The government plans to revise the Patent Law to enhance protection of intellectual property rights held by Internet firms, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Monday.

The revisions would be aimed at clarifying patent protections for computer programs existing only on the Internet and trademarks displayed temporarily on computer screens, while extending the scope of protection to program modules, METI said.

Procedures to apply for patents would also be made easier, it said.

The Cabinet is expected to endorse a bill Tuesday for submission to the Diet during the current session, a METI official said.

The revisions would probably be put into force about six months after passing the Diet, excluding the extension of protection that requires about a year before taking effect to ensure sufficient notification of the change, he said.

The move is in response to mounting calls to clarify protection for computer software and nonprinted trademarks, as the law was enacted when patents were granted on inventions of material goods and trademarks were all printed, the METI official said.

With the spread of online businesses, however, the Patent Office began accepting applications in December 2000 for computer programs existing only on the Internet, leading to the need for revision, the official said.

Current law only prohibits third parties from providing parts and materials to would-be patent violators, not modules that may facilitate software infringements, the official added.

Charges may be filed over the so-called indirect violations if third parties provide parts knowing they will be used to violate patents, METI said.