A dispute involving six design patent infringement cases was handled by the Changzhou Intellectual Property Bureau. The Changzhou Intellectual Property Protection Center conducted a thorough investigation and issued a consultation opinion on patent infringement. The case was successfully resolved through administrative adjudication in just 45 days, reducing the time required by 50% compared to the standard process. This case was selected as one of the “Top Ten Typical Cases of National Intellectual Property Dispute Rapid Resolution Pilot Programs.”

Changzhou is not an isolated example. The Jiangsu intellectual property system has pioneered innovation and actively advanced the establishment of a “1+13+N” rapid collaborative protection system, striving to create an excellent innovation protection environment. For four consecutive years, it has received an excellent rating in the central government's intellectual property protection work inspection and evaluation, demonstrating its commitment to supporting Jiangsu in becoming a hub for industrial science and technology innovation.

Quick preliminary review, invention patents authorized within three months

Those who understand the trends are wise, and those who master the trends win. At the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government focused on accelerating the strategic goal of achieving self-reliance and self-strengthening in science and technology and industrial autonomy and control, and laid out a “1+13+N” intellectual property protection coordination system across the province to ensure that the province's scientific and technological innovation achievements receive efficient and convenient intellectual property protection.

Relying on the National Intellectual Property Protection Center, a national-level functional platform jointly established by the National Intellectual Property Administration and local governments, Jiangsu Province took the lead in establishing the “1+13+N” intellectual property protection system. Led by the Provincial Intellectual Property Protection Center, the system covers all 13 prefecture-level cities with protection centers and coordinates the development of N rapid rights protection centers, initially establishing a work framework characterized by “strict protection, comprehensive protection, rapid protection, and unified protection.” Jiangsu Province ranks among the top in the country in terms of intellectual property comprehensive strength and public satisfaction with intellectual property protection.

The provincial intellectual property protection centers provide patent pre-examination services for Jiangsu's “1650” industrial system. Patent applications that pass the pre-examination can enter a fast-track process, significantly reducing the review period. Currently, the authorization period for invention patents has been reduced from an average of 22 months to 3 months, the authorization period for utility model patents has been reduced from 12 months to 6 months, and the authorization period for design patents has been reduced from 6 months to 2 weeks. In 2024, the provincial intellectual property protection center received a total of 49,000 patent pre-examination applications and granted 34,000 patents.

Quick resolution, infringement disputes handled in less than two weeks

Jiangsu Jinshiyuan Liquor Co., Ltd. is one of the top ten most profitable enterprises in China's liquor industry and has been consecutively awarded the titles of “National Intellectual Property Demonstration Enterprise” and “National Intellectual Property Advantage Enterprise.” In recent years, some unscrupulous individuals have targeted the company with infringement activities, with over 10 infringing products bearing the ‘Guoyuan’ and “Jinshiyuan” brands being sold on multiple domestic e-commerce platforms. Upon learning of this information, the Jiangsu Intellectual Property Protection Center swiftly followed up, conducted an in-depth investigation, accurately interpreted the law, and issued an intellectual property infringement determination consultation opinion. This provided strong evidence for Jinshiyuan Liquor Co., Ltd. to file complaints with the platforms and demand the removal of infringing products, effectively curbing the spread of infringement and establishing a robust intellectual property barrier to protect the company's brand image and safeguard its market share.

Over the years, the intellectual property field has become a major hotspot for infringement. The speed at which intellectual property disputes are resolved directly impacts the protection of rights holders' legitimate interests and the promotion of enterprises' enthusiasm for independent innovation. The Jiangsu intellectual property system has confronted this reality head-on, actively establishing diverse dispute resolution channels such as administrative, judicial, mediation, and arbitration, and innovatively forming a new intellectual property protection model integrating “civil mediation, administrative management, and judicial intervention.” In 2024, the provincial intellectual property protection center handled over 10,000 intellectual property rights protection cases, with an average resolution period of no more than two weeks, serving as a convenient window for efficiently resolving intellectual property issues.

Early detection and swift resolution. The Jiangsu intellectual property system has established a dense “response network” for risk disputes. Currently, over 100 intellectual property rapid rights protection and assistance institutions and their branches have been established across the province, providing analysis and early warning services for public R&D, trade, investment, and technology transfer activities, as well as on-site rights protection services for exhibitions, trade fairs, and major sports events. Last year, the system provided 17,400 consultations, served 14,300 enterprises, participated in 79 exhibitions, and handled 111 exhibition-related cases.

Quick enforcement, providing a “protective umbrella” for enterprise innovation

As more and more enterprises “go global,” overseas intellectual property disputes have also significantly increased.

A trademark of a certain environmental technology company in Jiangsu Province was registered by an overseas entity in Indonesia. Upon receiving the case tip, the Nantong Intellectual Property Protection Center promptly contacted the involved enterprise, invited renowned industry experts within 24 hours to provide professional advice, and assisted the enterprise in timely filing an objection application, successfully resolving the trademark registration crisis.

Shielding innovation with a “protective umbrella” and safeguarding enterprises' “going global” initiatives, the Jiangsu Province Intellectual Property System strives to protect the legitimate rights and interests of patent holders with the fastest speed and highest efficiency. Leveraging professional advantages, the system actively employs big data, artificial intelligence, and other tools to track and understand key information such as changes in foreign intellectual property laws and regulations, analyze and study typical cases, promptly issue risk warnings, and strengthen guidance and services for enterprises. In 2024, the first batch of 30 overseas trademarks prone to infringement were included in the key protection list, with 521 overseas intellectual property disputes monitored across the province, 108 guidance and service cases provided, and economic losses of 223 million yuan recovered.

The Suzhou Intellectual Property Bureau collaborated with multiple departments to achieve a 100% guidance rate for overseas intellectual property disputes. Targeted guidance was provided to companies such as Ecovacs, Canadian Solar, and Kangpai Medical to address 337 investigations, with guidance to Kangpai Medical enabling it to successfully address a U.S. 337 investigation within 60 days, which was selected as a national model case for addressing overseas intellectual property disputes.

Meanwhile, efforts were made to expand the “protection network” for rights protection assistance. The Provincial Intellectual Property Bureau worked with People's Insurance Company of China and Pacific Insurance to develop six types of insurance products, including overseas patent infringement loss insurance and litigation expense insurance. The success rate of overseas rights protection cases for insured companies increased to 78%, with a 30% reduction in rights protection costs.