Patent tip: Can knowhow be patented?

Once specific knowledge is patented, it cannot be considered knowhow anymore. At first instance this appears strange, yet knowhow is defined as undisclosed, secret information, that bears value because of its secrecy.

Based on the definitions of knowhow in TRIPS and EUR 772/2004:

Because patents are by there nature public, and knowhow is per definition secret, once a patent application with knowhow is published, the knowhow instantaneously becomes generally available knowledge.

summarizing: Knowhow can be patented, yet patented knowhow does not exist....



Hendrik de Lange
Dutch and European patent attorney
Octrooifabriek: http://www.octrooifabriek.nl

Sources:

IE-forum notes on verdict C/I 3/574449 / I-LA ZA 14-1008:
http://www.ie-forum.nl/?//Secret+proprietary+knowledge+valt+onder+de+definitie+knowhow////34249/ 

TRIPS 7:39 protection of undisclosed information:
https://www.wto.org/english/docs_e/legal_e/27-trips_04d_e.htm#7

EUR 772/2004 A1(i)i-III
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32004R0772:EN:HTML