Specialists of Chengdu Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Aid Center deal with IPR problems via phone. This Aid Center platform covers many IPR-related processes varying from innovation to management, protection and implementation. Reporters learned from Municipal Science and Technology Bureau (MSTB) that it was Sichuan province’s first one-stop comprehensive service platform on IPR protection. Chengdu IPR Aid Center will start quick alert and response systems for IPR issues, aiming to solve relevant problems at the first time. Since the establishment of this platform in April last year, all of the 145 IPR consultations and complaints received have been carefully handled.

One-stop trademark, patent and copyright services

"IPR protection includes various fields such as trademarks, patents, copyright and etc. In the past in Chengdu, the Administration for Industry and Commerce was responsible for trademark infringements; the IPR Bureau was in charge of patent complaints; and the Copyright Department provided copyright services. IPR protection responsibilities were thus divided into several separate parts by different administrative departments. Enterprises and individuals had to go to different departments to solve their IPR problems. But now, this platform can provide them with one-stop IPR protection services.” Yesterday, an officer from MSTB (the Municipal IPR Bureau) analyzed that this one-stop service integrated all IPR- related issues including trademarks, patents and copyright. All IPR protection problems can go to this platform by hotline service at 028-12330, which provides all kinds of services of IPR consultations and receives complaints.

On the platform of “12330 hotline”, all incoming calls will be connected to corresponding bureaus, such as the IPR Bureau, the Administration for Industry and Commerce, the Copyright Administration, the Ministry of Culture, the Public Security Bureau and other administrative law enforcement organs. The whole problem solving process will be traced. Real-time consultations will be replied at once, and other requirements will be handled in five working days.

Establishment of IPR protection funds

In Chengdu IPR Aid Center, besides 12330 hotline platform, there are counters providing services such as literature search for technological information, patent retrieval, technical contract registration and etc. There are also separate cubicles for mediation. Meanwhile, experts will regularly help to solve IPR problems in the center hall. An officer from MSTB analyzed that this one-stop aid center organized by government could provide professional IPR services and integrated all possible resources which can help enterprises and individuals solve IPR problems.

Chengdu IPR Aid Center has also set up IPR protection funds for local citizens and corporations who cannot afford the charges of IPR mediation and litigation. Local citizens, corporations and other organizations that have difficulty in handling IPR cases will be sponsored by certain amount of funds after approval. This year, the Center will provide necessary aids to important activities covering research and development, economy and trade, investment and technology transfer in the city. The Center will also provide analysis, argumentation and alert mechanisms to ensure that its IPR services can coordinate with the pace of regional innovation, industrial structure adjustment and foreign investment.

Source:IPR in China