Annual Technical Report on Industrial Design Information Activities in 2021 submitted by the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of industrial design information activities and expected time frames for their realization
The Office completed work on the transitional arrangement for leaving the EU allowing people with a pending EU designation on 1 January 2021, to apply to register a UK design with a filing deadline of 30 September 2021. The deadline has now passed, and the office has examined all cases applied for under Article 59 of the withdrawal agreement.
The main priority in designs was to reduce the backlogs which built up, to get back to our service standards of ten days to examination. We have successfully cleared most of the backlog and are due to recruit to support with reducing it further and return to examining within our service standards.
As demand increased post Brexit the office saw an increase in input for designs both domestic and international. Due to the increase, we recruited 12 additional design examiners to cope with the rising demand.
New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies(plans) mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks
The transformation project has launched which will transform our services. This is progressing well and is due to be implemented in designs in 2025/6.
Main areas of industrial design information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year
See above information relating to transitional arrangements for leaving the EU.
Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants (registrations) with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes
Domestic Designs Applications
2017 19272
2018 26164 (increase of 36%)
2019 25550 (decrease of 2%)
2020 26229 (increase of 3%)
2021 61063 (increase of 133%)
International Designs Applications
2018 263
2019 3345 (increase of 1100%)
2020 5231 (increase of 56%)
2021 11095 (increase of 112%)
Designs Registered
2017 17076
2018 24425 (increase of 42%)
2019 27558 (increase of 12%)
2020 27220 (decrease of 1%)
2021 59983 (increase of 120%)
The above information is based on the calendar year.
Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
Statistics related to Industrial Designs at the Intellectual Property Office can be accessed through the annual reports, annual reviews and facts and figures at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics?departments%5B%5D=intellectual-property-office
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN 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
Information regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/apply-register-design
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
Registered designs can be searched by design number or owner name at: https://www.gov.uk/search-registered-design
Registered designs can also be searched by other methods such as classification at: https://www.tmdn.org/tmdsview-web/welcome
Classification and reclassification activities; classification system used, e.g., International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification), other classification
Designs are classified using the Locarno Classification system. The classification is completed internally by the Designs examiners.
Other activities
The IPO is an active participant in WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Trade Marks, Industrial Designs & Geographical Indications and meets with other participating offices at WIPO during Hague Working Group.
The UKIPO is a member of Locarno and meets bi-annually with other members of the Locarno Committee of Experts meetings.
III. SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
Main types of publications in the field of industrial design information, outline of the content (industrial design applications, design patents, registrations, etc.) and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)
The Registered Designs Act 1949 makes up part of the Designs legislation in the UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/737827/Registered_Designs_Act_1949.pdf
The Registered Designs Rules 2006: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/737829/Consolidated_Design_Rules.pdf
Registered Designs Examination Practice sets out guidance on the Intellectual Property Office work practices: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/registered-designs-examination-practice
Designs Practice Notices (DPNs) announces changes to our practice, such as how we interpret a provision of the law, or how we handle applications: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/designs-practice-notices
Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.
The designs journal is published daily and contains details of all designs that have been registered and published: https://www.gov.uk/check-the-design-journal
Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external documentation and databases
Examiner use the Registered Designs Examination practice guidance, the Registered Designs Act 1949, the Registered Designs Rules 2006, and case law. They also liaise with Patent Examiners if the design is of a technical nature.
Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) and services available to external users; conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
Our main office is located in Newport, Wales, where the public can file applications and discuss possible IP protection with an IPO Advisor over the phone or in person via appointment. In addition, we also have a front office in London where customers can file any correspondence for the attention of the Office.
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
The legal status is contained on the journal and may be searched by design number: https://www.gov.uk/search-registered-design
Other sources
Nothing to report.
IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements
DAVE - The Business use DAVE (for e-filed applications only) for checking if any priority claims declared are exact copies of the filing submitted to the earlier country (or not) - if not, then they write to the customer for a copy; it also contains a copy of the images pre-conversion into DEPS for reference. This application is for internal use only and for domestic applications only.
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
Staff access a Windows 10 desktop via Microsoft Surface Pro devices, which are connected to two 24 inch widescreen monitors or one 32 inch monitor via a dock.
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
DEPS - Database used to process designs applications.
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
N/A
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Management information is produced from DEPS.
Other matters
N/A
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
Office's library (if deals with industrial design information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries
The Patlib Network was founded by the European Patent Office but PATLIB UK is autonomous and driven by its members and the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
PATLIB UK is a network of 16 libraries around the UK that offer help and support on intellectual property as well as other business topics. They are based in local libraries and therefore open to any member of public that wishes to attend.
One of the key offerings of the network is access to support in intellectual property searching. All centres have a minimum requirement to supply assisted searches to businesses, which includes the UK designs, DesignsView. Many take this further however by providing lessons to guide businesses on completing basic initial searches.
Training to deliver these services has been supplied by the IPO through the IP Master Class programme as well as ongoing individual training sessions as needed.
As the centres are located within local libraries, they make the most of free databases such as DesignsView and due to lack of funding do not pay for any additional databases or tools. Our office, through the PATLIB UK Network and the British Library, takes part in numerous exchange programmes with other patent libraries around the world as in previous years.
Publications related to different business procedures and industrial design information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
Our main office is located in Newport, Wales, where the public can file applications and discuss possible IP protection with an IPO Advisor over the phone or in person via appointment. In addition, we also have a front office in London where customers can file any correspondence for the attention of the Office.
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centres, etc.
Our Business Outreach continues to raise awareness of IP, helping businesses reach an informed decision on how to use, manage, and enforce their IP to its full potential. This is done via a portfolio of business tools including mobile and online resources, seminars, workshops/training and working with partners to deliver broader dissemination and understanding of IP: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/intellectual-property-for-business
Education and training: training courses, e learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
We continue to communicate IP awareness to young people from primary through to secondary school. We have developed a range of curriculum-linked education resources to raise awareness of innovation, creativity and intellectual property in partnership with UK Music, Aardman Animations and the Industry Trust.
Campaigns are supported through https://www.tes.com/partners/cracking-ideas an online hub to support UK and devolved Governments’ curriculums plus advice and guidance for schools on intellectual property. We have introduced a new online tool for Universities (IP Tutor) helping students and lecturers understand intellectual property rights: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ip-in-education/ip-in-education
Other activities
All marketing and PR is carried out within the External Communications team and we are achieving great coverage particularly on our social networking platforms.
VI.INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
International exchange of industrial design information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
DEPS release for processing of Hague IR designs, this architecture uses IBM MQ/Middleware as pictured below.
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information
The IPO is an active participant in WIPO’s Standing Committee on the Law of Industrial Designs, Trade Marks and Geographical Indications and meets with other participating offices at WIPO during Hague Working Group.
Assistance to developing countries
Provided information to Indian office on design case law with respect to immorality/obscenity/contrary to public order objections.
UK experts ran and IP and innovation workshop in Thailand and Indonesia. This looked at business strategies on how to register rights.
Other activities
The IPO provide reports to World Trade Organisation on TRIPS Agreement, TRIPS responses details work done with other offices and relate to all areas of IP, reporting on activities around technology transfer and technical cooperation.
VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
Nothing to report.