北美智権グループ - 新着情報

To increase efficiency and lower costs, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is updating its process for filing patent applications and documents in DOCX format through Patent Center. When a patent application is being filed in DOCX format through Patent Center, the system will no longer convert the DOCX files into Portable Document Format (PDF) files during the pre-submission process. Instead, documents being filed in DOCX format will be converted directly to Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) during the pre-submission process and applicants may review the TIFF files prior to filing. Applicants will still have the option to download a copy of the documents in PDF after submission.

In this decision, an Appeals Review Panel (ARP) of Director John A. Squires, Chief Judge Kalyan Deshpande, and Acting Deputy Chief Judge Michelle Ankenbrand reversed a Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) decision and reinstated the examiner’s rejection of claims for obviousness-type double patenting (OTDP). The ARP explained the statutory, precedential, and supporting commercial rationales underlying OTDP and determined that the Federal Circuit has recognized an anti-harassment rationale as a legitimate policy justification underpinning the OTDP doctrine, even absent evidence that patent issuance would extend the duration of an applicant’s patent monopoly. The ARP, nonetheless, questioned whether a standalone anti-harassment rationale risks harming innovation and should be ultimately reconsidered by the court. The ARP also proposed a future framework designed to streamline and make more predictable the Office’s handling of OTDP.

This webinar will provide an overview of the main changes expected in the new edition of the Design Guidelines that enter into force on 1 July 2026, most of them resulting from the second phase of the Design Legislative Reform.

Publication of ID5 Statistics 2025 Date2026-07-30ByKONDAS Marianna The comparative statistical data for the 2025 calendar year is now available on the ID5 website. Users are invited to consult the PDF for detailed statistics. For quick visualisation they can also explore the interactive Power BI file for quick access to data on design applications and registrations, including breakdowns by jurisdiction, priority documents exchanged, and the time required to examine and register designs.

To preserve stakeholders’ intellectual property rights, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) provides various forms of relief to patent and trademark applicants and other affected stakeholders who are unable to meet certain filing deadlines due to the effects of “extraordinary situations” as designated by the USPTO.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office has published the first EU designs represented using video and 3D, following the implementation of the final stage of the new EU designs regime on 1 July 2026.

The Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), headed by Minister Kim Yong Sun, held a series of bilateral meetings with representatives from the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), and 14 countries-France, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Tunisia-on the sidelines of the 68th World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 6 to 9. During the meetings, the participants discussed ways to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of intellectual property (IP).

ou can now update your profile in the Open Data Portal (ODP). Previously, the only place to add profile information was in your USPTO.gov account. On the ODP homepage now, you may see a new pop-up window prompting you to add some identifying information. Though this step is currently optional, starting August 18, you’ll need to add this information to access our site.

After around a decade of digital transformation in close collaboration with all stakeholders, the European Patent Office (EPO) will formally complete the transition to a fully digital patent granting process (PGP) on 1 April 2027, when digital filing and notification become mandatory. While most users have already embraced the EPO’s high-quality, intuitive and accessible digital services, targeted support will be available to those who have not yet started interacting digitally with the EPO.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is proposing to amend the rules of practice to require a third party request for ex parte reexamination to include a statement by the third party requester identifying all real parties in interest to the ex parte reexamination request. This statement would be kept confidential upon request. The proposed requirement would provide the Office with a mechanism to evaluate statutory estoppel provisions and also enhance the Office’s ability to respond to false certifications, misrepresentations, and fraud.

The International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization has informed the United States Patent and Trademark Office that a new dollar amount has been established for the search fee required by the Ministry of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Korea (MOIP) when acting as an International Searching Authority. The new dollar amount of the search fee required by the MOIP will be $783 and will go into effect August 1, 2026.

Beginning July 23, America's Innovation Agency, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), will unveil a new USPTO.gov homepage design to make it easier to find information and improve our customers’ experience.