The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) has announced that its Patent Online Application System has been upgraded to include new filing functions for invention patent applications and utility model patent applications. With this enhancement, applicants may now submit new patent filings for both invention and utility model patents electronically, marking another important step in the digital transformation of Taiwan’s patent administration.
TIPO has been continuously promoting the digitalization of patent procedures in order to improve administrative efficiency, reduce paper-based processes, and provide more convenient services to applicants and patent practitioners. Prior to this update, some types of patent filings still required more complex or partially offline procedures. The newly launched functions complete the coverage of online filing for core patent rights, making the system more comprehensive and user-friendly.
Under the upgraded Patent Online Application System, users can now:

• File new invention patent applications online, including uploading specifications, claims, abstracts, and drawings.
• File new utility model applications online, using the same digital platform.
• Submit bibliographic data, applicant and inventor information, and priority claims electronically, reducing manual paperwork and transcription errors.
• Receive immediate electronic confirmation of filing, improving certainty and traceability.

These functions are designed to support a fully digital workflow from the initial filing stage through subsequent prosecution.
The introduction of online filing for invention and utility model applications provides several important advantages:

• Greater efficiency: Applicants can complete filings at any time without the need for physical submission or in-person visits.
• Faster processing: Electronic submissions facilitate quicker formalities examination and internal routing within TIPO.
• Lower administrative burden: Reduced printing, mailing, and document handling costs.
• Improved accuracy: Digital data entry and document uploads help minimize clerical errors and missing information.

For patent attorneys and corporate IP departments, the system supports better docket control, easier record-keeping, and more predictable filing procedures.
The addition of online filing functions for invention and utility model patent applications represents a significant improvement in TIPO’s Patent Online Application System. It simplifies the filing process, increases efficiency, and provides a more convenient and reliable service for applicants. TIPO’s encouragement to make active use of this system reflects its commitment to building a faster, more transparent, and more accessible patent system in Taiwan.