WIPO SMEs Newsletter December 2011
By the SMEs Division of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
WIPO SMEs Newsletter is a monthly e-publication providing readers with useful intellectual property (IP) information contained in articles, case studies, forthcoming IP/SMEs relevant events, and published presentations featured on our web site. We hope you will find it useful and informative. We encourage you to share the newsletter or items of interest with friends and colleagues. For past issues and information on the activities of the SMEs Division, please visit http://www.wipo.int/sme.
NEWS
Major Breakthrough in Enhancement of the Global Patent System: EPO and SIPO Sign Agreement on Chinese-English Machine Translation for Patents
In an unprecedented move to eliminate linguistic barriers in public access to patent information, the EPO and the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO) at their annual bilateral co-operation meeting held in Chongqing, signed an agreement which will have a striking impact for the improvement of the global patent system and the dissemination of technological information in the world.
Both offices agreed to work together to assure that by next year automatic Chinese-English machine translation tools for patents are available to the public. The service will be free of charge and easily accessible through Internet. With this agreement new possibilities are offered to innovators and users of the patent system to get access to a huge part of technological information hidden nowadays due to the language barrier. The EPO press release is available here.
WIPO Report Shows Growing Demand for IP Changes Face of Innovation
The “ World Intellectual Property Report 2011- The Changing Face of Innovation” – a new WIPO publication – describes how ownership of intellectual property (IP) rights has become central to the strategies of innovating firms worldwide. With global demand for patents rising from 800,000 applications in the early 1980s to 1.8 million in 2009, the Report concludes that growing investments in innovation and the globalization of economic activities are key drivers of this trend.
Customized Versions from the Camera di Commercio Italo-Argentina-CaCIA of the four IP for Business guides, “Making a Mark,” “Looking Good,” “Inventing the Future” and “Creative Expression” Now Available on the SMEs Website
Camera di Commercio Italo-Argentina-CaCIA has published in Italian and Spanish customized versions of the four IP for Business guides which are now available on the SMEs Website. The Italian customized versions of the guides: “ Making a Mark,” “ Looking Good,” “ Inventing the Future” and “ Creative Expression.” The Spanish customized versions of the guides: “ Making a Mark,” “ Looking Good,” “I nventing the Future” and “ Creative Expression.”
Customized Versions from Jordan of two of the IP for Business guides, “Making a Mark” and “ Inventing the Future” Published
The Industrial Property Protection Directorate, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, has published in Arabic nationally customized versions two of the WIPO guides entitled, “ Making a Mark” and “ Inventing the Future.”
Customized Versions from Uzbekistan of two of the IP for Business guides, “Making a Mark” and “ Inventing the Future” Published
The State Patent Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan, has published in Uzbek nationally customized versions two of the WIPO guides entitled, “ Making a Mark” and “ Inventing the Future.”
TRAINING/LEARNING RESOURCES ON IP ASSET MANAGEMENT
General Information on Training of Trainers Program, the SMEs Division, WIPO
The SMEs Division of WIPO supports the organization of national Training of Trainers (TOT) Programs in countries that have translated and/or adapted the basic materials on IP for Business published by the Division. The objective of the TOTs is to create a critical mass of trainers in the country with enough knowledge and skills to provide assistance to SMEs on effective IP asset management at a basic level. For more details, please see here.
IP PANORAMA TM Multimedia Toolkit
The IP PANORAMA ™ multimedia toolkit is now available in Arabic, English, French, Hungarian, Spanish, Vietnamese and Thai versions on or through the SMEs Division’s website. CD-ROMs of the English and Arabic versions are also available on request. Anyone interested in receiving a free copy of the CD-ROM may email sme@wipo.int , providing the full postal address, including telephone number, and indicate the purpose for which the CD-ROM would be used.
LINKS
“Should I Renew the Trade Mark I’m Not Using?”
In the article, “ Should I renew the trade mark I’m not using?,” The Watermark Journal, Volume 29, Number 2, Page 4, Karen Sinclair discusses several factors that should be considered in taking a business decision about renewal of a trade mark. She suggests that, while a trade mark may have become vulnerable through non-use, this can be addressed by minimal, new and genuine use in commerce.
“Discovering New Value in Intellectual Property”
Authors Kevin G. Rivette and David Kline discuss in the article, “ Discovering New Value in Intellectual Property,” in the Harvard Business Review, January-February 2000, how companies can manage and deploy their intellectual property not just as legal instruments but also as powerful financial assets and competitive weapons that can enhance their commercial success and increase shareholder wealth. While the article focuses on patents, the concepts can be used to manage all forms of intellectual property as a core competence for a successful enterprise.
Films on Asian Innovators
The WIPO Japan Office, in association with Funds-in-Trust Japan-Industrial Property, is involved in the production of short documentaries featuring innovators from the Asia-Pacific region.
“Expert Assessment: Don’t Overlook the Marketing Value of Your Company’s IP”
In a two-part article written for Marketing News Exclusives, Alec Schibanoff, Vice President of Marketing for General Patent Corporation based in the United States, discusses in Part 1 how to use patents to give a company a completive edge and in Part 2 explains how to use patents, patent applications and even patent infringement litigation as public relations tools.
“Decision Time: Trademarks and the New World of Domain Names Is Your .Plan Ready?”
After years of online and offline discussions, international meetings, and many versions of proposed controlling documents, in June 2011 ICANN voted to allow up to 1,000 new top-level domains (TLDs) on the Internet in the near future. Every entity with a commercial interest in the Internet needs to consider its online marketing plan in light of the dramatically new domain name world ahead. This article entitled, “ Decision Time: Trademarks and the New World of Domain Names Is Your .Plan Ready?” written by the international law firm, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, reviews some important questions that should be considered when creating such a plan.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
WIPO Special Seminar: Patents and Technology Transfer
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is organizing a “ Special Seminar: Patents and Technology Transfer” through its WIPO Seminar Series on “The Economics of Intellectual Property.” The seminar will be held at the WIPO Headquarters in Geneva on December 5, 2011. More information is available here.
NOTE:
The SMEs Division welcomes voluntary contributions of articles, case studies, news items, useful links and relevant information concerning forthcoming events of interest to entrepreneurs and SMEs for inclusion in future issues of this newsletter; contributions may be sent by email to sme@wipo.int.
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The past issues of this newsletter, since August 2001, may be accessed here.
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