Chennai, Apr 19 (IANS): Faculty, researchers and students at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) have filed for 184 patents during 2020.

Despite the Covid-19 related lockdown last year, the number of patents filing was 184 (Indian 119, International 65), a shade less than the 190 filings (Indian 128, International 62) made the previous year.

According to IITM, the filings in 2020 include nine patents related to Covid-19 inventions ranging from 'Systems and methods for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2' and 'A standalone, portable single-use and wireless ventilator system' besides 'A system for non-invasive calibration-free blood pressure measurement' and 'Smart and Sustainable devices for infectious Mask and PPE waste treatment'.

"Besides medical and healthcare, several patents were also filed in other cutting-edge areas such as 5G, telecommunications, sensors and instrumentation, among others," the IITM said.

The institute also said there has been a steady increase in filing of international patents.

"From 22 in the calendar year 2017, the total number of international patents has almost tripled in just four years, reaching 65 during 2020," the IITM said.

The institute said it facilitates online filing (e-filing) of Provisional application at Indian patent office and is also equipped to perform in-house management of patent maintenance and filing of working statements of patents.

The institute has also empanelled reputed intellectual property (IP) firms for patent application filings, prosecutions of patent application, maintenance (Foreign) and providing IP activities-related support.