Annual Technical Report 2005 on Industrial Design Information Activities submitted by United Kingdom (SCIT/ATR/ID/2005/GB)
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The expression "industrial designs" covers industrial designs and models. Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in this series of Annual Technical Reports.
I. Evolution of registration activities
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2004
Design Applications filed: 4179
Design Registrations: 3182
2005
Design Applications filed: 3586
Design Registrations: 3491
Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year
Demand for Designs in 2005 dropped by 14% compared to 2004. This continues the reducing demand that started during 2003 following the establishment of the Community Design.
New rules are being introduced on 1 October 2006 which will allow applications for multiple examinations and a new fee regime will be introduced. Fees will be split into an application fee and a publication fee. Publication and payment of the relevant fee can be deferred by up to twelve months. The effects of these changes are unlikely to be known until 2007.
II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of industrial design documents and of secondary sources of industrial design information, i.e., official gazettes
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Lists of designs which have been registered, renewed, corrected, or which have requested restoration are published weekly in the Patents and Designs Journal. This is an electronic only weekly journal published on our web site (www.patent.gov.uk).
Designs are also published in our weekly Designs in View Journal. An electronic version currently in development and due to be available later in 2006 will offer a range of search options including Proprietor, Service Agent, image and Locarno Class. A pdf version and weekly CD will also be available.
Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of industrial design information
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The Patent Office web site provides a wide range of information including the benefits of design registration, how to register a design, design law and legal decisions, guides to applicants, examination practice and frequently asked questions. All currently used forms are available in pdf format along with guidance on completion and applicable fee information.
Brochures and guides for applicants are available via the web site or through our Central Enquiry Unit which acts as a contact centre for all areas of Intellectual Property. The Enquiry Unit also offers general guidance about designs, with more specialised advice being available from the designs examination section. A search of registered designs is available on payment of a fee. A search by Proprietor or Locarno classification is available on our web site via the DRIMSweb system.
VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of industrial design documentation and information
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A series of events for small and medium sized enterprises were held around the UK advising on how to manage intellectual property including advice relating to the UK design registration process.
Exchanges of information were held with a number of overseas design registries in person with visits to the UK or individual contacts with design examination staff.
IX. Other relevant matters