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Royal Mail has enhanced its app to verify barcoded stamps, combating counterfeit stamps more effectively. This functionality might face patentability challenges in Europe and the UK, but its commercial value suggests potential patent pursuit. Businesses should consider patent or trade secret protection for such innovations.
United Kingdom
Intellectual Property
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Royal Mail has added another tool to its armoury in the fight
against counterfeit stamps in the form of additional functionality
within their app. Barcoded stamps appear to have already
dramatically reduced the prevalence of fake stamps, and now the
Royal Mail app can verify the validity of a stamp by checking if it
is a known counterfeit.
It will be interesting to see if the invention has been
protected by Royal Mail’s patent portfolio. It may be difficult
to obtain a granted patent in Europe or the UK for this invention,
as it may be considered to relate only to computer software and/or
a method of doing business, rather than making a technical
contribution to the field. Nevertheless, it is possible to protect
such inventions in some circumstances, and given the effectiveness
of barcoded stamps, it seems that this new tool could be
commercially valuable and therefore it may have been worth pursuing
a patent for it.
Those who develop technical business or software solutions
should consider if patents are right for them or if trade secrets
would be a more appropriate safeguard against competitors. At
M&C we have the expertise to deliver the strategic advice that
you need in this regard.
It has also added a new
scanner to its free-to-use app that will enable people to check if
a stamp is a known fake, thereby preventing them from
“inadvertently becoming victims of fraud”.
Once the barcode on the
stamp is scanned, the customer will be told whether or not it is
counterfeit. If people did not buy their stamps from Royal Mail, a
post office or another reputable outlet, they are being advised to
scan them to make sure they are genuine.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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