The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office Published the Amendments to the “Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program”
The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) launched the “Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program” in 2023, which is set to expire on January 2, 2025. To better meet applicants’ needs for expedited patent grants to support the strategic development of patent portfolios, and after evaluating examination capacity, the TIPO has proposed amendments to the program, extending the pilot phase until December 31, 2026.
To align with the current program and ensure continuous, stable operation, the amended program only adjusts the probation period, while the remaining content and the letter of intent remain unchanged. The revised “Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program” is outlined below:
To help patent examiners quickly understand the technical aspects of invention patent applications related to advanced technologies, improve examination efficiency and quality, and meet applicants’ needs for expedited patent grants to support the strategic development of patent portfolios, the TIPO developed the “Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program.” This program has been piloted since January 3, 2023, for two years. After evaluation, the TIPO has decided to extend the pilot phase until December 31, 2026. During the probation period, the TIPO may modify or terminate the program based on its manpower capacity.
1. Eligibility Requirements:
An applicant who has applied for an invention patent application pertaining to advanced technologies and has been notified by the TIPO that the patent application will undergo substantive examination, but has not yet received an Office Action or examination decision.
2. Definition of Advanced Technologies:
The term “advanced technologies” refers to inventions in the fields of stem cell regenerative medicine, medical care informatics, Micro-LED displays, quantum dot solar cells, neural networks, quantum informatics, quantum computers, 3nm semiconductor manufacturing processes, wafer packaging probe precisification, twisted bilayer graphene, third-generation semiconductor materials, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, big data, blockchain, 3D printing, 5G mobile communication technology and other specific technologies to be determined by examiners on a case-by-case basis.
3. Implementation of the Pilot Program:
(1) Under any of the following circumstances, an examiner may arrange an interview ex officio:
a. The examiner preliminarily determines that an invention patent application pertains to advanced technologies and contacts the applicant(s) of the patent application. The interview will be held if the applicant(s) wish to further explain the technical content of the patent application.
b. An applicant has submitted a letter of intent to join the Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program for one or more invention patent applications, with the total number of applications generally limited to no more than ten. The interview will be held if the examiner determines that the patent application meets the program’s requirements.
b. An applicant has submitted a letter of intent to join the Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program for one or more invention patent applications, with the total number of applications generally limited to no more than ten. The interview will be held if the examiner determines that the patent application meets the program’s requirements.
(2) If a letter of intent to join the Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program for an invention patent application has been submitted but the patent application is deemed ineligible, the examiner would notify the applicant by phone that the patent application will be processed through regular examination procedures.
(3) Technical personnel directly involved in the invention, including the inventor(s), the applicant(s) or other technical personnel employed by the applicant(s), must attend the interview in person to explain the technical content of the patent application to the examiner. If the technical personnel cannot attend the interview in person, they must participate remotely using their own video equipment, in accordance with the “Guidelines for Patent Interviews” issued by the TIPO.
(4) The interview record must include the date of the interview, the location where the interview was held, the names of participants, and the technologies or matters related to the invention patent application under examination. However, the record should not include information designated as commercial secrets or trade secrets by the applicant(s).
(5) Any matters not specified in this program should be handled in accordance with the “Guidelines for Patent Interviews” issued by the TIPO.
4. Notification:
For relevant details of this program, please refer to the “Q&A on the Industry Collaborative Patent Interview Pilot Program” published by the TIPO.
(Translated and summarized from the Hot News announced on the TIPO website)
