經通國際智慧產權事務所

Figures released by USPTO, JPO, EPO/EUIPO, KIPO, and CNIPA (i.e. the world’s five major patent and trademark offices), show that invention patent, design patent, and trademark applications were mostly up in 2019. Regarding invention patent and trademark applications filed by Taiwanese nationals with IP5 and TM5, the USA and China were the two main jurisdictions for portfolio building.

While invention patent applications received by IP5 in 2019 were mostly up, CNIPA saw a 9.2% decrease (1,400,661 cases), while for JPO, applications fell by 1.8% (307,969 cases). USPTO (621,453 cases), KIPO (218,975 cases), and EPO (181,406 cases) saw an increase of 4.1%~4.3%. Applications received by TIPO grew by 1.8% (48,268 cases).

As for design patent applications, CNIPA received the most cases (711,617), edging out KIPO (64,111 cases), USPTO (46,847 cases), JPO (31,489 cases), and EUIPO (28,582 cases). TIPO experienced the highest yearly growth with 8.9% (8,804 cases), followed by EPO (8.5%), USPTO (3.9%), and KIPO (2.1%). CNIPA and JPO both reported growth of less than 1%.

Turning to invention patent portfolios, we notice that Taiwanese applicants continued to focus on the USA and China. The former recorded a year-on-year increase of 2.6% (19,599 cases), while the latter saw a year-on-year decrease of 2.7% (11,152 cases). As to design patents, Taiwanese applicants filed the most applications (1,638 cases, representing a 6.0% decrease) with CNIPA, followed by USPTO (1,121 cases, equal to a 15.3% decrease) and EPO (522 cases, or a 20.2% decrease) (Figure 4).

With the exception of JPO, the rest of the TM5 received their highest number of trademark applications in years. In 2019, CNIPA received 7,837,441 cases, followed by USPTO (494,513 cases), KIPO (204,998 cases), JPO (190,773 cases), and EUIPO (160,403 cases), while KIPO registered the largest increase (10.2%). The rest of the TM5 also reported an increase of 3.4%~6.3%. TIPO received 86,794 cases, representing a 2.3% increase. (Figure 5)

Looking at the number of trademark registration applications filed with TM5 by Taiwanese applicants, we see that CNIPA received 19,719 cases, down by 15.6% from the previous year. On the other hand, applications filed with USPTO (2,004 cases) and JPO (1,058 cases) saw the highest number in years. (Figure 6)

Click the link below to access TIPO’s “2020 Statistics on Patent and Trademark Applications and Approvals in IP offices of Taiwan, the USA, Japan, the EU, South Korea, China and EPO” (in Mandarin)

Related Links

1.     2020 Statistics (in Mandarin)

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