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Helpdesk virtuel
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It can be difficult to understand the patent systems or interpret patent information from East Asia correctly, even for people who speak Japanese, Chinese or Korean. We at the EPO offer any support we can to make patent information from Japan, China and Korea more easily accessible and understandable.
Our virtual helpdesk provides answers to the most frequently asked questions on patents and patent information in Japan, China and Korea. You can also find background information on filing trends and granting procedures and some guidance on common patent terminology of East Asian patents.
Japan
With some 400 000 new applications filed at the Japanese patent office every year, Japanese patent literature simply cannot be ignored in prior art searches. Patent searchers have been aware of the importance of understanding Japanese patent documentation for many years. Still, some country-specific features, like identical numbers for different types of industrial property rights or Japanese imperial years, can present challenges when searching Japanese patents. Find out more about document types and the numbering system in Japan.
China
From 2004 to 2005, the Chinese patent office saw an increase of 34% in IP applications and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years. Patent searchers in the West need to familiarise themselves with some of the special features of the Chinese patent system. Find out more about types of industrial property and the granting procedures in China.
Korea
The Korean patent office is the world's fourth biggest patent office in terms of industrial property applications. In 2007, Korean patent literature became part of the PCT minimum documentation and must be included in patentability searches conducted for PCT applications. Find out more about search possibilities of Korean patents in our "Searching databases" section.
Unanswered questions?
If you cannot find the answer you are looking for in our FAQ section, you can write to us using our form. If your question is of general interest, and if you agree, we will add it, together with our answer, to the FAQ site.