214 The Patent Act (1655) Part: (2/2)
Dakshin Bharatiya Empire, Vijayanagara State, Lingapura
After hearing the notice read by her daughter, Jayamma beca very excited. Although it was only a possibility, she felt like her own mango-lemon mixed pickle recipe could be eligible for a patent application. In the sa excitent, she travelled to the nearest court located in the nearby town and applied for the patent. Her daughter helped her understand the various things in the application form. Fortunately, after going through the form and reading the guidelines provided, it was concluded that Jayamma's recipe was unique and could be mass-produced according to the mass-production eligibility test. Hence, she was granted a patent for 7 years.
She took the docunt and had her daughter read it again, "Patent for Jayamma's Mango and Lemon Mixed Pickle Recipe. This recipe contains 12 spices in a unique ratio. Anyone identified copying this recipe could be punished by the rule of law."
Jayamma was very happy. She thought maybe with this patent, the rchant she talked to would be willing to provide a loan for her. Although she had the five acres of land that was gifted by the Empire, she did not want to sell that land. She had planted mango and lemon seedlings after deciding to start her own business. Hence, even if the business fails, she could make so money by selling the mangoes and lemons. Therefore, that land was her and her daughter's livelihood, their family's last line of reliance, so she would never sell it.
Similar cases happened throughout the empire. Most of the applicants who applied for patents sought protection for so sort of ancestral recipe. While many applicants failed, so of them succeeded.
Even the businessn who were involved in dicine applied for various sorts of patents. Bhupathi, who was the inventor of the assembly production thod, also received 5 to 6 patents for his dical concoctions.
The dical recipes initially gathered from the public at the inception of the Bharatiya Academy of Science underwent rigorous verification tests. Those deed unreliable or with significant side effects were discarded, while the authentic ones earned patents. The contributors of these recipes were summoned to local courts, where they were presented with patent certificates. There was a catch, though; although they now owned the patent, the right to utilize and experint with the recipe remained with the Bharatiya Academy of Sciences.
Despite this, people didn't mind, as what they received in return was essentially free money. Before being granted the patent, they likely never anticipated that the recipes they shared with the Empire could eventually bring them financial gain.
Patents were granted to scientists in the empire, especially individuals like Sai and Manoj Reddy. Although the patent had to be shared with the organization they were affiliated with, it did not change the fact that they received nurous benefits that were previously absent.
One of the scientific minds generating the most patents was Naveen Bhat, a kid from the Bhat family who improved the papermaking machine. Naveen, after enhancing papermaking with different types of gears, beca obsessed with the chanism. He went on to invent multiple devices that utilized gears for better efficiency, such as the waterwheel and the flour mill. He even developed a theoretical model for the use of gears in carriages. Overall, he beca very wealthy through patents and continued inventing more things.
Even the royal family sought patents, particularly in the mariti industry, where Vijay contributed nurous small yet innovative inventions to propel the naval sector of the Empire forward. Notably, patents were also secured for various types of cannon shots designed by Vijay. However, the royal family does not exclusively own these patents; they are shared with the Bharatiya Academy of Military Sciences, responsible for bringing these designs to life. In cases where the Raya armoury fully manufactured cannons, the patent credits belong entirely to the royal family. For projects involving the Bharatiya Academy of Military Sciences, patents are shared between the royal family and the academy.
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Even the royal family sought patents, particularly in the mariti industry, where Vijay contributed nurous small yet innovative inventions to propel the naval sector of the Empire forward. Notably, patents were also secured for various types of cannon shots designed by Vijay. However, the royal family does not exclusively own these patents; they are shared with the Bharatiya Academy of Military Sciences, responsible for bringing these designs to life. In cases where the Raya armoury fully manufactured cannons, the patent credits belong entirely to the royal family. For projects involving the Bharatiya Academy of Military Sciences, patents are shared between the royal family and the academy.
Danior Boswell also received several patents. While he expected the patents, he was surprised that His Majesty would establish a patent system similar to the one seen in Europe.
Although the cannons, guns, and grenades were patented, the gunpowder formula, tallurgical formulas, and the thod of cent production were not patented. This was because all these technologies were not only the core technology of the Empire but also difficult to emulate. Hence, it was deed unnecessary to patent these technologies. However, if anyone wanted to copy the design of the cannon or a gun, it could be easily done just by smuggling a unit for themselves, as exemplified by the Mughals.
Interestingly, military technology was not the only thing patented by the royal family; even the mop that Vijay invented on a whim was patented. This seemingly insignificant patent actually led to a lot of progress in the Empire.
One might wonder how a re mop patent could contribute to progress in the Empire. The answer is simple: because the mop is so easy to make, it was highly copied throughout the Empire. Even small craftsman shops knew how to make this mop. However, according to the patent law, they were no longer allowed to manufacture this mop, or they would be fined or, in the worst cases, imprisoned.
This issue beca a significant concern in the empire, and people's complaints reached the various panchayats across the Empire, which then brought them to the attention of the central governnt. Before the central governnt could bring this issue to Vijay's notice, he was already aware of it, as he was inford by the Bharatiya Internal Pragya. Thinking that it might be a wonderful opportunity to popularize the licensing of patents, Vijay made a proclamation that the license for the 'Imperial Mop' patent would be available to anyone for just one copper Varaha.
After Vijay clarified the price, the craftsn were relieved and bought the license for the patent at one copper Varaha. Overnight, the people of the Empire suddenly got to know that patents could also be used in this way.
Bhupathi, after witnessing how His Majesty licensed his patent for money, also got an idea. He tead up with so of the prominent rchants in the empire and proposed a deal: "I am willing to license my dical concoction for colds, but in exchange for my license, I need 20% of the profits."
While so rchants agreed to the deal, a few hesitated, deeming it too expensive. However, they failed to grasp the market potential embedded in this arrangent. Bhupathi, having sold his cherished patent, witnessed the ergence of several dical companies offering his formulations. With a reputation for high-quality products, Bhupathi beca renowned, and the rchants who acquired the patent rights capitalized on this advantage. They advertised the product as 'XYZ Company Cold dicine, directly licensed by Bhupathi Pharmaceuticals.'
The sudden increase in production made concoctions that were once costly for common people now very affordable. Furthermore, with the production surge, raw material demands inadvertently rose, contributing to the increased profitability of herb farrs.
Few more such cases could be seen within the empire, but the scale was not as large as what Bhupati and his associates had accomplished.
This news of the patent law also reached the European rchants in Thiruvananthapuram.
Most of them were surprised that the eastern country, which appeared very feudal, had suddenly established a patent system that was very European in origin. What was even more impressive was that the Dakshin Bhartiya Empire's version of The Patent Act seed more thought out, and so of its regulations even made them ponder their own patent system.
Thomas Bartholow was also shocked by the Patent Act. Unlike the normal rchants around him, he was shocked for a different reason. He was surprised because this Empire or this emperor was growing too quickly. Since he had landed in the subcontinent, 3 to 4 major changes had taken place in this Empire, and all of the changes were in the direction of modernization. As he looked deeply, he could also see so European elents in these reforms. "Things are moving too fast; I must hurry up," he thought to himself.
In the Embassy of the Venetian Republic, Leonardo Bellini is absent as he is on a trip to Venice. In his place is Francis Molin, a mber of the Molin noble family—one of the six main noble families of the Republic of Venice. Upon receiving information about The Patent Act of the Dakshin Bhartiya Empire, Francis was surprised and sowhat pleased that his ally was implenting the patent system that they, Venetians, had formulated. That's right, the original patent system was devised by the city-state of Venice.
The history of the patent system dates back to Ancient Greek civilization, where there are rumours about the ancient Greeks using laws similar to patent laws, though the evidence is limited. The next substantial roots of the patent system trace back to the dieval guilds from the 11th to the 15th centuries. These guilds or associations offered protection to mbers' secret techniques, but it wasn't formalized and focused more on protecting existing knowledge than encouraging new inventions.
It wasn't until the early 15th century that the modern patent system was formulated. Facing competition from other Italian city-states, Venice issued the world's first docunted patent statute in 1474. According to the statute, inventors could apply for a 10-year exclusive right to produce a new invention if they disclosed it to the governnt, aiming to encourage innovation in key industries like glassmaking.
Francis was impressed with how polished the patent law was. "Hehe, interesting," he said to himself, chuckling.
P.S. It was 9 by the ti I got ho, was tired so I slept.
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