The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has announced amended Patent Examination Guidelines effective February 1, 2020. The amended guidelines add a Section 6 to Chapter IX of Part Two of the Patent Examination Guidelines, which covers provisions for the examination of invention patent applications that claim mathematical limitations and business methods. The amendments are made for the special nature of examination of patent applications related to artificial intelligence, “Internet +”, big data, and blockchain.
Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC Sues Chinese Fast Food Chain for IP Infringement
Earlier this month, Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC sued Shanghai Zhengongfu Fast Food Management Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Zhengongfu Catering Management Co., Ltd., and Guangzhou Zhengongfu Fast Food Chain Management Co., Ltd. (collectively referred to as Zhengongfu (真功夫)) in the Shanghai Second Intermediate People’s Court, asking Zhengongfu to cease using a Bruce Lee image (in marketing materials and signage), issue a public clarification in the media for 90 consecutive days that it has nothing to do with Bruce Lee, and requested the …
CNIPA Closing for New Year
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) will be closed on January 1, 2020 for the New Year holiday. All official deadlines falling on the above date will be automatically extended to January 2, 2020. Please note that Christmas is not an official holiday in China and the deadlines of China IP matters that fall on December 25, 2019 will not be postponed to December 26, 2019. The upcoming Lunar New Year (Spring Festival) will be January 24 – 30, …
Utility Model Patents: An Overlooked Chinese IP Right
Chinese utility model patents are often overlooked by U.S. applicants when filing patent applications in China. This might be due to a lack of familiarity with them, as the U.S. patent system does not separately provide a similar intellectual property right, and many inventions may not qualify for a UM patent due to limited subject matter eligibility. The China National Intellectual Property Administration grants UM patents only for products. The products “shall be objects manufactured by industrial methods, having definite …