The IPKat is grateful to Richard Clack for providing him with news of this rather unwelcome patent. Prof Anont Boonyarattanavej, the secretary general of the Thailand Research Fund is seeking an audience with the King of Thailand, in order to present him with a patent for rainmaking, granted by the EPO.
The IPKat looked up the patent, and wonders what the effect of depicting gods taking part in the process for which the patent is claimed has on the validity of the patent. He also notes with interest that the prior art disclosure details the fact that in cases of extreme drought, villages would ‘perform a cat procession’ to beg for rain.
New job
IPKat co-blogmeister Ilanah has accepted a position at Brunel University (in Uxbridge, West London) as a lecturer in law, starting September 2006.
