經通國際智慧產權事務所

Date Posted：2018-03-14

In 2017, overall applications increased by 2% from the previous year to 73,791 cases. Invention patent applications grew by 5% with a significant increase by residents (18,199 cases, +8%). Trademark applications reached a new peak of 83,802 cases. As to examination efficiency, the average pendency for first office action of invention patent and trademark applications were shortened to 9 and 5 months respectively, while both pending applications were lowered to 44,002 and 46,385 cases respectively.

The new patent applications TIPO received saw a yearly increase of 2%. Of the three types of new patent applications, Invention patent (46,122 cases) increased by 5%, whereas utility model patents (19,549 cases) and design patents (8,120 cases) slumped. The decline for five consecutive years of utility model patent applications has slowed down (Fig. 1).

Breakdown by nationality, overall applications filed by residents (40,835 cases) and non-residents (32,956 cases) both saw an increase. Of the applications filed by residents, invention patents stood at 18,199 cases with an 8% increase, while design patents stood at 4,293 cases with a 6% decrease. As for non-residents, invention patent applications (27,923 cases) and utility model patent applications (1,206 cases) both grew by 4% (Fig. 2).

Among the five largest patent-filing countries (regions), Japan continued to claim the top spot with 13,850 overall applications, followed by the US (7,312 cases) and China (2,674 cases). Japan also took the lead in the number of invention and design patent applications, and China outnumbered other countries in utility model applications (Fig. 3).

Thanks to fast-track measures, active management of examination efficiency, and PPH pilot programs with other patent offices, examination pendency was down to the lowest point in five years. Take invention patent applications for example, the average first office action pendency and disposal pendency were shortened to 9 and 16 months respectively and pending applications were down to 44,002 cases, which facilitates early assertion of patent rights and building of patent portfolios (Fig. 4). Since the Patent Backlog Reduction Project was launched in 2010, TIPO has successfully reduced backlogs.

In trademark, the number of applications (83,802 cases) saw a record high in past five years mainly because of the increase in resident applications (Fig. 6). By nationality, applications by residents (61,215 cases) and non-residents (22,587 cases) grew from the preceding year by 6% and 4% respectively (Fig. 5).

Among the five largest filing countries (regions), China (4,830 cases, +13%) again took the lead. Japan (3,892 cases, +6%) took the second spot, outnumbering the US (3,684 cases, -1%). In addition, the fact that four out of top five trademark filing countries (regions) are located in Asia indicates their active expansion of trademark portfolios in Taiwan (Fig. 6).

In the face of a growing demand for trademark registration, TIPO devoted fully to trademark examination and active management of processing time. As a result, the average pendency for first office action and total disposal of trademark applications were shortened to 5 and 7 months respectively and the number of pending applications was down to 46,385 cases (Fig. 7). As for trademark examination pendency and pending applications, both were down to the lowest point in five years in order to boost business operations and portfolios in the market.

Intellectual Property Office Ministry of Economic Affairs, R.O.C.