from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), this innovation enables the conversion of CO2 into carbon monoxide (CO) under electrocatalytic conditions at ambient temperatures, even in the presence of water.

Dr Arnab Dutta and Dr Vikram Vishal, along with dedicated researchers at the NCoE-CCU, have successfully patented the CO2-to-CO conversion technology. Moreover, their work is set to be published in the prestigious international journal, Nature Communications.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is widely used in the industrial sector, particularly in the form of synthesis gas (syngas). In the steel industry, CO is indispensable for converting iron ores into metallic iron within blast furnaces. However, the traditional method of CO generation involves the partial oxidation of coke or coal, leading to substantial CO2 emissions as a byproduct. 

The innovation developed by IIT Bombay’s NCoE-CCU offers a more sustainable approach by converting emitted CO2 into valuable CO. What sets this technology apart is its ability to function at ambient temperatures (25-40 °C) with minimal energy requirements.

This electrocatalytic reaction can efficiently harness energy from renewable sources, such as solar panels or windmills, ensuring a carbon-neutral process for converting CO2 to CO. Notably, this advancement aligns with India’s environmental goals and represents a critical pathway for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

The technology has immense potential for various industrial applications and is currently in the process of scaling up, thanks to the recent incubation of UrjanovaC Private Limited. The steel sector, in particular, stands to benefit from this breakthrough. Additionally, another technology for aqueous-based CO2 capture and conversion to calcium carbonate, originating from DST-supported NCoE-CCU activities, has been licensed to UrjanovaC Private Limited, incubated through SINE at IIT Bombay.

source/content: newsable.asianetnews.com

NATIONAL: RIVERS OF INDIA / SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: IIT(ISM) in Dhanbad develops ‘Online Real-Time River Health Monitoring System’

Based on artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, IRHIS is the result of a joint effort by departments of environmental science and engineering at the IIT(ISM).

The IIT(ISM) in Dhanbad has developed an online real-time river health monitoring system called the Integrated River Health Investigation System (IRHIS) that can send early signals on flooding and pollution.

Based on artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, IRHIS is the result of a joint effort by the departments of environmental science and engineering at the IIT(ISM).

“The system developed by faculty member S.K. Gupta in association with his research scholar Sujoy Gupta in 2021-23 is inbuilt with safety alarms and video cameras to facilitate early signals to the decision makers against flooding, theft, and critical pollution locations,” said IIT(ISM) dean (media and branding) Rajni Singh.

Singh said the system was demonstrated last week during a mega exhibition of the Union ministry of education held on the occasion of the third anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the second edition of the Akhil Bhartiya Shiksha Samagam in New Delhi.

“The event was held from July 29-30 at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi and only deep-tech and high-impact innovations were selected for demonstration,” Singh added.

“IRHIS is one of the most advanced AI and IoT-based online real-time river health monitoring systems developed to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-6) keeping in view its vital application in the Namami Gange mission,” Gupta said.

He said IRHIS, which is equipped with advanced sensors, can help in real-time monitoring of the discharge of any toxic material in the river.

“The patent for the system has already been published,” Gupta added.

On the selection of his system for demonstration at the exhibition, Gupta said: “The education ministry’s innovation cell and the All India Council for Technical Education selected 150 Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL-7) or above early-stage startups, edutech growth stage startups, innovations and institutions to demonstrate their contributions towards achieving the overall goal as envisioned under NEP 2020.”

“The collaboration with the Telecom startups-MSMEs Mission, SRI, DoT and the ministry of communications is in progress for its implementation in rural development, river monitoring and industrial surveillance,” Gupta added.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL: HEALTH & MEDICAL SERVICES / VACCINES: INDIA’S FIRST INTRANASAL COVID-19 VACCINE – 3 Lakh Doses of Intranasal Covid Vaccine ‘iNCOVACC’ sent to Hospitals: Bharat Biotech’s Krishna Ella

iNCOVACC, the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, was launched on January 26.

Bharat Biotech dispatched three lakh doses of its intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to some hospitals two days ago, the company’s executive chairman Krishna Ella said on Sunday.

Mr. Ella was speaking on the sidelines of an event here at which a bilateral agreement was signed between the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison Global Health Institute (GHI) and the Ella Foundation for the establishment of the first-ever UW-Madison One Health Centre in Bengaluru.

iNCOVACC, the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, was launched on January 26. The vaccine is now available on CoWIN and priced at ₹800 for private markets and ₹325 for the government of India and State governments.

“We dispatched three lakh doses of the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to some hospitals two days ago,” Mr. Ella said.

On whether Bharat Biotech is looking at exporting the vaccine, he said some countries and international agencies are approaching the company for the intra-nasal vaccine.

iNCOVACC is also the world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule, and as a heterologous booster dose for adults.

Mr. Ella said the UW-Madison One Health Centre in Bengaluru is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

It will advance the development and production of new vaccines for India. Furthermore, the partnership will enable collaboration across disciplines and geographic boundaries, provide Indian students and researchers access to UW expertise and training, and build research capacity in India, he said.

“Both Ella Foundation and UW-Madison GHI share a common vision to advance innovation in science, research, and knowledge sharing. Establishing the UW-Madison Global One Health Centre holds great significance as it will advance global health through research, education, and community engagement by facilitating student, faculty exchanges, research and education,” he added.

UW-Madison GHI director Jorge Osorio said, “We are energised by the opportunity to partner with the Ella Foundation to bring UW knowledge and expertise to expand innovative and impactful health initiatives outside Wisconsin to India.”

The India One Health Centre joins a global network that includes Africa and Latin America and will open new opportunities for research, education, and provide actionable outcomes to benefit humans, animals, and ecosystems that advance equitable and sustainable health across India and the world.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)