Since the patent cooperation treaty of 1978, the United States has been at the top of the list. In 20 19, China surpassed the United States for the first time to become the largest source of patent applications in the world. In addition, affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, the number of international trademark applications submitted through WIPO decreased by 0.6% to 63,800 in 2020, which was the first decline since the global financial crisis in 2008-2009.
Overview of automobile patent technology
According to the classification of patents in China's patent law, patented technologies mainly include technologies protected by invention patents and utility model patents. Because the design patent protects the new design, not the technology, it should be called the design patent, not the patented technology. But generally speaking, patent technology in a broad sense includes invention patent, utility model patent and design patent.
It should be noted that patented technology only refers to the technology protected by authorized patents, that is, only refers to the technology protected by patent claims. It cannot be considered that all the technologies recorded in the patent specification are patented technologies, let alone those recorded in unauthorized patent applications.
In addition, it should be noted that the patented technology will become non-patented technology with the end of the patent validity period, or the expired patented technology can be used for free. However, it is necessary to pay attention to whether other related patents are still within the validity period.