China E-ventions
Selected Software-Related Invention Patents
Vol. 2 , No. 10 - September 10, 2002
Welcome to China E-ventions. Keeping up with technology is difficult enough, but learning about new trends in patent examination methods and policies in different countries is a monumental task. One area of keen interest these days involves a particular classification of patent that goes by many names: business method patent, Internet patent, software patent, and so on - in China, "software-related invention patents". To be clear, many of these names have distinct definitions in certain jurisdictions; however, their similarity has caused great confusion for international practitioners.
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide the foreign patent practitioner with China patent news as well as a regular snapshot of how China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) is approaching these kinds of inventions.
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Guangdong Province Takes Lead in Patent Applications
The Intellectual Property Bureau (IPB), in southern China's Guangdong Province, has announced that 11,997 patents have been granted in the first half of the year, the highest number for the seventh year in succession.
Of the 11,997 patents granted, 1,535 were for invention patents, some 46% of which were filed by companies that had become more aware of patents as a result of fiercer market competition. To date, at least 64 companies in Guangdong have achieved a competitive edge through the possession of patents. For most local businesses, intellectual property is not merely an intangible asset but also a powerful weapon to defend their economic interests.
Guangdong-based Meidi Group Company specializing in household appliances filed 291 patent applications last year and sales of its patented products made up more than 70% of total sales. The province plans more specific measures to encourage local businesses to make more technical innovations.
(Source: Xinhua News)
More Patented Technologies Decided as Torchlight Program Items for this Year
The Torchlight Center, under the auspices of the Ministry of Science and Technology, recently announced the 1358 items that will receive financial support from the State Torchlight Program (the program). To achieve the objectives of the program the Center will investment RMB 36.3 billion (US$ 4.4 billion), of which the bank loan accounts will account for RMB 16.1 billion (US$ 1.93 billion).
The State Torchlight Program began in 1988, with its purpose being to make sci-tech research results brought to industrialization, commercialized and internationalized in China. Up to date, 25,000 items from the state and local torchlight programs have been realized.
It is forecasted that once the program is completed the items supported this year will turn out a gross industry output value of RMB 171.7 billion (US$ 20.7 billion), profit and tax of RMB 43.7 billion (US$ 5.3 billion) and an earning of US$ 3.6 billion in foreign exchange.
The 1358 items selected where chosen from a total of 1934 items submitted by 11 ministries and commissions and 45 provinces and municipalities. The items cover the following technological fields: 342 items from e-information, or 25% of the total number of items to receive financial support, 162 items from biological and new medicines, 12% of the total number of items to receive financial support, 405 from new materials and its application, 30% of the total number of items to receive financial support, 293 from photo-mechanic-electric integration, 22% of the total number of items to receive financial support, 110 new energy sources and highly energy saving items, 8% of the total number of items to receive financial support and 46 items of environmental protection or 3% of the total number of items to receive financial support.
New and innovative items, of which the intellectual property rights belong to China, have witnessed a greater expansion, taking up 66.7% (totaling 906 items) that were developed by enterprises themselves of which 407 items have secured the state patents and 40 acquired international patent rights with the patent items taking up 49.3% of the total items developed by enterprises themselves.
As compared to the previous year, software products have gained a great headway, numbering 124 items representing 9% of the total items to receive finical assistance.
Through the implementation of the State Torchlight Program many provinces and municipalities have fostered groups of newly booming industries such as e-info, bio-medical and new material, and has resulted in such industries becoming the pivotal industries of the local economy.
(Source: People's Daily)
China 3G Suppliers Seek Government Support in a Bid to Lower Patent Fee to be Paid
China's telecom equipment developers are calling for government support of its domestic mobile telecom technology industry.
The government's hesitation in choosing which standard it will adopt in the coming age of third generation (3G) mobile communications is forcing developers of China's 3G mobile technologies to speak out. "China should adopt a technology developed by domestic institutions to avoid again becoming a battle field for overseas companies," said Li Shihe, chief scientist of the China Academy of Telecom Technology, developer of the 3G TD-SCDMA (time division synchronous code division multiple access) standard.
If China uses domestically developed technology, Chinese companies will pay much lower patent fees than those they would pay to European or American patent holders, Li explained.
The homegrown TD-SCDMA standard is of an international standard and has been approved by the International Telecom Union (ITU). "Adopting TD-SCDMA means business opportunities - worth hundreds of billions of yuan - will be created for domestic companies," said Li. "This is not a patriotic issue; it's a matter of hard cash."
China did not grasp the development opportunities in the first two generations of mobile communications because of technology reasons. Major winners in China's prosperous mobile telecom market so far have been international telecom equipment giants such as Motorola, Ericsson and Nokia, not domestic vendors.
Not possessing the core technology means Chinese companies only earn meager profits, although they produce considerable quantities of mobile phones and other mobile phone equipment for world markets.
After its approval by the ITU, TD-SCDMA attracted the attention of all equipment vendors, most of whom, however, remain skeptical, as TD-SCDMA is the youngest standard in the market.
German based Siemens, which is betting that TD-SCDMA will become a golden egg, have shown the strongest support for the technology and have invested millions of US dollars into related research and development.
Li Wanlin, chief technology officer of Siemens China, said TD-SCDMA has obvious technological advantages in frequency efficiency and is suitable for markets like China with dense populations.
Frequency availability, which cannot be expanded, will become more and more contested for as customer demand grows, he said.
TD-SCDMA's major competitors, Europe-based WCDMA (wide band CDMA) and US-based CDMA 2000, are becoming an increasing threat to the homegrown standard via their commercial operations in Japan and South Korea.
Having no commercialized equipment like handsets and base stations, the China Academy of Telecom Technology and Siemens are under heavy pressure to speed up commercialization of TD-SCDMA products.
(Source; China Daily)
Samsung Ranks 2nd in Patents Held by Foreign Firms in China
Samsung Electronics Co. registered 794 patents for licensing in China as of the end of last month, raising the company to second place in terms of the number of patents held by foreign firms operating in China.
Matsushita Electronic Industrial Co. of Japan led foreign firms in the registering of patents and owns 1,256 patents. Samsung beat the third-placed Sony Corp. with 725 patents and the fourth-placed Philips Electronics with 712 patents. Ericsson, Mitsubishi Electronic Corp. and IBM Corp. hold 633 patents, 415 patents and 363 patents, respectively.
Japan topped the list of nations with patent registrations with 5,577 cases, trailed by China with 5,394, the United States with 3,116, and Germany with 1,494. France, Switzerland and Britain came next with 782, 562 and 370, respectively.
(Source: Asia Pulse)
A Selection of Software-related Invention Patents Published in China
Application Number: 00134006
Publication Number: 1305177
Application Date: 00.12.08
Publication Date: 01.07.25
Title: Control method for increasing security in e-commerce.
Intl. Class. Nr.: G06K 19/073; H01L 27/00
Applicant(s) Name: Hou Jianci
Inventor(s) Name: Hou Jianci
Legal Status: Publication
Abstract: A control method for making higher security in electronic commerce, document and encryption uses a random number generator in the IC to generate a basic random number only when the IC is used for the first time and an execute- period random number, both of which are combined into a long serial number, including array control bit for controlling different functions. The random number is different in the execution period, so its control mode is different, resulting in its indeterminacy of operation mode.
Application Number: 00120914
Publication Number: 1280347
Application Date: 00.08.01
Publication Date: 01.01.17
Title: Credit card security system
Intl. Class. Nr.: G06K 19/073
Applicant(s) Name: Lin Xianyi
Inventor(s) Name: Lin Xianyi
Legal Status: Substantial Examination
Abstract: The credit card security system includes one setting subsystem, one electronic subsystem and one setting prescription. The setting subsystem is used to input the basic data of the Applicant, the electronic subsystem is used to check through automatic dialing the cellular phone in the basic data according to phonetic limit of money sum the bank sets, and the setting prescription sets one free phone number for dialing. The system of present invention makes use of the credit card in the authorization of the Applicant wholly, and is simple and reliable.
Application Number: 01101436
Publication Number: 1308178
Application Date: 01.01.10
Publication Date: 01.08.15
Title: Self-propelled bank note conveying safe
Intl. Class. Nr.: E05G 1/00
Applicant(s) Name: Dai Yi
Inventor(s) Name: Dai Yi
Legal Status: Publication
Abstract: The present invention relates to a special-purpose self-propelled bank safe for transporting cash. The said special-purpose safe is equipped with traction and guide wheel underneath, hand key box for controlling movement, safe body made up of metal plate material, and door equipped with electronic and mechanical locks. The said safe is used for cash transporting between cash-transporting vehicles and banks. As security feature to deter theft is an alarm key of hand control box that can be quickly activated, so that the sound alarm device and radio tracing signal transmitter in the safe can be started, traction wheel can be locked, the power supply of traction wheel is cut off, and the door of safe can not be opened.
Application Number: 99115895
Publication Number: 1295302
Application Date: 99.11.05
Publication Date: 01.05.16
Title: Counterfeit mark detection device
Intl. Class. Nr.: G06K 5/00
Applicant(s) Name: Liu Xiaopeng
Inventor(s) Name: Liu Xiaopeng
Legal Status: Publication
Abstract: The counterfeit mark detection device is used in preventing imitation of bank note, coupons, documents, electronic products and software. The device consists of a carrier, related source, relation regulations, and related matter. The relation regulations are established by treating the characteristic marks in the related source; and the related matter corresponding to the marks in the related source is established according to the relation regulations. The user can use the device to distinguish the genuine from counterfeit marks in the related source and the related matter based on the relation regulations. The method is simple, practical, reliable and is widespread in application range.
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China E-ventions is intended to be used for news purposes only. It should not be taken as comprehensive legal advice, and Lehman, Lee & Xu will not be held responsible for any such reliance on its contents.
