Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) Continues EV Battery Patent War Against China Aviation Lithium Battery (CALB)

Posted on Categories Case, Utility Model

Per a filing with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited dated July 26, 2024, CALB Group Col., Ltd. (中創新航科技集團股份有限公司) announced it was sued (again) by CATL. CATL is the largest EV battery producer in the world with a global market share of about 37% in 2023. CALB is an emerging rival ranking third in China behind CATL and BYD. CATL is requesting an injunction and damages of 92 million RMB against CALB for allegedly infringing Chinese utility model no. …

China’s Supreme People’s Court Releases the 39th Batch of Guiding Cases Covering Intellectual Property Law

Posted on Categories Case, Patents, Trade Secrets, Utility Model

On December 19, 2023, China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC, currently geoblocked) released the 39th Batch of Guiding Cases (关于发布第39批指导性案例的通知) covering intellectual property law. While China’s legal system is not a common law system, China nonetheless issues guiding cases “for reference when trying similar cases.”  This batch of Guiding Cases covers invention patents, utility models, trade secrets and other intellectual property matters.

China’s National Intellectual Property Administration Releases Guidelines on Subject Matter Eligibility of Utility Model Patents

Posted on Categories New Law, Rule or Implementing Regulation, Utility Model

On November 2, 2023, China’s National Intellectual Property Administration released the Guidelines on Subject Matter Eligibility of Utility Model Patents (关于实用新型专利保护客体判断的指引). Utility model patents (UMs) are one of the three types of patents in China, the others being design and invention (similar to U.S. utility patents). UMs do not undergo substantive examination and therefore tend to grant quickly. However, the subject matter of UMs is limited to the “shape, structure or combination of a product that is suitable for practical …

Drop in Chinese Utility Model Grants Accelerates in April 2023 in Shift from Quantity to Quality

Posted on Categories Patents, Statistics, Utility Model

Recently released data for April 2023 from China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) shows an acceleration in the drop of utility model grants. Cumulatively (from January through April 2023), utility model grants were down almost 37% year-on-year to 757,817 grants and down over 70% in April 2023 to 268,331 grants versus April 2022. Utility model grants were down 21.7% to 600,206 grants in the first quarter of 2023 versus a year ago.  This drop, combined with an almost 3% increase …