STOCKHOLM, Sweden, May 16, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Stock Exchange-listed company Sign On (Other OTC:SGONF) has received advance notice from the European Patent Office (EPO) that it has been granted a patent for the technical concept behind the company's FormPipe product. The patent is expected to be published within the next six months.
The EPO is a supranational organisation in Munich which examines patent applications and grants a patent for all the member countries selected. The EPO is based on the European Patent Convention (EPC), to which most European countries are signatories.
Sign On has been granted the patent for all the EPO contracting countries. These are Austria, Belgium, Republic of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Republic of Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hellenic Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey.
Sign On has previously been granted patents in Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden. The technical concept for the FormPipe product has thus been found to be patentable by virtually all European patent authorities. To date no country has rejected a patent application.
For further information: Andreas Halvarsson, vice Managing Director, Sign On tel: +46 (0)8-555 290 07, +46 (0)70-545 95 95 e-mail: andreas.halvarsson@signon.se Images for free publication are available to download at www.signon.se
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http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/05/16/20030516BIT00240/wkr0001.doc
http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/05/16/20030516BIT00240/wkr0002.pdf