How much does it cost to get a patent in India?

Understanding the cost structure corresponding to applying for a patent can help in making some important decisions. Hence, instead of having a generic idea about the overall cost, it helps if you are aware of the breakdown of the cost structure and the time of incurring such expenses.

The overall cost of obtaining a patent includes the fee that has to be paid to the patent office (statutory fee) and the fee paid to the patent service provider (professional fee). The professional fee varies based on the service provider you may select. Hence, in this article I will deal only with the statutory fee.
Please note that, the most important factor in filing a patent application is preparing a patent specification. Drafting a patent specification is a highly skilled job, which can be only performed by persons who have both technical as well as patent law expertise. If a person or company is serious about protecting their intellectual property, it is highly recommeded to use the services of professional patent practitioners. To know more about this, you can read our articles on this.

• Should an inventor take professional help to draft and file patent applications?     

• Why should patent specifications be drafted by patent professionals?    

The statutory fee depends on who the applicant of the patent is. The Indian Patent Office (IPO) has categorized the applicants into 4 categories:

1. Natural person

1. Startup(s)

1. Other than natural person – Small Entity

1. Other than natural person – Others except small Entity

1. Other than natural person – Startup

1. Other than natural person – Small Entity

1. Other than natural person – Others except small Entity

For example, legal entities, such as, companies would fall under these categories. It shall be noted that, a patent application can have more than one applicant, and even if one of the applicants do not fall under the first category, then the patent application is considered to be filed by applicants of the remaining two categories.
Applicants who are other than natural person are categorized into the below three categories.

1. Other than natural person – Startup

1. Other than natural person – Small Entity

1. Other than natural person – Others except small Entity

The patent office charges the least fee for applicants who are natural persons and Startups.
The patent office also charges the least fee for entities who are startups. Certain conditions have to be met to qualify as startups. You can read more about this in our article. 
The patent office charges other than natural person applicants who are a small entity, a fee, which is between a natural person/startup and others except small Entity.The patent office charges a maximum fee for other than natural person applicants who are Others except small Entity/startup.The patent office collects 2 times the fee from the applicants who are "Other than natural person – Others except small Entity"  as compared to applicants who are "Other than natural person – Small Entity". Certain conditions have to be met by other than natural person applicants, who wish to claim "Small Entity" status. You can read more about this in our article. 
In this article, we will list down the fee applicable to all the categories of applicants. Please note that, the fee mentioned below is for E-filing of applications only. The patent office charges an additonal fee of 10% of the total fee, if filing is done through hardcopies. If the application is not filed online, and is done through hardcopies, you need to calculate the fee, at additional fee of 10% of the total fee.

No	Description	Patent office Fee (INR) 1$ = ~ 60 INR(E-Filing only)			Comments
		Other than Natural person		Natural Person/Startup
		Small Entity	Other than small entity
1	Application for grant of patent	4000	8000	1600	Mandatory
2	Early publication fee	6250	12500	2500	Optional
3	Request for examination of patent application	10000	20000	4000	Mandatory
4	For every Extra sheet over 30 sheets	400/sheet	800/sheet	160/sheet	Mandatory
5	For every Extra claim over 10 claims	800/claim	1600/claim	320/claim	Mandatory

A fee of INR 1600/4000/8000 has to be paid while submitting the patent application in the IPO, based on the type of applicant.

Sl. No. 2
A fee of INR 2500/6250/12500 has to be paid, based on the type of applicant, if you wish to have your patent application published by the IPO early. If this request is not made, then the IPO publishes your patent application after 18 months from priority date (date on which you first file a patent application for your invention). There are several advantages of having a patent application published early. Some of the advantages are: early publication can help in expediting the patent application examination process and the patent rights start from the date of publication.

Sl. No. 3
A fee of INR 4000/10000/20000 has to be paid, based on the type of applicant, requesting the IPO to examine your patent application. This request for examination can be filed and the fee paid within 48 months from the priority date. However, note that the patent office puts your application in queue for examination only after receiving this fee. Hence, if you want to expedite the patent process, it is advisable to file this request at the earliest. A startup can also request for expedited examination of their patent application. The fee for this is INR 8000. At present, the patent office has limited this request to about 1000 request in a year.

Sl. No. 4
The IPO accepts patent specification, which has up to 30 sheets without charging any extra fee. However, if the specification crosses 30 sheets, then a fee of INR 160/400/800/sheet for each extra sheet has to be paid to the IPO, based on the type of applicant.

Sl. No. 5
Further, the IPO accepts patent specification, which has up to 10 claims (no limitation on independent claims) without charging any extra fee. However, if the specification has more than 10 claims, then a fee of INR 320/800/1600/Claim for each extra claim has to be paid to the IPO, based on the type of applicant.

Thank you.

Here it is: Mercedes-Benz Concept X-Class Truck Revealed

It’s been rumored for a long time, but it’s finally here: the Mercedes-Benz truck. Well, technically it’s called the Mercedes-Benz Concept X-Class. In the revealing press release issued today, Mercedes-Benz showcased the new concept with two examples, the stylish explorer and powerful adventurer.

Daimler is planning on putting the truck under the Mercedes-Benz Vans product range, further expanding their options. What’s more, Daimler is really putting a lot into this pickup truck basket, and by a lot I mean they’re making investments in the high nine figures (euro) towards the new model by the time it’s released.

“We will open up and change the segment of mid-size pickups – with the world’s first true premium pickup for the modern urban lifestyle”, says Volker Mornhinweg, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, in today’s press release. “Our future X-Class will be a pickup that knows no compromise. Ladder-type frame, high-torque six-cylinder engine, and permanent all-wheel drive are compulsory for us. As an added value we bring safety, comfort, agility, and expressive design – in other words, everything that distinguishes vehicles bearing the Mercedes star. We will thus appeal to new customers who have not considered owning a pickup before.”

X-Class powerful adventurer

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  Mercedes-Benz Concept X-CLASS powerful adventurer – Exterieur, Lemonaxmetallic ; Mercedes-Benz Concept X-CLASS powerful adventurer – Exterior, Lemonax metallic;

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The powerful adventurer example of the X-Class is Mercedes-Benz’s take on a rugged off-road truck. With a height of 1.9 meters and 35×11.50 inch tires, it has plenty of presence. Adding to the rugged appearance is the electric winch, front and rear underride guards, carbon wheel arches and more.

For a stylish take on the truck, there’s the stylish explorer. This version is much more streamlined and elegant than the off-road-ish truck. On the outside, it seems almost bare when compared to the powerful adventurer, but it makes up for it with sleek edges and a futuristic rear light. Also, instead of the rugged tires and wheels, this version has large wheels with lower-profile tires.

YOU'RE KILLING YOUR IPHONE WITH THESE 7 CHARGING MISTAKES

Much like old humans, old iPhones have a tough time holding their juice -- and part of the reason why is how you charge them. "Charging my phone is a breeze," you say. "What could possibly go wrong?" you say. As it turns out, some of our seemingly harmless habits are doing slow, silent, deadly damage to those precious lithium-ion batteries.

You’re charging to 100%

If your palms start sweating when your battery drops below 90%, you need to chill. Maintaining a full charge is not the most efficient way to keep your phone battery strong. In fact, experts suggest letting your phone coast through the day between 30 and 80 percent full. That's where it's most comfortable, and will run most efficiently. So stop juicing it overnight, and instead go for shorter and more frequent bursts throughout the day. 

You’re letting your phone die

Lithium ion batteries become volatile when they drop down to low power, so you should avoid getting that pesky “low battery” warning too often. Every full discharge wears down your battery ever so slightly. That being said, Apple and other experts suggest you let it fully run out of juice every one to two months to “calibrate” the battery gauge.

SHUTTERSTOCK

You’re overheating your battery

Okay, this isn't specifically a charging issue. But it's still very important. You’ve probably noticed that your phone is annoyingly sluggish after its been sitting out in the sun. That's because iPhone batteries really, really hate extreme temperatures, and have to work extra hard in high heat or cold. According to Apple, the “comfort zone” for iPhones (as well as iPads, iPods, and Apple Watches) is between 32 and 95 degrees. Bottom line: your phone is basically a needy little computer baby that needs to be bundled up and cooled off on the regular.

You’re using your wireless charger too much

Your mophie backup battery case is a godsend when you're out & about and need some extra juice to get home. But both your battery and the case itself emit heat during charging, which can do long term damage your device. To avoid overheating, try a portable power source that doesn’t attach to your phone.

You’re leaving your case on while you charge

While we're on the subject, if your phone feels too hot when it's plugged in, it's possible your fancy schmancy case might be trapping in the heat that's produced while charging. So do your phone a favor and take it off.

DENYS PRYKHODOV / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

You’re storing your backup phone without a charge

If you’re hanging onto your old phone as a backup for when you inevitably drop your new 6S in the toilet, make sure you stash it in a cool place, roughly half-charged. According to Apple, it you leave the battery completely depleted it will fall into what’s known as a “deep discharge state,” which apart from sounding like a nightmarish medical issue, will render it less capable of holding a charge in the future. Conversely, if you store it fully charged for an extended period, it may lose some capacity as well.

You’re using the wrong charger

Your Apple-issued charger is designed to cut power when the battery hits 100%, but those cheapo unauthorized third-party USB cords are not, and may do some damage by excessively juicing the battery. Plus, ya know, they could kill you.

The Bike Lock That Punishes Thieves

Bike thieves are about to face a challenge unlike anything they've ever encountered, thanks to a new bike lock that we cannot believe is real but somehow actually appears to be. 

It’s called the SkunkLock, and it’s a U-shaped lock that’s made of steel and carbon and sprays gas on any horrible human who dare try to steal your shit while you’re sitting in your cubicle or quickly grabbing a six-pack. “It’s pretty much immediately vomit inducing, causes difficulty breathing. A lot of similar symptoms to pepper spray,” SkunkLock co-inventor Daniel Idzkowski told The Guardian. 

Cyclists have tons of options when it comes to reliable, well-built locks to keep their wheels safe. But as far as we know, none of the heavy-duty U locks we've tried, including our own, take it to this level. “It could be the last lock you ever buy,” Idzkowski says in the Indiegogo video. You know, maybe it’s finally time to upgrade our coil lock.

[Available June 2017, from $109; indiegogo.com]

Ranchi: Kiwis go crazy as Dhoni drives a Hummer, photo goes viral!

The New Zealand team got to witness who the boss of Ranchi was they travelled in their team bus. Riding along beside them was none other than MS Dhoni in his Hummer!

The New Zealand team got to witness who the boss of Ranchi was as they travelled in their team bus. Riding beside the New Zealand team bus was none other than MS Dhoni in his Hummer! They watched in awe as Dhoni casually drove next to them on the streets of his hometown, Ranchi. Dhoni has a penchant for cars and motorcycles. According to reports, he has a massive collection of 23 bikes and more than 10 cars.

After the first three One-Day Internationals (ODIs), the focus now shifts towards the fourth ODI to be played on October 26. The match is in the spotlight not only because India has taken the crucial 2-1 lead in the series, but also due to a special reason. It will be played in Ranchi, Jharkhand, which is MS Dhoni’s hometown. The build-up for the game has been massive, especially after Dhoni coming into his elements in the third ODI at Mohali with a blistering knock of 80 off just 91 balls. The fourth ODI will be played on Wednesday and New Zealand will look to win it to keep the series alive.

As far as Dhoni is concerned, he would look to seal the series at his hometown and make the citizens of Ranchi happy.

Amazon Prime: New Releases Coming in November 2016

Amazon Prime is adding a new batch of movies and television show titles to its streaming collection throughout the coming month. Below, check out all of the Amazon Prime new releases that will be available to stream this November.

Dramas

Courage Mountain, November 1: The film sequel to Johanna Spyri’s novel Heidi.

Deterrence, November 1: Kevin Pollak stars as the president, who must deal with an international crisis while stuck at a Colorado diner in a freak snowstorm.

Erin Brockovich, November 1: Julia Roberts delivers an Oscar-winning performance as the real-life single mom who takes on energy corp, Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Fatal Attraction, November 1: A married man and his family are obsessively stalked by the unstable woman he had an affair with.

Rocky, November 1: Sylvester Stallone’s iconic role as a small-time boxer, who gets a supremely rare chance to fight the heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed.

Rocky II, November 1: The 1979 sequel to Rocky.

Rocky III, November 1: The third installment in the Rocky film series.

Rocky IV, November 1: The fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky film series.

Rocky V, November 1: The fifth film in the Rocky series.

Rounders, November 1: Matt Damon plays a gambler who must return to the high stakes world of poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks.

Terms of Endearment, November 1: A mother and daughter face life’s challenges over three decades in this comedy-drama classic.

The Conversation, November 1: Gene Hackman plays a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential murder.

The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, November 1: A 1975 film based on Laird Koenig’s 1974 novel of the same title.

Up in the Air, November 1: A film adaptation of the 2001 novel of the same name, starring George Clooney and Anna Kendrick.

Urban Cowboy, November 1: A romantic drama about the love-hate relationship between Buford Uan “Bud” Davis (John Travolta) and Sissy (Debra Winger).

A Monster with a Thousand Heads, November 7: When an insurance company refuses to help her ill husband, a woman must resort to desperate measures.

The Haunting in Connecticut, November 7: A family becomes haunted by violent and traumatic events from supernatural forces that are occupying their new home.

Green Room, November 12: A punk band finds themselves attacked by neo-Nazi skinheads after witnessing a murder at a remote club in the Pacific Northwest.

Creed, November 19: A spin-off and sequel to the Rocky film series, starring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Johnson Creed, Apollo’s son.

How I Trained Myself to Wake Up Without an Alarm

I definitely didn't use to be a morning person. At all. During my formative years, waking up was a daily battle replete with groans, yelling, and even tears—even more so for my mother, who often attempted to rouse me three or four times before I finally stormed out of bed, late for school (again).

The irony is that my mornings are now my most cherished time of day. I feel at my sharpest and most productive upon rising and find immense pleasure in the peace and quiet of the waking world. And as for the physical act of waking up? Well, that's the biggest departure of all: These days, I don't need an alarm to get me out of bed, let alone another person. I wake up every single day—even weekends—sometime between 6:30 and 7 a.m.

To be clear, it was a slow transition, something that unfolded over several months before I realized that on most days, my eyes fluttered open several minutes before the 7 o'clock beeping began. It was almost as if my body anticipated it, something I chalked up to anxiety before I realized that it was hardly outlandish to think my body would know to wake up at a certain time. Scientists say that it takes, on average, 66 days to establish a new habit—and I had abided by the same alarm for years.

In the pursuit of perfecting this new reflex, I began to hone in on a few other factors that could certainly make an impact, such as my lifestyle during my waking hours and sleep patterns at night. And while there are certainly the odd mornings that I need a little extra help, for the majority, I have my system down. Really, it's all a matter of taking a holistic approach, and sticking with it—as well as a few other science-backed tricks along the way.

1. CONSISTENCY IS KEY

Your goal here is to establish a habit—and according to the extensive research around habit formation, repetition is necessary for your brain to eventually make those connections automatically. In other words, in order for it to become second nature, you first need to put your body through the motions for a while.

That means choosing a time to set your alarm every single day and sticking with it—yes, even on weekends. (Can I convince you that quiet weekend mornings are lovely and so worth it?) To keep your body's internal sleep clock on track (more on that in a minute), you'll also need to make sure you're going to bed around the same time each night so that you generally get the same amount of sleep. It's simple: Count backward seven to nine hours from when you plan on waking up, and aim for that two-hour window each evening. For me, that's somewhere between 10 p.m. and midnight—totally reasonable for a busy, working adult.

On nights that I'll be out later, I either try to wake up at 7 a.m. regardless or allow myself a full eight hours if I'm feeling particularly groggy—and nothing more. I avoid oversleeping as much as possible since it throws my internal clock completely out of whack. (Research shows that it's actually worse for you than getting too little sleep.)

2. FOLLOW YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

Along with consistency, timing is everything when it comes to sleep—and the two really go hand in hand. Your internal clock, aka your circadian rhythm, is set on a specific cycle to ensure the best, deepest sleep. Even if you've technically logged the appropriate amount of hours, waking up at the wrong time during this cycle can make you feel even more exhausted. (This is why snooze buttons are highly discouraged among sleep experts.)

Basically, your brain experiences "sleep drives" throughout the day, controlled by a group of cells in your hypothalamus that respond to darkness and light. For most people, this instinct to get shut-eye is strongest during 2 and 4 a.m. as well as in the midafternoon. (See? Science can explain the 3 p.m. slump.) But when you're exposed to light, your brain knows to warm your body up and produce hormones to get you going. But if you go with your grogginess and hit snooze, you cause confusion for these processes—ultimately messing with your sleep patterns and making it a lot tougher to wake up, especially at a consistent time.

Put simply, your body already has a natural ability to stick with a certain sleep pattern—and going with that can make it a lot easier to nail down the habit.

3. KEEP YOUR BLINDS OPEN

Allowing the sun to stream through my windows was crucial to establishing my habit—which makes perfect sense since light plays such a huge role in our circadian rhythm. Really, waking up with the sun is one of the most natural instincts in the world.

4. ESTABLISH MORNING RITUALS

I now live for my mornings and the predictable routine each one brings: I wake up, journal, stretch, make my coffee and smoothie, and settle into my day. It's comforting and cathartic to have the same rituals—and beyond giving me something to look forward to after rising, I've found it very helpful to compound my sleep habit with several others.

5.STAY ON TOP OF HEALTHY HABITS

Science doesn't lie: Eating well and exercising regularly are crucial for the best possible sleep quality and will make it that much easier to drift off each evening—and, in turn, wake up raring to go. Beyond that, keeping stress levels to a minimum is also essential, since cortisol (our stress hormone) is released specifically to keep us awake and alert, no matter how tired or sleep-deprived we actually are.

And we've said it before and we'll say it again: Do your best to make your bedroom an electronics-free zone. I find that I sleep a million times better just by moving my phone from my bed to a bookshelf elsewhere in my room, even when it's on silent.

6. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN

I've had too many nightmares about sleeping through an important meeting (or test) to get rid of my safety net. My alarm is set for 7:15, just in case—and most days, I'm well awake by the time it goes off. (The angry beeping is a lot less dreadful when you're already up with a coffee in hand, FYI.)

If you're looking to ease the transition to alarm-free life, however, it might make sense to invest in an alternative alarm, like a wake-up light or progression clock. 

Modi vs Obama – a reality check

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun fanning his charisma during his maiden US visit, the buzz that is making in the political circle of the two nations is about the differences that Modi and US President Barack Obama have in respect of traits, mannerism and working style. Interestingly, such comparisons were mostly non-existent between Obama and Manmohan Singh, even though the former Prime Minister had shared several tables with the US President at bilateral and multilateral forums from 2009 onwards. But since they reached the pinnacle of political growth by sheer hard work and enviable oratory skill, political pundits have time to zero in on the differences they have in their overall personalities. However, Americans accept that Modi is an aggressive and hard taskmaster who doesn’t have the patience for lethargy and shoddy works.In comparison, Obama is a cool politician who lacks quick decision making, yet doesn’t yield to pressure when it comes to adopting policies of general public interest. The world knows how he didn’t bow to the Republican dominated House of Representative’s pressure tactics on the health care bill. He got the bill passed by the Congress, however, after tweaking original bill with some amendments.
With Narendra Modi, here is the similarity. He is known to be alien to the pressure. But then while Obama started dreaming of becoming America’s President at the age of 11 and as such, it became a daily routine for this young working class lad to stand before mirror for hours to practice the way to maintain facial expression, movement of eyes and fingers as that could suit American President’s personality. In that manner, he imitated John F Kennedy and Abraham Lincon.
For Modi, as per his own admission, he had no childhood dream of becoming Prime Minister. His icon was Vivekanand, who too represented sharpness and elegance and talked about self-discipline in life. Modi is a true leader who leads by front and sets examples before people through his works.

Miles ApartYet, while Obama represents a country of opulence with average household income $69,821, Modi represents a country where 40 per cent are below the poverty line eking out his day on paltry Rs. 26 that is equal to $.50 . There are 500 + middle class in the country whose income is also nominal. India’s per capita income was $1570 in 2013, and ranked 120th out of 164 countries by the World Bank.
Not only that while Modi represents a country of 125 crore population, America’s population, as per the 2013 data of US Census Bureau’s population clock is, 315,183,801 of which more than 29 lakh are Indian Americans and over 35 lakh are Chinese. America’s most populous states are California (population: 37.7 million), Texas (population: 25.7 million and New York city(population:8.2 million). According to an estimate, the US is the third largest country in the world, a long way behind China and India.

Dissimilar DemocraciesIn India, working places and stores are located near the Indian homes, while in America the houses are separate from work and grocery stores. The way of living in America is expensive compared to India. Education costs more in India than in America. Food is cheaper in India. Medical care is costly in America, with insurance to pay for the bills. However, in India, despite being a cheaper medical care, one has pay usually through cash. But then there is similarity, both countries allow their citizens to enjoy freedom. Even if restrictions are, they are minimal.
After all, both are democratic countries. While India is the largest democracy of the world, America is the oldest democracy of the world with Presidential system to crown the governance. This is said to be the key to the meeting points between the two nations whose relations suffered a slow pace in the last two-three years, leaving it to Prime Minister Modi to revive and activate to the 2008 year when the two countries signed the civil nuclear deal. In this regard the tone was set the way he called on American investors to participate in ‘Make in India’ programme launched on September 25, just before his departure to the US.