In Q1 2020, TIPO received a total of 16,680 applications for invention, utility model and design patents, registering a 3% decrease over the same period last year. Of these, design patent applications filed by non-residents saw a 2% growth. Applications for trademark registrations (20,310 cases) were up by 4%; of these, the number of trademark applications filed by residents grew by 7%. Among domestic applicants, TSMC filed the most invention patent applications and NITTO DENKO, in terms of foreign applicants, topped the list. In addition, invention patent applications filed by domestic SMEs grew by 9%.

Patent

• Of the applications filed by residents (8,381 cases), both invention and utility model patents saw a 3% decrease. Applications by residents slipped 4% mainly because of the decline in invention patents by enterprises and utility model patents by individuals.
• Of non-residents’ applications (8,299 cases), design patent applications grew slightly by 2%, a growth of six consecutive quarters .
• Invention patent applications filed by domestic enterprises accounted for nearly 76%. Of these, applications by SMEs grew by 9%, marking the eighth quarter of consecutive growth. This shows its increasing importance in Taiwan. As to applicants, TSMC filed the most invention patent applications (129 cases). AU OPTRONICS (114 cases) and REALTEK (111 cases) secured the second and the third place respectively.
• Invention patent applications filed by domestic colleges increased by 15%. Of these, NATIONAL CHIAO TUNG UNIVERSITY and NATIONAL CHENG KUNG UNIVERSITY, both filing 19 applications, tied for first place.
• As for non-residents’ applications, Japan topped the list with 3,525 invention patent applications . Among the largest filing companies, NITTO DENKO came on top with 148 cases and outperformed others by an increase of 92% in this period.
• In terms of design patents, US filed the most applications with 260 cases. Applications filed by the top five filing countries (regions) saw a double digit growth except that applications filed by Japan were down. FORD GLOBAL took the lead with 93 cases, accounting for a growth of 145%.

Trademark

• Applications for trademark registrations (20,310 cases) were up by 4% from the same period of last year. Applications filed by residents (15,008 cases) increased by 7%, whereas that by non-residents (5,302 cases) decreased slightly. Residents’ applications registered a positive growth for four consecutive quarters, and their share rose from 71% in Q1 2018 to 74% in the current quarter.
• Looking at a breakdown by nationality of non-residents, Japan topped the list with 1,042 applications for trademark registrations. Among the top five filing countries (regions), US, R. Korea, and Hong Kong all saw a positive growth.
• A breakdown by the Nice class shows that class 35 (advertisements, business operation, etc.) received the most cases (2,729) by residents and class 9 (computer, technology products, etc.) received the most cases (1,091) by non-residents (Figure 3). In terms of growth rate, applications filed by residents and non-residents saw a 41% growth in class 37 (construction services, installation, repair services, etc.) and an 18% growth in class 12 (vehicles), respectively.
• ROEHL and DAHAN of domestic applicants and TURRITOPSIS of foreign applicants tied the first place with 80 cases .