IP Radar
Daily tracking of IP regulations, case law and industry risk across Taiwan, China, the US, Japan and the EU

Response to 'Wulong Yuan' Trademark Revocation Controversy: TIPO Clarifies Partial Revocation and No On-Site Investigation

Addressing the dispute over comic artist Ao You-xiang's 'Wulong Yuan' trademark, TIPO stated that trademark revocation is determined per designated item based on evidence of use. Unused classes were revoked while 'hotel' services were retained, leaving copyright unaffected.

WIPO GenAI Patent Trends Update: Shifts in Patent Landscape and Major Models

WIPO's July 2026 report reveals a surge in GenAI patent families to 37,808 in 2025, driven by post-ChatGPT commercial interest, with SoftBank leading the rankings.

US Supreme Court Rejects Record Labels' Challenge to Copyright Termination

The US Supreme Court declined to review a legal challenge brought by music labels against creators exercising 35-year copyright termination rights.

USPTO Updates Patent Bar Admission Requirements, Moving Biomedical Science to Category A

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced that it is moving the Biomedical Science degree from Category B to Category A within its scientific and technical criteria for admission to the patent bar examination, simplifying the qualification process for applicants with this background.

Taiwan-US Patent Priority Document Electronic Exchange Regulations Take Effect

為強化臺美合作關係、便利申請人主張專利優先權及提高審查效率，並執行專利法施行細則第26條第3項規定，經濟部115年9月4日訂定發布「臺美專利優先權證明文件電子交換作業要點」，規定智慧局作為主張優先權基礎案之申請局第一局或第二局時之作業流程，以及對於不可歸責及可歸責於申請人之因素，造成智慧局未能取得正確之優先權證明文件電子檔時之處理原則等。 有關「臺美專利優先權證明文件電子交換作業要點」詳細內容，請參考臺美專利優先權證明文件電子交換作業要點、總說明及逐點說明。

TIPO Announces Review Decision on ACMA Music Royalty Rates for Hotel Rooms and Hospital Wards

The Intellectual Property Office has approved the royalty rate review applied by Nine TAI Technologies for ACMA's music licensing. The rate for hotel guest rooms and hospital wards is set at NT$25 per room per year, covering public performance and secondary public broadcast.

TIPO Launches New Visualized Trademark Statistics to Provide User-Friendly and Convenient Information Services

To optimize IP information services, TIPO has launched a new version of its Visualized Trademark Statistics. In addition to original application data, it adds three new categories—Overview of Registered Trademarks, Historical Registration Trends, and Top 10 Registered Trademarks—comprising 13 interactive charts. Featuring a one-page layout and optimized visual design, the platform allows users to easily grasp trademark trends, reducing search time and enhancing practical utility.

KKBOX Parent Company Withdraws Rate Review Application Against MÜST for Lyrics and Podcast Music Fees

The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) announced that KKBOX's parent company, KKBOX Taiwan Co., Ltd., has withdrawn its application to review MÜST's licensing rates for "lyrics/chords for end users" and "podcasts/internet radio." Since there are no other applicants, the review process has been terminated.

TIPO Announces Netflix's Application to Review MÜST's Public Transmission Royalty Rate for Games

主旨：公布Netflix Inc.公司申請審議社團法人中華音樂著作權協會（MÜST）「公開傳輸─與網路有關使用報酬率」一案。 依據：著作權集體管理團體條例第25條第2項規定、Netflix Inc.公司115年8月17日使用報酬率審議申請書及同年9月8日函辦理。 公告事項： 一、Netflix Inc.公司申請審議社團法人中華音樂著作權協會（MÜST）「公開傳輸─與網路有關使用報酬率」項下之「七、遊戲」項目，其費率項目內容詳如附件1。 二、Netflix Inc.公司之相關審議事由詳如附件2。 三、與本公布申請案內容有相同利用情形之利用人如欲申請參加本案

TIPO Announces Decision on TMCA Music Licensing Rates for Hotel Rooms and Hospital Wards Applied by Jiutai Technology

On October 8, 2026, TIPO issued Official Letter No. 11560015461 regarding the application by Jiutai Technology to review TMCA's blanket licensing rates. The decision sets the rate for hotel rooms and hospital wards at NT$25 per room per year (excluding tax), covering public broadcasting and performance in those rooms, but excluding independent public spaces like restaurants or gyms.

TIPO Launches Upgraded Music Information Query System with 750,000 Entries

The Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) released an upgraded "Music Information Integration Query System" featuring over 750,000 entries. It connects ISRC and Taiwan pop music databases to help businesses easily identify collective management organizations for licensing.

China's Supreme People's Court Releases Q1-Q3 2026 Statistics, Civil IP Cases Down 15.41%

China's Supreme People's Court released trial statistics for the first three quarters of 2026. First-instance civil IP cases decreased by 15.41% year-on-year to 383,500, alongside new judicial interpretations addressing digital copyright disputes.

Indian High Court Upholds Validity of AI Shopping Assistant Patent

On January 5, 2026, the Madras High Court of India dismissed Flipkart's appeal and upheld the validity of Voicemonk's patent IN312437 for an AI virtual agent system, ruling that it does not fall under the mere computer program exclusion.

Managing Infringement Risks Across the Supply Chain: A Legal Shift in China

China's revised trademark framework, Supreme People's Court decisions, and updated trade secret rules require companies to treat IP protection as an operational supply-chain discipline.

China Issues First National Standard for Patent Fee Management

China has released its first national standard for patent fee management to help enterprises avoid losing patent rights caused by missed or incorrect maintenance fee payments.

Rio Court Grants More Patent Injunctions Than São Paulo Court, Study Confirms

Research confirms that venue selection within Brazil, particularly between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo courts, is becoming a key tactical move for SEP owners and implementers.

US-China Semiconductor Patent War: YMTC Sues Micron Over 27 Patents in the US

Chinese memory chipmaker YMTC has launched a series of patent infringement lawsuits against Micron in the US, targeting its core 3D NAND and DRAM technologies. Micron's attempts to invalidate the patents at the PTAB have met with mixed results, signaling a prolonged legal battle.

AI 不是來搶飯碗的？英國帕金森氏症歌手，讓人看見科技最溫暖的價值

近年生成式 AI 常被貼上取代人類、剝奪工作機會的冰冷標籤，國際討論也大多聚焦著作權侵權訴訟、假訊息防範及集體 […]

Fifth Circuit Clarifies Architectural Copyright Limits: A Lesson for Designers and Builders

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a ruling answering multiple questions of first impression regarding copyright claims involving building plans, including the scope of protection under the Architectural Works Copyright Protection Act (AWCPA) for co

Ladbrokes, Gala Bingo Failed Copyright Claim: Challenges of Enforcing Mature Logos

The UK High Court ruling puts more pressure on big companies to keep evidence of how logos have evolved and how rights have been transferred long before disputes arise.

Court Dismissal Over Late Filing Warns Tech Firms of Strict Patent Deadlines

The CAFC affirmed the dismissal of an inventor's lawsuit seeking an additional 802 days of patent term adjustment because the complaint was filed via email on the final day, violating the local court's strict electronic filing rules.

What Organisations Need to Know About AI, the Cyber Underworld, and IP Infringement

AI is lowering the "barriers to legitimacy" for cybercriminals while the number of digital channels for online business operations continues to expand.

Why the Best Trademark Teams Prioritize Judgment Over Volume

The World Trademark Review highlights that effective trademark enforcement is about strategic judgment, not the volume of cease-and-desist letters.

wikiHow Sues OpenAI Over ChatGPT Training and Output Infringement

On August 21, wikiHow, Inc. filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against OpenAI, Inc. and eight affiliated entities, alleging violations of the Copyright Act and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The lawsuit centers on clai

China and Poland Extend Bilateral IP Liaison Mechanism for Five Years

Extension of China-New Zealand Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program

China-Singapore Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program Extended

UPC Grants Injunction to DivX, Restricting Netflix Streaming Software

On September 15, 2026, the Munich Local Division of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) ruled that Netflix's streaming software infringed DivX's European patent EP 4 213 033, issuing an injunction across 18 UPC member states.

UK Court Orders Samsung to Pay $11.6 Million for Swatch Trademark Infringement

US Court Approves Anthropic Copyright Lawsuit Settlement, Paying $1.5 Billion to Authors

On July 20, 2026, a US federal district court approved a $1.5 billion settlement between AI developer Anthropic and a class of authors, marking the largest copyright class-action settlement in history.

IP High Court Upholds Patent on Drug-Induced Constipation Treatment: No Motivation to Modify the Optimal Compound

IP Judgment Digest "Roll Product Package" (Patent Case No. 10069/2025)

The Intellectual Property High Court of Japan upheld the invalidation of Patent No. 6590596, ruling that combining existing packaging methods and adjusting numerical ranges of material properties is a mere design choice obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Amazon and Twitch Sued in Class Action Over Unauthorized AI Video Training

Thomson Reuters Wins Appeal Case Against AI Company Over Fair Use

湯森路透在上訴法院獲得勝訴，該案涉及 AI 企業未經授權使用其法律資料庫內容進行訓練，是否能主張合理使用免責的法律爭議。

BASF Sues Apple Claiming Patent Infringement Over iPhone Face ID Technology

Court Rules Using AI to Generate False Corporate Information Constitutes Infringement

Movie Spoiler Articles Published: Sendai District Court Rules Guilty of Copyright Infringement

US Investigates DRAM Patent Infringement, Raising Concerns for Taiwan Supply Chain

Supreme Court Affirms Damages in Band Score Copying Case, Setting First Precedent for Non-Copyrighted Works

Japan's Supreme Court finalized a ruling ordering a website operator to pay approximately 169 million yen for copying 579 music scores from publisher Fairy, marking the first time Civil Code tort liability was applied to commercial free-riding on non-copyrighted expressions.

Lawsuit Over 'Closely Resembling' AI-Generated Model Images: Will Copyright Be Recognized?

一家販售生成式AI圖像的公司Sai社，因發現其人像圖片遭他人未經授權使用，提告要求賠償但遭拒。本案爭點將聚焦於「AI生成的圖像是否享有著作權」，Sai社主張其圖片雖由AI生成，但後續經過手動修正與二次加工，具有人類創作成分。