Hong Kong grants first-ever standard patent by original grant

     The Patents Registry of the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) has granted the first standard patent under the original grant patent (OGP) system this week, within 14 months after the date of filing of the application by the applicant.

     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.

     "It's an exciting moment to see the granting of the first-ever standard patent by original grant. 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 fact that a standard patent can be obtained directly in Hong Kong without going through first the registration process outside Hong Kong provides a convenient, direct and expeditious route for patent applicants and helps attract and facilitate more such applications. It also demonstrates the efficiency and efficacy of  Hong Kong's very own patent system," the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said today (June 5).
 
     "The 'Outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of the People's Republic of China and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035' affirms the Central People's Government's support for the future development of Hong Kong in a wide spectrum of areas, including raising for the first time the support for Hong Kong to develop into a regional IP trading centre and an international innovation and technology hub. We are equipping ourselves to leverage these new opportunities.
 
     "The launch and continued development of the OGP system is one of the strategic measures that the Hong Kong Government is pursuing to ensure that the local patent system advances with the times and meets the needs of Hong Kong's innovation and technology and the creative industries, and in turn, our long-term economic development," Mr Yau said.
 
     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. As of May 31, 2021, the Patents Registry had received a total of 426 OGP applications, of which 33 per cent (142 applications) were submitted by Hong Kong residents or enterprises and 67 per cent (284 applications) were from non-local applicants.
 
    Further information about the OGP system, including its detailed filing requirements, procedures and official fees, is available at the IPD's website (www.ipd.gov.hk/eng/intellectual_property/patents/New_Patent_System.htm).