By definition, a patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention of a novel approach to a problem. It’s the latest in innovation and as such can be a measure of how much technology is progressing. Taiwan’s patent applications show stronger numbers compared to last year’s first quarter. Under Taiwan law, patents are categorised into three groups – invention, utility model and design. Invention patents are considered the most important in terms of new technology ideas.
In the first quarter, a total of 12,534 invention patent applications were filed, up by 5% from a year earlier according to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Moreover, the number of applications from foreign applicants rose by 10% to 7,837, and the number of applications from local applicants fell to 4,697 from 4,742, the office said. The number of invention, utility model, and design patents filed in Taiwan hit 17,498 in the first quarter, up by 2 per cent from a year earlier, according to the office.
As expected, semiconductor research produced the biggest number of patents. To note, Taiwan’s local chip manufacturing firm, also currently the world’s largest contract chipmaker, filed the largest number of patent applications among all local and foreign applicants in the first quarter of this year, the IPO detailed. Data compiled by the office showed that in the first quarter, the local semiconductor giant filed a total of 723 invention patents, a quarterly high for the chipmaker since the office started tallying patent applications in 2012.
A local communication network IC designer was second among Taiwanese companies after filing 107 invention applications in the first quarter. Its application was down by % from a year earlier. Still, it was ahead of a local flat-panel maker that submitted 98. A local memory chip supplier came in fourth with 98. Finally, a local flat-panel maker with 88.
Among all foreign applicants, a U.S.-based smartphone IC designer was the largest patent applicant in Taiwan for the January-March period, the office said. It filed 242 invention patent applications in the first quarter on its way as the top foreign applicant in the country. Its filing is up by 13 per cent from a year earlier, the office said.
Afterwhich, a slew of Japanese and American semiconductor equipment suppliers are the next biggest new invention producers that filed for the IPO office. This reveals just how much the country’s economy is growing in terms of its semiconductor exports.
Taiwan’s digital transformation is making all these inventions and patent applications happen. So far, the country has focused its effort to adopt digital solutions at great length. The results speak for themselves. The digital economy is growing also in great strides.
A concrete example is how much time, talent and treasure have been allotted by Taipei to boost its space technology. With support from the American, Indian and other economies, it should be able to produce its first locally-launched big satellite in due time.
Already, digital is making its presence felt these days for the Taiwanese people. Such common services such as bike-sharing programs are getting the boost they wanted. While many have viewed bikes as a rather common solution to an age-old problem, Taiwan’s digital economy has allowed the service to be a lot better and a lot more comfortable than before. In short, it’s giving the people the service they deserve.
Things are certainly moving up in the technology department. With a new big tech corridor opening in the near future in Southern Taiwan, the country is primed to have a brighter future ahead, as reported on OpenGov Asia.
