1. Heilongjiang

Patent application surge

Patent applications from the northeastern province surged 128 percent to more than 23,000 filings in 2011, the top growth rate in the country.

More than half of the applications last year were granted, bringing the province's total to 66,090.

The increase is partially attributed to an IP-friendly environment. Authorities investigated 36 patent infringement cases and helped promote more than 1,000 patented technological projects last year.

Twelve local companies each had more than 100 patent applications in 2011, while 34 firms filed for their first patents.

HLJNEWS.CN

2. Beijing

Prison for infringement

Haidian District People's Court recently sentenced Shang Yajun to seven years and six months in prison for copyright infringement and sale of counterfeit goods.

The verdict came after the court heard evidence that district police seized more than 360,000 certificates of authenticity for software with a potential sales value of 500 million yuan ($79 million) in a raid on his warehouse last July.

Police also confiscated pirated software discs including 4,400 with Windows operating systems worth 10.4 million yuan.

"Shang Yajun was no casual counterfeiter - he ran a large-scale, sophisticated criminal enterprise," said David Finn, associate general counsel for worldwide anti-piracy at Microsoft Corp. "Microsoft is encouraged by the successful resolution of the case and appreciates the help and support of the Chinese government."

TECH.163.COM

New IP president

Tian Lipu, commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office, was elected president of China Intellectual Property Society at its annual congress last week.

"Intellectual property is an increasingly important strategic resource to back a country's development and is crucial to industrial growth," Tian said.

Advisory groups should play a more active role in providing consultancy to policymakers to benefit companies and promote international exchanges, he noted.

Since its founding in 1984, CIPS has attracted renowned IP

scholars and experts, and made noted achievements in academic research, according to its leaders.

CIPS plans to increase cooperation with foreign non-governmental organizations and provide better services to help domestic companies do business abroad in the next few years, they said.

3. Guizhou

Encouraging innovation

An enterprise IP protection and promotion organization was founded in the provincial capital Guiyang earlier this month.

It aims to improve the capacity for IP creation, use, protection

and management among local companies to increase innovation, according to organizers.

CHINANEWS.COM

4. Fujian

Patent-backed loans

The Zhangzhou branch of Bank of Communications signed an agreement with the city's IP administration last week to issue patent-collateralized loans and help local companies raise needed capital.

The authorities will also offer financial support to small businesses applying for the loans, which are intended to help resolve financing difficulties facing technology-driven companies, Zhao Jing, deputy mayor of the city, said at the signing ceremony.

Three local companies have already used their patents to secure bank loans.

Trademarks can also be used as collateral at Bank of China in the city.

TAIHAINET.COM

5. Xinjiang

Hydraulic tomato harvester

A hydraulic tomato harvester jointly developed by Shihezi University and a Wuhan high-tech company made its debut at an agricultural machinery expo in the autonomous region's capital Urumqi last week.

The proprietary machine with more than 10 patents - the first of its kind in the country - can harvest 30 to 40 tons of tomatoes an hour, equivalent to the work of 300 to 400 skilled farm workers, according to its inventors.

Priced at 1.5 million yuan), the China-made machine is more competitive in the market than imports, they said.

Science and Technology Daily

(China Daily 05/23/2012 page5)