Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires“Court” means the Supreme Court; “foreign application” means any application for a patent filed by an applicant outside Belize; “International Patent Classification” means the classification according to the Strasbourg Agreement of March 24, 1971; “invention” means an idea of an inventor which permits in practice the solution to a specific problem in the field of technology; “Journal” means the Journal of Intellectual Property referred to in section 5 (d); “Minister” means the Minister for the time being to whom the subject of Patents is assigned by the Governor-General pursuant to section 41 of the Belize Constitution; CAP. 4. 8 “Paris Convention” means the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of March 20, 1883 as last revised; “patent” means the title granted to protect an invention; “patentee” means the person to whom a patent has been granted; “Patent Co-operation Treaty” means the Patent Co-operation Treaty of June 19, 1970; “priority date” means the date of the earlier application that serves as the basis for the right of priority provided for in the Paris Convention; “Register” means the Register of Patents referred to in section 7; “Registrar” means the Registrar of Intellectual Property appointed under section 4; “utility model certificate” means a certificate granted for an invention under Part VII of this Act.