Having received the case, we clarify the legal perspectives, confirm the legal direction, and form a case-handling strategy. We will check our client’s business registration number and applicant’s personal identification number and seal, archive trademark patterns and images of patent products, and preserve relevant evidence and data at the time of signing the contract.
Options for payment include over-the-counter payment, wire transfer, ATM transfer, and online credit card payment. The applicant will be given an official receipt and a law firm receipt for tax purpose after payment has been settled.
We will carry out preliminary work to estimate the probability of the application being granted and to check whether there are similar prior cases that need to be avoided to enhance the approval rate. With case planning and exclusion of similar prior cases, we are able to reduce the risks and proceed with subsequent steps more smoothly.
If the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) requires supplementary materials in the application process, we are obligated to prepare responses to the IPO that involve extra processing fees. The applicant is advised to budget for those fees in advance.
The client will be provided with the basic information and content of the case for confirmation prior to submission. Case content cannot be amended once submitted. Initial confirmation will be conducted at the time of contract signing, followed by a second confirmation before submission to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). At the confirmation stage, the client can also proceed with supplementary applications or transnational applications to reduce the wait time and lower the probability of transnational infringement. Most domestic applicants will apply for patents and trademarks in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and the US. Given the Southern policy of Taiwan, we have seen increasing cases of trademark and applications in Southeast Asian countries. For foreign applicants, we also help clients in handling their intellectual properties in the Greater China area.
IP Rights Monitoring
The vast majority of cases can be submitted to the electronic system of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) anytime during the day to have a head-start in applying for a case number and monitoring the application progress seamlessly to minimize the risk of preemptive registration. Once the case number is registered, our client can have a peace of mind in exposing the company’s branding and advertising its products. This helps our clients to protect its intellectual property assets in preventing others from registering its brand name and trademarks with the IPO that might cause unnecessary confusion and litigation of intellectual property rights.
After a patent is granted or a trademark is registered, FLYING will track and monitor the intellectual property right for the client, and inform the client when to pay the annual fee and when to apply for extension. With about 1500 cases running annually, FLYING has implemented a cloud monitoring system that can effectively track and monitor all the cases. In case of infringement, we will proceed with litigation or mediation to prevent the situation from getting worse and to defend the rights and benefits of the IP right owners.
Cases and Personal Data Protection
⟩ Videotaping all processes:Every gateway and computer screen in FLYING is monitored 24/7. Case handling and computer processing are recorded by precision acoustic equipment. Audio- and videotapes on case discussions will be archived for remote monitoring. |
⟩ Clients’ data are password-encrypted:Only dedicated administrative staff and case officers will have access to the file management system and personal information of the applicants; other staff are restricted from accessing and processing sensitive data. All cases are automatically controlled in accordance with the “Law 4.0 Project.” Once the client’s information is built into the system, the computer software will automatically copy those information into various necessary forms, including applicant information form, detailed case form, receipt and tax form to strictly protect personal information, reduce manual errors, and avoid information leakage. |
⟩ E-operation:All cases are built in electronic format and archived in paper format. All submissions are conducted electronically in accordance with the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office’s electronic submission procedures and confirmation receipt in the form of electronic mail. This paperless practice effectively reduces the risks of document misplacement and leakage. |
⟩ Files are destroyed by shredders:About 250,000 pieces of A4 paper are consumed annually for legal documents related to trademarks, patents and copyrights, and it is equivalent to 500 cartons of commercial paper. Therefore, management of paper and documents is very important. In our office, paper is shredded into small pieces by large shredders. The shredded paper from different batches is mixed before recycled by a specialized company to prevent document restoration and information leakage. |