In theory China’s inventorship standard is similar to others around the world. An inventor is anyone who “makes creative contributions to the substantive features” of an invention. But what does this mean, and how does one apply this standard? Up to this point, this issue hasn’t really been litigated much in China (at least according to publicly available records). We finally have an important case (from the top!) that clarifies this issue. We analyse a binding judgment by the Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) of China1. It clarifies China’s applicable inventorship standards and the potential legal consequences of omitting qualified inventors. For U.S. companies conducting R&D…
- China, Courts, inventors, inventorship, Patent, patent application, Patent Law, Supreme People's Court
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Twice the Trouble: Unraveling a Single Case of Dual Patent and Trademark Infringement
Can a rights holder sue the same infringer separately based on one single infringing act that infringes both trademark and patent rights? An interesting case this year from China’s Supreme People’s Court that addresses this specific issue ((2023)最高法知民终235号). Beijing Run De Hong Tu Technology Development Co., Ltd. (“Run De Hong Tu”) sued an individual named Li XX[1] for patent infringement based on his activities as a small retailer selling a certain sewage pipe branded as “Submarine”. In fact, Run De Hong Tu had initiated multiple similar lawsuits, primarily targeting small and micro retailers, and had been able to secure substantial compensation in these cases. Run De Hong Tu, along with…
- China, Court Cases, Courts, Drafting, Inventions, Patent Law, Patent Re-examination Board, Quality, Supreme People's Court
Chinese Courts Cares More About Patent Quality Now (A Doctrine of Equivalents Story)
There is no doubt that the drafting quality of a patent can be crucial in determining the success (or failure!) of the patent during litigation. However, due to various reasons, patents often fail to use the right drafting strategies that best protect the invention. Too often, inexperienced or unsophisticated patent drafters merely listen to an inventor and literally describe the features of an invention. Worst yet, some inventors try to draft their own application, making the similar mistake of describing an invention too specifically and narrowly, leaving plenty of “design-around” space. Even though a patent may grant, the protection scope for that invention is weak, at best, and may even…


