JACK T. W. WEI2
In an effort to reduce the examination pendency for invention patent applications, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) began to implement relevant measures in 2010 and succeeded.
|
until the end of 2010 |
until the end of 2016 |
|
|
Pending Invention Patent Applications |
160,318 |
50,293 |
|
Disposals |
384,749 (original target: 365,740) |
|
|
Average Patent Pendency in 2015 |
|
|
TIPO |
26 (20*) |
|
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) |
26.3 |
|
European Patent Office (EPO) |
26.9 |
* Calculated in 2016
In order to accelerate the examination process, TIPO has recruited 170 additional Examiners since 2011. Although these Examiners’ contracts were due to expire in April 2017, the remaining Examiners will eventually balance the numbers of new and pending applications. As a result, it is estimated that patent pendency can be maintained at 20 months or less by the end of this year.
1 Taiwan Intellectual Property Office News (April 13, 2017). Retrieved from https://www.tipo.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=621247&ctNode=6687&mp=2
2 Patent Engineer in Patent Division
