Recent Trend of Business-Related Inventions

Trial decisions and suits regarding business-related inventions in the US triggered a rapid increase in the number of the patent applications of business-related inventions in Japan in 2000, along with the progress of information technology.

In recent years, the increase has begun to wane and the number of the applications is decreasing. The number of requests for examination increased from 2004 to 2007 due to the shortening of duration for the request enforced on October 2001. However, with less effect of the duration, after 2008 it will be considered a decrease.

In view of the examination status, the percentage of obtained patents is increasing, i.e., around 8 % in 2003 to 2006, around 15 % in 2007, and around 19 % in 2008. This is because as the examination in this field progressed, the applicants became more knowledgeable of the examination standards for computer software-related inventions, particularly the examination standards in business method fields. Thus, the applicants made a careful selection of the inventions to be applied for and filed proper amendments. However, the percentage of obtained patents in the subject field is (50 %) less than the average of all technical fields.

Translation by Hara kenzo World Patent & Trademark