Annual Technical Report on Trademark Information Activities in 2016 submitted by Japan Patent Office
Recommended Contents of Annual Technical Reports (ATR)on Trademark Information Activities
Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TRADEMARK INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of trademark information activities and expected time frames for their realization
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(Status Report in Japanese and English) http://www.jpo.go.jp/english/reference_room/statusreport/index.html
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs
Paper based application
The INPIT provides the free consultation service on the procedures for industrial property rights at the Consultation Department on the second floor of the JPO office building.
Moreover, the portal site for consultation and support on intellectual property is available on a 24-hour basis at http://faq.inpit.go.jp/.
Electronic application
The e-filing software allows users to conduct administrative procedures such as the filing of applications for patents, utility models, industrial designs and trademarks, and PCT-RO international application, appealing for trials and payment of the annual fees, and receipt of documents dispatched from the JPO, on-line. The software may be downloaded for free at: http://www.jpo.go.jp/tetuzuki/pcinfo/outline/index.html
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
On-line reference
The software for electronic application allows users to request or refer to application documents and registers from computers from their home or office, and to make a request for issuing certifications on-line.
Regarding the software for electronic application, refer to 2.(1) b).
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In order to support various brand strategies of enterprises, the JPO added five types of non-traditional trademark into subject matter for protection in Japanese Trademark Law: “Motion marks,” “Hologram marks,” “Sound marks,” “Color marks”and “Position marks” which had been protected in foreign countries, and has accepted their applications since April 1, 2015. There were 1,522 of those applications as of the end of May 2017 and 257 cases out of them were decided to be registered.
[Referene 1] Breakdown of the number of application
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Other activities
Nothing in particular
III. SOURCES OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
Main types of publications in the field of trademark information, outline of the content and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)
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Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) and services available to external users; conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
Providing patent information via the Internet
a-1) Providing official gazettes via the Internet
See 3.(1)
a-2) Japan Platform for Patent Information(J-PlatPat)
The JPO started to provide the Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL) service through the Internet in March 1999. This service has enabled users to search patent information by using document numbers and classifications as search keys. This service was transferred to the INPIT as of October 2004, and has been operated by the INPIT since then.
In order to meet advancing and diversifying user needs for patent information, the INPIT renovated the IPDL and started providing the J-PlatPat in March 2015, a new service to provide patent information via user-friendly interface. The J-PlatPat currently stores about 116 million cases of patent information and can be searched by document numbers, various classifications, keywords, etc.
(Japanese) https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/web/all/top/BTmTopPage
(English) https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/web/all/top/BTmTopEnglishPage
a-3) FOPISERIn August 2015, the JPO launched the FOPISER a search service to promptly provide the general users with patent information obtained from foreign IP Offices by data exchange between foreign IP Offices. Trademark documents of Russia, Taiwan, the European Union of Intellectual Property Office (the EUIPO), Vietnam, and Thailand, which are not available for a search on the J-PlatPat, are available for simplified search by using document numbers and English key words via Japanese user interface.
Providing JPO data
The following types of data is currently provided to commercial providers in Japan by bulk download service on the J-PlatPat.
b-1) Standardized data
The JPO provides the JPO’s bibliographical and status information to external users by organizing and converting it into a standard format (Standardized data) for better usability for external users. This data has been provided to external users on a weekly basis.
c) Reference to trademark gazettes, etc.
The INPIT has 8 access devices which are available in the Public gazettes reading room on the second floor of the JPO office building. This allows free public access to the J-PlatPat Service, gazettes on CD-ROM/DVD-ROM, etc.
d) Reference to examination and trial documents
The INPIT is collecting various technical documents (books, etc.), which are used in the examinations and trials by the JPO, widely from inside and outside of Japan and making them available to the public.
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Other sources
Nothing in particular
IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements
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Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
On-line trademark search system
The JPO has been electronically storing trademark applications and examination-related documents for trademark examination. At the end of May 2017, trademark-related data for about 5,290,000 documents were accumulated.
Trademark search system comprises of phonetic search, character string search, well-known/famous trademarks search and classified telephone directory search.
In order to protect famous trademarks, a well-known/famous trademark database was constructed and the search system thereof was put into operation in March 2001.
Figurative trademark examination system
The figurative trademark examination system is to narrow down trademarks from figurative image data restored in trademark sample files by using search keys of a figure classification and similar group codes and to search figurative trademarks by high-speed screening.
Since April 2004, a figure classification used as search keys has shifted the search method from the one using a figure classification unique to Japan to the one using a figure classification which subdivides the Vienna Classification (version 5) based on the Vienna Agreement in line with the actual status of Japan.
Search System for Appeal/Trial and Court Decisions (J-term search system）
Appeal/trial and court decisions are accumulated in the form of electronic data with a search index, called “J-term,” and searching and screening for the appropriate appeal/trial and court decisions are conducted by using “J-term.”
In addition, a full-text search service is available for appeal/trial and court decisions issued after January 2000.
Check table search system for names of goods/services
With regard to the descriptions of designated goods and designated services, indications of goods and services adopted by the JPO in the past which were judged to be clear are accumulated in this system in addition to indications listed in the international classification tables and the Examination Guidelines for Similar Goods and Services. This database is used to check classifications of goods and services listed in filing documents and to present appropriate indications.
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Other matters
Nothing in particular
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
Office's library (if deals with trademark information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries
Operation of the JPO Library, collection and management of materials
a-1) Operation of the JPO Library
The JPO Library, as a branch library of the National Diet Library, is located on the first basement of the JPO office building, and is operated in the following manner:
1. Users
- JPO staff and general users
2. Open
- 9:30 to 18:00
a-2) Collection of materials
The following are collected: Materials concerning IP right legislation and the peripheral laws inside and outside of Japan, related materials necessary for understanding IP rights, related materials necessary for study of IP rights, and reference materials for general administration.
a-3) Preservation methods of materials
The books are labeled and stored with a storage number and classification data, and the bibliographic information is inputted in the library system constructing a database for the books.
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Other activities
Nothing in particular
VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
Sending Official Gazette on CD-ROM to overseas
In 2015, the JPO exchanged official gazettes, etc. with 56 organizations (including international organizations) in 53 nations, out of which it sent information on CD-ROM “Published Registered Trademarks and Reclassification on Registered Trademarks” and information on “Published Unexamined / International Trademark Applications” to 17 places among them .
The JPO discontinued sending official gazettes on CD-ROM overseas in March 2015 and is currently providing the data on line.
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Activities/cooperation through voluntary contributions (Funds-in-Trust) for WIPO
a-1) Training for government officials
A training related to computerization was provided in Japan for about a week in January 2017 under the cooperation with the WIPO. Trainees from 11 IP offices were invited.
a-2) Data capture, digitization support, workshop at IP offices of African countries/regions
A project on data capture was conducted at IP Offices in Nigeria, Botwana, Namibia and Zambia. Also, in Egypt, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi and Mozambique as well as the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) and the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), projects of digitizing domestic and foreign filings to make it possible to manage them were conducted. In addition, in Mozambique, a workshop for discussing management method using the IPAS was held. Also, in Zimbabwe, a workshop was conducted related to the development and effective use of intellectual property statistics for ARIPO member states and observer countries. In Morocco, an enforcement seminar on the experiences and measures against counterfeiting was carried out. As for Uganda, a workshop was held at WIPO headquarters with the aim of deepening the understanding of International Classification of Goods and Services, promoting records management and improving provision of services. Furthermore, in Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, etc., workshops were held in order to promote development of capacity building concerning an efficient access to technical database and strengthen their own TISC (technical and innobation support center) network.
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Other activities
Nothing in particular
VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
Nothing in particular
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[1] These applications refer to international applications filed based on the Madrid Protocol which designate the Japan Patent Office. Refer to Article 68-9 of the Trademark Act.
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