AWA

Banner image with text: 'Stay informed with the latest IP news' and the following words listed: Insights, Interviews, Webinars.

Maintaining Traction in Commercial IP Strategy and Daily IP Operations

By AWA | Posted on May 22, 2020

The business environment is changing and the impacts can be felt in the commercial role and management of intellectual property. Head of AWA Strategy, Henrik Olsson will address these changes from a point of view of how companies are being affected in terms of intellectual property management. Companies will need to adapt internal and external...

Tags: business, commercial, IPR, strategy

Faster and Stronger Protection for New Technologies in China

By AWA | Posted on May 22, 2020

There have been a series of amendments to China’s Patent Examination Guidelines over the past year, especially regarding the examination of applications for technologies concerning the internet, AI, big data, block chain and business methods. Unclear issues have been clarified and examination standards unified. Join Xiaofan Chen from AWA Asia’s Beijing office who will discuss...

Tags: AI, big data, block chain, business methods, china, examination guidelines, Internet, patents

China becomes top international patent filer

By AWA | Posted on May 20, 2020

China filed 58,990 applications through WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System last year, ending the US’s stronghold on the top position since the PCT began operations in 1978 by 1,150 applications. The numbers echo a sophisticated and coordinated effort to advance innovation and realise a high-value economy from the Chinese government. This is especially true considering in 1999,...

Tags: BOE, china, Huawei, IPR, Oppo, patents, PCT, Ping An, SPC

Clarifying the patentability of medical use inventions in China

By AWA | Posted on May 20, 2020

At the end of 2019, the new Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) emerged. It has gone on to infect millions of people worldwide and so far, claimed the lives of over a quarter of a million people. COVID-19 has disrupted the world economy like never before. At the same time, it has brought unprecedented global attention to disease...

Tags: china, CNIPA, EPO, Gilead, inventions, JPO, medical use, patents, Remdesivir

EPO rules plants and animals exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes not patentable

By AWA | Posted on May 18, 2020

It has been clear that essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals are explicitly excluded from patentability under Article 53(b) EPC. However, patentability of products of the essentially biological processes, such as plants and animals, has been questioned and repeatedly visited by the Enlarged Board of Appeal in recent years. On 14...

Tags: animals, biological, Board of Appeal, EPO, interpretation, patents, plants

WIPO panel finds that Danish start-up Acubit engaged in reverse domain name hijacking

By AWA | Posted on April 29, 2020

Technology start-up Acubit claimed that Danish trademark rules and practice should assign domain names to the relevant trademark owner. A panel from the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Centre disagreed, as the UDRP governs in case of reverse domain name hijacking.  Background Founded in 2016, Acubit A/S is a Danish start-up, which develops technology to locate people and objects around...

Tags: Bad faith, Denmark, domain hijacking, domains, mediation, trademarks, UDRP, WIPO

China-Norway patent prosecution highway pilot launches

By AWA | Posted on April 20, 2020

A memorandum between China and Norway will speed up and reduce costs when applying for patents On April 1, the China-Norway Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot began and is in effect until March 31, 2023. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the Norwegian Industrial Property Office...

Tags: china, examination, IP, Norway, patents, PPH

Balmain case highlights risk of using specialised public with low distinctive character marks

By AWA | Posted on April 20, 2020

Balmain’s appeal to the General Court demonstrates that applicants should not rely on a specialised public for goods or services when applying for a trademark Background Balmain is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1945, which operates globally across 16 stores. In addition to its iconic logo and coat of arms, Balmain uses a lion’s...

Tags: Balmain, enforcement, EU, General Court, IP, trademarks

Protecting against digital trademark infringement

By AWA | Posted on March 31, 2020

Over the past few years, digitalisation has brought immense business opportunities with new commerce concepts and marketing possibilities constantly appearing. Digital development also creates vulnerability and increases threats to businesses. If companies fail to protect themselves, they risk brand dilution and losing market competitiveness. In a recent survey from trademark research and protection organisation CompuMark,...

Tags: advertising, digital assets, domain hijacking, domain names, Infringement, social media, trademarks, UDRP

China’s upcoming amendments to the Patent Law include punitive damages

By AWA | Posted on March 19, 2020

Last year saw a wave of legislative activity in China. The effects are being felt as different pieces of legislation become effective. The resonating theme is that China is putting an IP protection framework in place that meets the demands of both foreign parties and domestic entities. This can be seen in particular with the...

Tags: china, Infringement, IPR, ISPs, patents, PRC Patent Law, punitive damages

Recent contributors

Laura Stravinskaite

Laura Stravinskaite

Senior Associate, Attorney at Law

Ai-Leen Lim

Ai-Leen Lim

Partner, Attorney at Law, Group Vice President

Ashley Zhao

Ashley Zhao

Partner, Attorney at Law, Business Area Manager

Troels Peter Rørdam

Troels Peter Rørdam

Senior Counsel, European Patent Attorney

Mikkel Roed Trier

Mikkel Roed Trier

Partner, European Patent Attorney, UPC Representative, Business Area Manager