經通國際智慧產權事務所

In Q4 2019, TIPO received a total of 20,141 applications for invention, utility model and design patents, a year-on-year increase of 2%. Of these, design patents saw a 14% growth. Applications for trademark registrations totaled 22,533 cases, the highest since 2003. Design patent applications filed by residents and utility model patent applications by non-residents grew by 28% and 21% respectively. As to invention patent applicants, TSMC and APPLIED MATERIALS led resident and non-resident applicants respectively.

Patent

• Invention patents (13,232 cases), utility model patents (4,628 cases) and design patents (2,281 cases) saw a year-on-year growth. The number of applications grew mainly because of the 14% growth in design patents (Table 1).
• Of residents’ applications, invention patents (5,506 cases) and utility model patents (4,288 cases) registered a slight year-on-year decrease. Design patent applications (1,216 cases) were up by 28% because of an increase in individuals’ and enterprises’ applications (Table 1). The share of residents’ design patent applications grew to the current 53% from 47% in Q4 2018.
• As for non-residents’ applications, invention patents (7,726 cases) and design patents (1,065 cases) grew slightly. Utility model patents (340 cases) grew significantly by 21% because of the increasing applications from mainland China (Table 1, Figure 1). Design patent applications grew by 1%, ending the double-digit growth for four consecutive quarters (Table 1).
• As to invention patent applications filed by domestic enterprises, TSMC led with 371 cases, followed by ITRI (240 cases) and ACER (168 cases). TSMC and ACER registered significant year-on-year growth of 25% and 68% whereas IRTI dropped by 12% (Figure 2).
• Invention patent applications filed by domestic enterprises took up nearly 71%. Of these, SMEs grew by 6%, following growth since Q2 2018, and indicating their placing greater emphasis on protecting technologies through patents.
• Invention patent applications filed by domestic colleges and research institutions registered year-on-year decrease of 4% and 16% respectively.
• As to invention patents filed by non-residents, Japan led by 3,293 cases, followed by the US (1,692 cases) and mainland China (764 cases)(Figure 1). Among the top filing foreign companies, APPLIED MATERIALS came on top with 178 cases, registering a year-on-year increase of 125% (Figure 2).
• In design patents, Japan also led by 326 applications. Among the top five filing countries (regions), applications from Japan, the US and Italy increased with Italy registering a significant growth by 445% (Figure 1). Among foreign companies, APPLE topped with 54 cases.

Trademark

• New applications for trademark registration (22,533 cases) set a record high since 2003. Applications filed by residents (16,233 cases) increased by 7% whereas non-residents’ applications (6,300 cases) decreased by 2% (Table 1). Residents’ applications grew for three consecutive quarters. Their share rose from 70% in Q4 2017 to 72% in the current quarter.
• Breakdown by nationality, mainland China led by 1,395 cases, followed by Japan (1,264 cases) and the US (882 cases)(Figure 1). Among the top five filing countries (regions), mainland China, Japan, and the US decreased applications while Korea and Hong Kong grew by 43% and 22% respectively (Figure 1).

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