News

IBM was the top patent recipient in 2018 for the 26th year in a row

29/01/2019

 
IBM earned for the 26th year in a row more patents than any other company in the US during the year of 2018. The record number, 9,100, includes a growing number of inventions related to artificial intelligence and quantum computing, which many people see as critical technologies of the future. Samsung was second with 5,850 patents while tech giants Apple and Microsoft also appeared in the top ten.
Among the more than 1,600 AI-related patents IBM secured during 2018 was one for Project Debater, a tool that uses machine learning techniques to simulate real life debates on a wide for variety of topics. IBM goes on to explain that the work in these and other areas often begins long before there is any associated practical enterprise uses for the technology the company is probing. The company throughout the year explored many disparate areas of technology — such as ways to promote health and safety, patenting methods for smart wearables to communicate with electronic components embedded in prostheses, from hearing aids to prosthetic arms.
In addition to AI and quantum computing, IBM received numerous patents for cloud computing and also one for blockchain.

Notícias

Brazilian PTO launches Manual of Industrial Design

09/01/2019

The Brazilian Patents Office launched in January 8th, 2019 the first edition of the Manual of Industrial Designs that consolidates the guidelines and procedures related to the examination of applications for the registration of industrial designs and provides instructions for formulating applications and monitoring processes. The manual will serve as a reference for examiners, prosecutors and users in general.

The first edition of the Manual of Industrial Designs was officialized by Rule nº 232/2019, of January 7, 2019, published in the Official Bulletin nº 2505, and will come into force from of 03/03/2019.

The publication of the Industrial Designs Manual takes place after a public consultation held between August 11 and September 29, 2017. The Brazilian PTO received 208 contributions from 10 participants, which were discussed and answered by the Committee on Improvement of Procedures and Guidelines for Examination.
You can access this manual (in Portuguese) here.

*Translated and adapted from the BPTO’s official webpage.