Notes on the Applications for a Design Including Screen Design
It has been possible to protect screen designs which are displayed on liquid crystal display panels, etc. in Japan since April 1, 2007. The Japan Patent Office (JPO) has been examining applications for designs including display screen designs under the Revised Examination Guidelines published on October 31, 2008, and the examination results are being sent to the applicants.
As these applications involve a new subject matter for design applications, applicants may receive a large number of examination results at once, which would be difficult to handle. The JPO announced that in such cases, the applicants may consult with the Examiner who issued the Notice of Reasons for Rejection by telephone, etc. The Examiner will look into the situation and grant an extension of time for preparing the response if circumstances merit it.