In Q1 2023, TIPO received a total of 17,226 patent applications (including invention, utility model, and design patents), marking a 2% decrease over the same period last year. Of these, invention patents, most applications filed among overall patents, stood at 12,486 cases, with a slight decrease of 0.4%. On the other hand, design patents (1,654 cases) were up by 1%, thanks to the 6% increase contributed by foreign applicants.

As for the top 10 resident applicants for invention patent filings, TSMC filed the most invention patent applications (752 cases), setting its all-time-high record and outnumbering other domestic applicants for four straight years. Mediatek (146 cases) saw the highest growth rate with 121%; Innolux filed 101 applications, setting its new historical record by exceeding 100 cases.

The number of invention patent applications filed by foreign applicants (7,849 cases) remained steady. Of these, Japan filed the most with 3,504 cases (Figure 1). As for the top 10 applicants, Applied Materials (US) reclaimed the top spot by 182 cases. Xi'an Eswin (CN)(127 cases) and Meta Platforms (US)(90 cases) stood at the sixth and seventh spot, respectively, their best ranking ever achieved. Coupang (KR)(67 cases) saw the highest growth rate, with 168%.

In terms of resident applicants for design patent filings, Acer claimed the top spot again with 24 cases. Both Ant Creative (16 cases) and Hotek (12 cases) filed for the first time and entered the top 5 list at the same time.

As for non-resident applicants for design patent filings, Ford Global Tech (US) came out on top with 49 applications. Apple (US)(36 cases) grew by 35 times, given a lower base period last year. Phoenix (AU)(24 cases) entered the top 5 list for the first time, and Sony Interactive (JP)(16 cases) hit its record high.

Compared to the same period last year, trademark applications reached 21,494 cases (covering 27,096 classes) and saw a decrease of 4%, affected by the higher base period last year. The number of applications filed by residents (16,750 cases) and non-residents (4,744 cases) both declined.

As for the top 10 resident applicants, Uni-President filed 102 applications, outnumbering all other applicants again. The majority of the top 10 resident applicants saw an increase in the number of applications filed (Table 2). A breakdown by Nice class shows that most applications (3,429 cases) were filed under Class 35, “Advertising, Business Management, Retail and Wholesale Services, etc.”

Among non-resident applicants, mainland China filed the most applications (1,099 cases)(Figure 1). The applications filed by the top 10 non-resident applicants all saw positive growth. Saic-Gm-Wuling Automobile (CN) topped the list with 84 applications, outnumbering all other applicants (Table 3). A breakdown by Nice class shows non-resident applicants filed the most applications (921 cases) in Class 9, “Computer and Technology Products, etc.”

The top 3 industry categories trademark applicants filed under were “Agriculture” (5,843 cases), “Health” (4,488 cases), and ”Business Services” (4,484 cases). Most applications filed by residents were under “Agriculture” (4,901 cases), the majority of which were for the restaurant and accommodation industries. On the other hand, most non-resident applications were filed under “Research and technology” (1,478 cases).

• Publish Date : 2023-05-26
• Update : 2023-05-26
• Organization : International Legal Affairs Office
• Visitors : 138