Legal Protection for Video Image Designs.

As the importance of video image design grows in line with advances in information technology, KIPO(Korean Intellectual Property Office) introduced a system to protect video image design with design rights according to the Design Law by revising design examination criteria on July 1, 2003.

Video image design refers to designs of figures, graphics, etc. that appear on LCD screens of information communication devices such as mobile phones, computer monitors, PDA, etc. Also, graphic direction windows appearing on the LCD screens of such information home appliances as refrigerators, microwave ovens, CD players, automobile navigation devices, etc., homepage design, and figures appearing on the screens of mobile devices like mobile game players, etc. are all included in video image design.

From July 1, 2003 to Sept. 30, 2004, there were 420 video image design right-related applications, of which 157 were registered and are legally protected as design rights, the remaining 247 are pending examination and 16 were rejected.

NHN, a professional Internet firm with more applications related to video image design than any other, submitted applications related to computer monitors (48 cases) and mobile phones (11), of which 42 have been registered as design rights. Next are Samsung SDS with (47), LG Home Shopping (31), WRG (28), Samsung Electronics (26) and BC Cure (26).

By product, computer monitors recorded 279 design rights, or 66%, mobile phones 71, TVs 27 and PDA 24.

Although applications related to video image design rights concentrate on computer monitors, mobile phones and PDAs at present, applications related to LCD of information home appliances like washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc. are expected to increase in the future.

KIPO Launches Aerospace Technology Patent Research Institute.

KIPO opened the Aerospace Technology Patent Research Institute on Nov. 11 to create a human network in the aerospace field, to promote technology development and to support acquirement of patent rights.

Those playing key roles, totaling 47, in the aerospace field - 24 from industry (51.1%), three from academia (6.4%), three from research fields and 17 KIPO examiners (36.1%) - constitute the membership of Aerospace Technology Patent Research Institute.

Aerospace Technology Patent Research Institute, in cooperation with Korea Aerospace Technology Research Association (KATRA), recruited members from among those engaged in industry, academia and research since August this year and selected the most qualified in each respective field from a total of about 100 candidates.

The fact that there were so many candidates indicates the high degree of understanding and interest of those who are engaged in the aerospace field in the importance of patents in the emergence of the 21st century knowledge-information era.

Aerospace Technology Patent Research Institute will support the patenting of aerospace technologies and their commercialization through information exchanges and collaboration among its members, facilitate joint access to new technologies and organize seminars.

Applications for patents and utility models in the aerospace field have remained steady at about 100 a year since 2000 but, with the brisk activities of Aerospace Technology Patent Research Institute, R&D in the field is expected to contribute to an increase of applications.

Korea's production in the aerospace field stands at the three trillion won level and investment in related parts development has been increasing steadily from five billion won in 2000 to 19 billion won in 2003, foreshadowing an increase in patent and utility model applications in the field.

Korean Patents To Be Registered In Singapore Without Examination.

The KIPO announced that with the recent ratification of the Korea-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA), if a patent is granted in Korea, the patented technology can be registered in Singapore without patent examination.

This is the second case of Korean patents being automatically admitted in a foreign country, following Malaysia.

Previously, when a patent was granted to subject matter, in order to obtain a patent for the same subject matter in Singapore, another examination should be performed, which caused a minimum delay of 4 years to obtain a patent in the country.