燃爆返校季，这些洞察你应该知道

表1：所有注册知识产权汇总

Patents

专利

Between 2019 and 2020, the number of patent applications to the IPO increased by 7.3% overall, with domestic applications increasing by 8.1% and PCT applications by 1.7% . While the number of patent applications has generally decreased in recent years, the more notable drop in 2019 may be partially attributed to a number of factors, including a change in the application fee structure which was designed to discourage trivial applications (these occur when an application is filed, but the applicant does not request a search of their application); further research is required to determine the reasons behind the trend.

2019年至2020年，IPO专利申请量总体增长了7.3%，其中国内申请量增加8.1%，PCT申请量增加1.7%。虽然近年来专利申请量普遍下降，但2019年更显著的下降可能部分归因于多项因素，包括申请费结构的变化，这一举措是为了阻止零散的专利申请（这种申请人一般在提交时不要求对其专利进行检索）；需要进一步研究以确定趋势背后的原因。

The number of patents published decreased 9.8% from 2019 to 2020. The number of patents granted increased by 64.3% from 2019 to 2020 overall, with domestic grants increasing by 47.7% and PCT grants increasing by 135.6%. This is due to an internal IPO initiative to reduce the backlog of outstanding examinations.

由于IPO内部计划减少未完成审查的案件积压，2019-2020年专利公开数量下降9.8%，专利授权总量增长64.3%，其中国内授权增长47.7%，PCT授权增长135.6%。

图 1：2020 年专利授权增加

A line graph showing the trends for patent applications, publications and grants from 2011 to 2020. In the last year, patent applications and grants have risen, with publications declining.

注释

1. Patents filed directly at the IPO and Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications.

直接在IPO和专利合作条约(PCT)申请中提交的专利。

The majority of applications to the IPO are from UK-based applicants. In 2020 there were 11,957 domestic applications from UK residents, representing 57.9% of all applications received. The highest number of non-UK based applications came from the USA (2,391), China (1,647), and Japan (535).

大多数IPO申请来自英国申请人。2020年，IPO收到了11,957件英国申请人的申请，占收到申请总量的57.9%。非英国申请人数量最多的国家是美国（2,391件）、中国（1,647件）和日本（535件）。

Green Channel patents

绿色通道专利

The Green Channel for patent applications was introduced in 2009 and allows applicants to request accelerated processing of their patent application if the invention has an environmental benefit. The IPO received a record 402 applications through the Green Channel in 2020; the previous record was in 2017 with 382 applications.

商标

In 2020, the IPO received a record 137,035 trade mark applications, a 27.4% increase from 2019. Both the number of applications and trade marks registered have been on the rise since 2011. The more significant increases seen since 2016 are believed to have been driven by three factors; the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant surge in applications from China, and what is suspected to be pre-emptive filings driven by the UK’s exit from the European Union.

2020年，IPO收到了创纪录的137,035件商标申请，比2019年增长了27.4%。自2011年以来，商标申请和商标注册的数量均呈上升趋势。自2016年以来出现更显著的增长是由三个因素驱动的：COVID-19疫情影响、来自中国的申请激增、以及有可能是由于英国脱欧而推动的优先申请。

In relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in applications coincided with the first lockdown in the UK, a period where many companies were diversifying as a response to the pandemic. The UK’s exit from the European Union has necessitated direct filing with the IPO in order to protect marks within the UK, with a number of these filings being pre-emptive prior to the 31st December 2020 deadline, with pending trade marks given up to 9 months to be transferred to the IPO.

就COVID-19疫情而言，申请量的增加恰逢英国首次封锁，在此期间，许多公司都在进行多元化改革以应对疫情。英国脱欧后必须直接向IPO提交申请，以保护英国境内的商标，其中一些申请是基于在2020年12月31日截止日期之前的优先权，审查中商标转入IPO的期限最长为9个月。

图2：商标申请持续增加

折线图显示了2011年至2020年商标申请和注册的趋势。去年，商标申请呈上升趋势，注册数量增幅较小。

Notes

注释

1. Domestic trade mark applications and International Registrations (excluding additional classes).

国内商标申请和国际注册（不包括增类）。

In 2020, there were 91,860 trade mark direct applications sent directly to the IPO (domestic applications) from UK-based applicants, and 26,929 direct applications to the IPO from non-UK-based applicants. In addition, there were 18,246 trade mark applications through the International Registration (IR) route. The highest number of non-UK based applications (domestic and IR) came from China, with 13,388 total applications.

2020年，英国申请人直接向IPO提交了91,860件商标直接申请（国内申请），非英国申请人向IPO直接提交了26,929件商标申请。此外，通过国际注册(即马德里)途径的商标申请共有18,246件，其中来自中国的非英国申请（国内和马德里）数量最多，总共有13,388份申请。

Registrations of trade marks flattened in 2020, this was a result of the surge in trade mark applications which increased the backlog of work for trade mark examiners.

商标注册量在2020年趋于平缓，原因是商标申请激增导致商标审查员的工作积压。

Registered trade marks provide protection within different classes of goods and services. For example, in the UK, the word ‘Polo®’ is protected simultaneously by different applicants in relation to different goods: a type of mint, a clothing brand and a model of car. The total number of classes in all applications in 2020 was 273,901, an increase of 22.5% from 2019.

注册商标在不同类别的商品和服务中提供保护。例如，在英国，“Polo®”一词同时受到不同商品以及不同申请人的保护：薄荷、服装品牌和汽车模型。2020年所有申请的类别总数为273,901个，比2019年增长22.5%。

Designs

外观设计

Design applications to the IPO have seen a dramatic increase since 2015, with the number of applications growing 386% between 2015 and 2020. The process of applying for registered design protection with the IPO has changed in recent years, with a new fee structure coming into force in October 2016 and an online application form going live in October 2017. These changes were intended to make the process more straightforward and cost-effective for applicants and are likely to have contributed to increased filing activity. As of May 2018, the UK became a member of the Hague Agreement for International Registrations. These figures, 5,231 international applications for 2020, are now included within this publication, which accounts for a portion of the increased applications and registrations shown.

自2015年以来，IPO的外观设计申请大幅增加，2015年至2020年期间申请数量增长了386%。近年来，通过IPO申请注册外观设计保护的流程发生了变化，新的费用结构于2016年10月生效，在线申请于2017年10月上线。这些变化旨在使申请的流程更加直接、划算，并且可能有助于增加申请。自2018年5月起，英国已成为海牙协定的成员。这些数字，即2020年的5,231件国际申请，现已包含在本出版物中，占所示增加的申请和注册的一部分。

图 3：外观设计申请不断增加

A line graph showing the trends for design applications and registrations from 2011 to 2020. In the last year, applications have increased, with registrations falling. A note is included to show the start of the International ”Hague” application route, which is from May 2018.

折线图显示了2011年至2020年外观设计申请和注册的趋势。去年，外观设计申请增加，注册数量有所下降。箭头指示为国际海牙申请的起始点，即从2018年5月开始。

Notes

注释

1. Designs registrations includes the international Hague applications and registrations. This is a route for applying for designs through WIPO, which the UK joined in 2018. This allows for a single international application filed with WIPO rather than a whole series of applications which would otherwise have to be filed with different national offices.

外观设计注册包括国际海牙申请和注册。这是通过WIPO申请外观设计的途径，英国于2018年加入。海牙协定允许申请人向WIPO提交一件国际申请，而不必向不同的国家局提交多件申请。

Designs applications have increased by 8.9% between 2019 and 2020, from 28,895 to 31,406. Of which, 21,307 design applications to the IPO were from UK-based applicants which accounted for 67.7% of applications in 2020. This was a decrease of 1% compared to 2019. Almost half of applications from other countries in 2020 were from China and the USA alone (2,826 and 2,155 respectively).

2019年至2020年，外观设计申请从28,895件增加到31,406件，增长了8.9%。其中，21,307件IPO外观设计申请来自英国申请人，占2020年申请的67.7%，与2019年相比下降了1%。2020年来自其他国家的近一半申请仅来自中国和美国（分别为2,826和2,155）。

Hearings

听证会

In addition to processing and examining applications for intellectual property rights, the IPO also facilitates the resolution of IP disputes through hearings and tribunals. The IPO’s facilitation of hearings means that cases can be processed faster and gives businesses a more affordable dispute option than seeking redress through the courts. Cases relating to trade marks make up the largest proportion of hearings activity at the IPO. There was a total of 3,830 oppositions filed in relation to trade marks in 2020 (including Fast Track oppositions) and 664 ex parte hearings taken to challenge examiners’ objections to trade marks.

除了处理和审查知识产权申请外，知识产权局还通过听证会和法庭程序促进知识产权纠纷的解决。IPO对听证会的便利意味着可以更快地处理案件，并为企业提供比通过法院寻求救急更实惠的争议解决选择。其中与商标有关的案件在IPO听证会活动中所占比例最大。2020年共有3,830件商标异议（包括快速通道异议）和664场针对审查员对商标下发驳回的单方面听证会。