Promotion for SMEs under Japanese Patent Policy Eiichi Yamamoto
Patent Information Policy Planning Office Japan Patent Office
Slide 2
2 Trend of SMEs in Japan
Slide 3
3 Strategies for Patent Applications Utilization rates of
patents 57.2% 42.7% SMEs carefully consider whether they should
apply for patents. Once they have acquired a patent, they tend to
utilize it effectively. Source: White paper on small and medium
enterprises in Japan (2009)
Slide 4
4 Relationship between Patents and Operating Profit Main
effects of obtaining intellectual property rights An improved
credit rating Help to acquire new customers Help to improve the
brand Able to eliminate imitation goods and similar products Gained
external appeal Source: White paper on small and medium enterprises
in Japan (2009) Enterprises that possess patents generate more
operating profit per employee than those that possess none. SMEs
can attempt to improve business performance through the acquisition
of patents. SMEs can attempt to improve business performance
through the acquisition of patents.
Slide 5
5 Support Measures for SMEs by JPO
Slide 6
6 IP Activities in SME Business IP mindIdea IP protection and
registration Product Education, Consultation Explanatory meetings
on the intellectual property right system Seminars for SMEs and
venture companies Support by Intellectual Property Right Specialist
etc. Before applications, or requests for examination Industrial
Property Digital Library (IPDL) Survey on technical trends
Assistance for patent applications to foreign countries etc.
Requests for examination, Examination, Appeal, Registration
Accelerated examinations / appeal and trial examinations Circuit
examinations (visiting interview examinations) Reduction of
examination request fee and annual patent fees etc. Exploitation
support Collection of licensable patent exploitation examples etc.
Comprehensive Support Measures for SMEs R&D
Slide 7
7 Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL) PurposePurpose To
Improve SMEs, universities and research institutes access to IP
information To contribute to further facilitating R&D
activities Basic informationBasic information Launched in 1999 More
than 80 million documents Dating back to 1880s Covering patent,
utility model, industrial design, trademark, and trials/appeals Fee
free service
Slide 8
8 IPDL Services B clicking patent and utility model search,
each service is displayed. Search MenusSearch Menus Search service
for beginners Patent and utility model search ex. Gazette DB
Gazette text search Legal status information Others ex. Trademarks
Designs Appeals and trials Example
Slide 9
9 Source: Surveys by JPO (2006) Comparison of IPDL Utilization
Companies actively access IPDL and commercial DB.Companies actively
access IPDL and commercial DB. Particularly, SMEs prefer utilizing
IPDL.Particularly, SMEs prefer utilizing IPDL.
Slide 10
10 Purpose of IPDL Utilization The most popular purpose is
search of prior arts.The most popular purpose is search of prior
arts. IPDL enables users to conduct a basic survey.IPDL enables
users to conduct a basic survey. Some users answers that the number
of documents for prior arts pointed out by patent examiners is
reduced more than ever. Some users answers that the number of
documents for prior arts pointed out by patent examiners is reduced
more than ever. Source: Surveys by INPIT
Slide 11
11 Reason of IPDL Utilization Main reasons of support are easy
accessibility on Internet and fee free service.Main reasons of
support are easy accessibility on Internet and fee free service.
Annual additional service and function improve
user-friendliness.Annual additional service and function improve
user-friendliness. Source: Surveys by INPIT
Slide 12
12 Number of Searches on IPDL Right after the service launched,
12 million searches were recorded.Right after the service launched,
12 million searches were recorded. The number of searches increased
to 86 million hits in 2010 due to the introduction of additional
services.The number of searches increased to 86 million hits in
2010 due to the introduction of additional services. Source: JPO
Annual Report (2011)
Slide 13
13 IPDL in English Version Design Database with MT service
Patent Databases with MT service Trademark Databases Patent
Database of Patent Abstract of Japan 1. Patent Databases 2. Design
Database English Databases on IPDL 3. Trademark Database DB with
Machine Translation Service Patent & Utility Model Gazette DB
Patent & Utility Model Concordance FI/F-term Search Human
Translation Database Patent Abstracts of Japan (PAJ) DB with
Machine Translation Service Design Gazette DB Database
(Bibliographic Items such as Dates and Numbers) Japanese Trademark
Database Japanese Figure Trademarks Japanese Well-Known Trademark
List of Goods and Services
Slide 14
14 Publications of unexamined patent applications Patent
Databases with MT service Patent and design gazettes can be
searched by document number or FI/F-term.Patent and design gazettes
can be searched by document number or FI/F-term. All information
(except drawings) is translated by machine translation system.All
information (except drawings) is translated by machine translation
system.
Slide 15
15 Patent Database of Patent Abstract of Japan PAJ database
provides both text search and number search in English.PAJ database
provides both text search and number search in English. Text search
scope covers an applicant, a title of invention and an
abstract.Text search scope covers an applicant, a title of
invention and an abstract.
Slide 16
16 Current status of IP Information Services
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17 Foreign IP Offices Foreign JPO/INPITJPO/INPIT
End-usersEnd-users Commercial Providers IPDLIPDL Standardized Data
Publication via the Internet
DVD/CD-ROMPublicationDVD/CD-ROMPublication High Value-added
Services Via Internet Data Exchange Reasonable Price on Marginal
cost basis Via Internet Reasonable Price on Marginal cost basis IP
Information Dissemination Policy
Slide 18
18 Public Sector (JPO/INPIT) (JPO/INPIT) End-usersEnd-users
Private Sector (Commercial Providers) Add high-value so as to meet
diverse needs of end-users Provide primary information in
standardized form at reasonable price Provide search service for
ordinary use by the public IPDL Bulk Data Online DB Services Best
Mix between Public and Private Sectors
Slide 19
19 Pricing on Marginal Cost Basis The price of CD-ROM
publication of unexamined patent applications was dropped from
JPY21,000 (USD280) to JPY5,330 (USD70) after the introduction of
the marginal cost policy.
Slide 20
20 Growth of Japanese IP Information Service Market After the
introduction of new system in 1999, IP information service market
has grown by 43%. Source: JPO survey (2011) One reason of decline
in 2009 is attributed to the decreased number of patent
applications.
Slide 21
21 Category Market Share (%) FY2009 Expectation of Market Size*
Online DB Services26+ Research and Analysis Services21++
Translation Services17+ Data Processing and Publication Services
5No Change Management Services10No Change Search Services3-
Document Copying Services2- Other17 Source: JPO survey (2011)
Market Share of IP Information Services by Category *The mark "+"
means that more than 40% respondents expect the future market will
expand. "++" means that more than 50% expect the expansion of
market. "No change" means that more than 40% forecast the market
size will not change. "-" means that more than 40% think the future
market will shrink.
Slide 22
22 Future Vision of IT Infrastructure in JPO ~System
Optimization Plan~
Slide 23
23 Cross-lingual search system (Chinese, Korean etc.)
Cross-lingual search system (Chinese, Korean etc.) The JPOs New
Search System Optimization Plan for the JPO Systems Constructing
the state-of-the art IT environment, which enables the leading,
speedy and accurate examination.Constructing the state-of-the art
IT environment, which enables the leading, speedy and accurate
examination. Establishing the environment of patent information
utilization which contributes more greatly to R&D and the
management strategy of companies and universities.Establishing the
environment of patent information utilization which contributes
more greatly to R&D and the management strategy of companies
and universities.