This screenshot taken from a video posted on the official website of the Hong Kong government's Intellectual Property Department shows descriptions of the new original grant patent system.
HONG KONG – Hong Kong has granted the first standard patent under the original grant patent (OGP) system this week, within 14 months after the application was filed at the Intellectual Property Department's Patents Registry.
The invention of the first standard patent by original grant relates to the use of artificial intelligence to manage inventory in an e-commerce system, the government said in a statement issued on Saturday.
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Launched in December 2019, the OGP system creates a direct route for innovators to seek standard patent protection in Hong Kong with a maximum term of 20 years, providing an alternative to the existing re-registration route, the government said.
It is a milestone in the development of Hong Kong's patent system, which is a key component of the intellectual property (IP) protection infrastructure and one of the important elements for the development of innovation and technology.
Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR govt
As of May 31, the registry received 426 OGP applications, of which 33 percent were submitted by local residents or enterprises and 67 percent from non-local applicants.
The city’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah hailed the granting of the first-ever standard patent by original grant in Hong Kong as a "milestone".
“It is a milestone in the development of Hong Kong's patent system, which is a key component of the intellectual property (IP) protection infrastructure and one of the important elements for the development of innovation and technology,” the statement quoted Yau as saying.
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“The fact that a standard patent can be obtained directly in Hong Kong without first going through the registration process outside the city provides a convenient, direct and expeditious route for patent applicants and helps attract and facilitate more such applications,” reads the statement attributed to Yau.
He added it also demonstrates the efficiency and efficacy of the city's patent system.