Exchange of Examiners between the Japanese Patent Office and the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office

Exchange of Examiners between the Japanese Patent Office and the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office

In November, six patent examiners from the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM) visited the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) as part of an examiner exchange program.

This office receives around 300,000 patent applications per year and has a staff of approximately 1,700 patent examiners. In addition to its registration work, the JPO holds various seminars on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the office itself, on the search tools available to them, and on the various technological trend studies they produce. Also noteworthy are some IT developments carried out by the JPO itself to provide AI-based tools that facilitate some of the examiners' tasks.

During the visit, common patent cases were discussed in five technical fields: dynamoelectric machines and control, heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning engineering, medical devices, genetic engineering, and cell engineering.

In addition, participants exchanged information on prior art search methods and the application of examination guidelines. User-oriented initiatives and applications using artificial intelligence were also discussed.

The Examiner Exchange Program is designed to foster relationships between examiners from different national offices and deepen mutual understanding, as well as to promote the reciprocal use of background search results and examination results through discussions on each other's background search methods and examination practices.

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Japan Patent Office