Core Viewpoint - The National Intellectual Property Administration has announced modifications to the Patent Examination Guidelines, effective from January 1, 2026, focusing on improving patent examination standards for new fields and industries [1] Group 1: Enhancing Protection for New Fields and Industries - The definition of plant varieties will be clarified, expanding the scope of patentable subjects and strengthening intellectual property protection in the seed industry [2] - Consideration of artificial intelligence ethics will be included, providing examples for creative examination and clarifying application document requirements to meet the needs of AI technology development [2] - Specific regulations for the examination of bitstream patent applications will be added, clarifying the circumstances under which patent rights can be granted, in response to the rapid development of the streaming media industry [2] Group 2: Optimizing Examination Standards and Rules - The handling of same-day applications will be improved, allowing for the acquisition of invention patent authorization only by waiving utility model patent rights, returning to the legislative intent [3] - Clarification of characteristics that do not contribute to solving technical problems in claims, which typically do not confer creativity, will enhance examination efficiency and improve patent application quality [3] - Requests for invalidation that do not reflect the true intent of the requester will not be accepted, regulating malicious invalidation behaviors [3] Group 3: Solidifying Mature Practices in Examination - The concept of need-based examination and related rapid examination regulations will be clarified to meet the actual needs of innovative entities [4] - Examination rules for divisional applications without declared priority will be specified, ensuring the rights of divisional applicants to claim priority [4] - Requirements for submitting proof of priority transfer will be clarified, facilitating applicants' understanding of examination standards [4]

Core Insights - The meeting held on September 26 focused on the "Assist Enterprises Climb" initiative, highlighting the collaboration between patent examiners and local businesses [1][3] Group 1: Meeting Overview - The meeting was chaired by Zhang Ying, the director of the Municipal Intellectual Property Development Center, and included participation from four patent examiners from the National Intellectual Property Administration's Patent Examination Cooperation Center in Henan [1] - Representatives from companies such as Norbert Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. and Shandong Pacific Fiber Optic Cable Co., Ltd. praised the examiners for their guidance and support during their practice period [3] Group 2: Examiner Contributions - The examiners conducted targeted training based on the specific needs of the enterprises, provided suggestions for existing patent layouts and patent mining, and addressed technical challenges through micro-navigation work [3] - The two-week practical activity allowed examiners to gain a concrete understanding of the enterprises' R&D environments and patent expression strategies, which will enhance their ability to accurately assess technical boundaries and improve examination quality [3] Group 3: Impact on Enterprises - The practical activity trained relevant personnel, resolved doubts, and addressed real issues, establishing a communication bridge between examiners and enterprises [3] - This initiative promotes a positive interaction between patent examination services and local enterprise innovation, advancing the knowledge property work of the enterprises to a new level [3]

Core Points - The article discusses the definition of "prior art" in patent law, emphasizing the importance of the application date as the cutoff for what constitutes prior art [1][2][3] - It highlights the challenges in determining the actual publication date of documents cited in patent examination, particularly when dealing with traditional journals and online databases [4][6] - The article provides a case study where a patent application was rejected based on a cited document's publication date, illustrating the complexities involved in establishing the true date of public disclosure [5][6][14] Summary by Sections Definition of Prior Art - Prior art is defined as technology known to the public before the patent application date, encompassing time, geographic, and publication methods [1][2][3] Challenges in Publication Date Determination - The article outlines the difficulties in accurately determining the publication date of documents, especially when the dates from online databases differ from the actual print publication dates [4][6][7] - It emphasizes the need for clarity between "publication date" and "web release date," as they can represent different timeframes [8][9] Case Study Analysis - A specific case involving Applicant A is presented, where a cited document's publication date was misinterpreted, leading to a rejection based on perceived lack of novelty [6][12][13] - The article argues that the actual public disclosure date should be considered based on the print publication date rather than the online database's recorded date [13][14] Recommendations for Patent Applicants - It advises patent applicants to file their applications before any public disclosure of their work to maintain patentability and suggests allowing buffer time for potential examination adjustments [14][15] - The article stresses the importance of gathering evidence and understanding publication policies to effectively challenge any misinterpretations during the patent examination process [15]

Core Points - The article highlights the significant growth in China's intellectual property landscape, with the number of valid invention patents reaching 4.97 million by May this year, establishing China as a major patent powerhouse [10] - The National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) is enhancing patent examination efficiency and quality, with a reported accuracy rate of 95.1% for invention patent examinations by Q1 2025 [3][4] - There is a strong emphasis on the transformation of innovative achievements into practical productivity, with successful collaborations between universities and enterprises leading to high-value patents [7] Group 1: Patent Growth and Innovation - As of May this year, China has 4.97 million valid invention patents, showcasing its status as a leading patent nation [10] - Various innovation entities, including universities and companies, are demonstrating robust creativity, contributing to the development of new productive forces [2] - The NIPA has reported a 37.5% year-on-year increase in patent applications entering examination through protection centers, totaling 109,000 applications from January to May [6] Group 2: Patent Examination Efficiency - The NIPA has conducted 84,000 priority examinations and 116,000 rapid examinations from January to May this year, enhancing the core competitiveness of industries [3] - The NIPA aims to improve the quality of patent examination by increasing the sample size for social satisfaction surveys regarding examination quality [3][4] - The introduction of artificial intelligence in patent examination processes is being explored to further enhance efficiency and quality [4] Group 3: Intellectual Property Protection - China has established 77 national-level intellectual property protection centers across 29 provinces, covering 80% of national high-tech industrial development zones [5] - These centers provide rapid pre-examination, confirmation, and rights protection services to 172,000 registered entities [5] - The centers have handled 38,000 intellectual property rights cases with an average resolution time of under two weeks from January to May [6] Group 4: Effective Transformation of Innovations - Successful collaborations, such as the one between Nantong University and related enterprises, have led to the development of over ten high-value patents, significantly improving road material durability and reducing costs [7] - The patent agency sector, with over 6,231 agencies and 41,026 registered patent agents, has a high patent agency rate exceeding 94% for invention patents [7] - The NIPA is committed to enhancing the service chain for innovation entities, providing high-quality and efficient intellectual property agency services [8]

Core Viewpoint - The National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) aims to increase the number of valid invention patents in China to 4.97 million by May 2025, focusing on quality over quantity in patent management and evaluation [1][3]. Group 1: Policy and Management - NIPA will enhance policy guidance through assessment, evaluation, and funding to optimize patent-related indicators across regions [1]. - NIPA collaborates with relevant departments to encourage enterprises, universities, hospitals, and research institutions to adjust internal patent management systems and evaluation criteria, moving away from solely quantitative metrics [3][5]. - The introduction of a pre-evaluation system centered on industrialization prospects aims to improve the quality of patent applications [3]. Group 2: Patent Examination Efficiency - NIPA is implementing various examination models, including prioritized, expedited, delayed, and centralized reviews, to enhance examination quality [6]. - From January to May 2025, NIPA conducted 84,000 prioritized examinations, 116,000 expedited examinations, and over 9,300 delayed examinations, granting patents that strengthen core industry competitiveness and promote industrial transformation [8]. Group 3: Quality in Patent Services - NIPA is shifting the focus of patent agency services from price competition to quality competition, promoting a "quality over price" approach [10]. - The government procurement standards for patent and trademark agency services emphasize higher evaluation weights for service content and quality, reducing the emphasis on price to avoid low-cost-only bidding [12]. - NIPA has issued model contracts and guidelines for patent agency services to standardize practices and ensure equitable rights and obligations for both parties [13]. Group 4: Regional Development and Talent Cultivation - To promote balanced development of intellectual property services across regions, NIPA is organizing collaborative support between eastern provinces and 15 western, northeastern regions, including Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, to train 1,000 intellectual property agents by March 2025 [13].

Group 1 - The core viewpoint emphasizes that innovation is the primary driving force for development, and protecting intellectual property (IP) is essential for safeguarding innovation [1] - In 2024, the satisfaction rate for IP protection in society is projected to reach 82.36 points, marking a new high [1] - The National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) reported that in 2024, market regulatory authorities handled 44,000 IP infringement cases, while 72,000 patent infringement administrative cases were processed [1] Group 2 - The average examination period for invention patents has been reduced to 15.5 months, achieving the fastest level internationally under similar examination systems [1] - The accuracy rate for invention patent examination cases reached 95.2%, with user satisfaction for patent examination quality increasing to 86.8 [1] - In 2024, NIPA will enhance IP protection for private enterprises by actively addressing their needs, efficiently resolving disputes, and supporting their high-quality development [1] Group 3 - In 2025, NIPA plans to implement systematic measures to further strengthen IP protection, including accelerating the revision of trademark laws and regulations for integrated circuit layout design [2] - The Central Propaganda Department's Copyright Management Bureau will enhance law enforcement supervision and guide local enforcement agencies in copyright enforcement efforts [2] - A focus will be placed on major case investigations and special governance in key industries, with initiatives like "Sword Net 2025" aimed at optimizing the business environment [2]