TIPO Online Patent Database Project Kicks Off to Build A Comprehensive IPR E-Database.

　As part of the efforts to encourage R&D and innovation, TIPO actively promotes the Project for Building The National Patent Database with a view to full disclosure of and eased access to information about patents.  The database will operate to provide information on the legal issues and the state of the art of technologies to prevent duplication of investment and will save up to 60% and 40% respectively of the time and cost of R&D.

　The Project is phased into three development plans:  the short-term plan is to expand and integrate 12 current systems.  The plan is further phased into three stages to be completed respectively by the end of December 2006, March and June 2007.  The mid-term plan is to complete within a term of four years the digitalization of all patent specification filed according to the relevant special scientific branches.  The long-term plan is to commission full operation of a paperless comprehensive online IPR database.

　The number of patent applications filed with the TIPO has substantially increased over the past years with those filed by Taiwanese nationals amounting to a total of nearly 80,000 in 2005 representing an increase of some 47,000 or nearly 70% over ten years ago.  The increase is especially significant within the past four years with a growth of some 10% each year.  Further, the total number of US patents issued to Taiwanese nationals each year has been on the rise moving Taiwan up to No. 4 in 2005 from No. 7 ten years ago of all patentee countries holding new US patents issued in the year, the top three being the USA, Japan and German. 

　Despite the substantial increase in the number of patents issued to Taiwanese patentees, however, commercial exploitation has remained low at about 0.3%  which is far below the average rate of 3% worldwide.  Risks of “barren patents” draw attention to the imperative and urgency for the Project.  (2006.10)

/EMA