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ARTICLE · 07 DECEMBER 2021

5 Considerations For Obtaining Design Patents In U.S., Abroad

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
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Even sophisticated companies that are well versed in intellectual property rights sometimes overlook the value that can be added by obtaining design patents.

GlobalIntellectual Property
Elizabeth Ferrill
Elizabeth Ferrill
Jeffrey Smyth
Jeffrey Smyth
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Even sophisticated companies that are well versed in intellectual property rights sometimes overlook the value that can be added by obtaining design patents.

Recent data provided by World Intellectual Property Organization in the "World Intellectual Property Indicators 2021"1shows that companies are increasingly protecting their designs. According to the report, worldwide design filings increased 5.6% between 2019 and 2020, and the number of filings has increased year over year almost every year since 2006.

Moreover, the staggering number of design applications filed in China in 2020 - 770,362 - represents well over half of the applications filed worldwide, and that number may grow further in view of recent changes to Chinese regulations concerning interface designs.

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