We offer the services sought by our clients by maintaining close communication with them and demonstrating a deep understanding of both intellectual property and the corporate activities that underline it.
02
Service Quality
The quality of our services must reflect the level sought after by our clients. We work hard to offer a level of quality that goes beyond personal satisfaction to provide services that satisfy client expectations.
03
Cost
Intellectual property is a relatively low-cost investment that is crucial to safeguarding against future risk. We continually endeavor to maintain fair, transparent rates that accurately reflect the amount of work involved, the difficulty of the task at hand, and deadlines.
04
Deadlines
Management of deadlines is one of the most important aspects of our operations. We allocate the same level of priority to honoring deadlines as we do to quality and cost management. We give assurance to our clients through meticulous management of deadlines.
05
Flexibility
By carefully considering what our clients want and what concerns they may have, we offer flexible services that break away from a “one-size-fits-all” paradigm.
06
Assurance
Our ultimate goal is to give assurance to clients so that they can feel at ease when trusting us with their requests.
Cost-Effective Services
Patent Applications
Preparation of patent application materials and implementation of procedures leading to the acquisition of rights, including responses to notices of reasons for refusal
Applications for Registration of Utility Models
Preparation of application materials necessary to the registration of utility models and implementation of procedures leading to the acquisition of rights, including responses to notices of reasons for refusal
Design Registration
Preparation of application materials necessary to the registration of design and implementation of procedures leading to the acquisition of rights, including responses to notices of reasons for refusal
Trademark Registration
Preparation of application materials necessary to the registration of trademarks and implementation of procedures leading to the acquisition of rights, including responses to notices of reasons for refusal
Overseas Applications
Management of overseas application procedures including applications with priority right under the Paris Convention, as well as international applications based on the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the Madrid Protocol, and the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs; and assistance with overseas entities in applying for patents in Japan (including PCT national phase procedures)
Objections / Appeals / Litigation / Appraisals
Assistance with patent opposition and trademark registration opposition proceedings; invalidation, correction, and cancellation appeals; cases pertaining to suite for canceling trial decisions or infringement suite; and the preparation of reports pertaining to validity of rights and potential for infringement
Investigations
Investigations into prior art, potential for infringement, and trademarks (brands)
Contract and IP Consultancy
Licensing procedures (negotiation and preparation of contracts) for license agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and collaborative research agreements; advice pertaining to the protection and use of intellectual property for small- and medium-sized businesses and venture companies; and other advice pertaining to IP matters
Procedures Leading to the Acquisition of Patent Rights
Patent rights protect technical ideas for products or processes
To acquire patent rights, application documentation including a specification detailing the characteristics of the invention must be submitted to the Patent Office, where the application is then examined to determine whether the invention is novel and involves an inventive step.
It is therefore necessary to conduct a prior-art search before the application is submitted. To undergo examination by the Patent Office, a request for examination of application must be submitted to the Patent Office within three years of the initial application date. Where a notice of reasons for refusal is issued by the Patent Office during the course of examination, the applicant can amend application documentation or submit written opinion to overcome the reasons for refusal.
When a patent application is examined and it is judged that there are no reasons for it to be refused, a decision to grant the patent will be issued. Patent rights can then be acquired by paying the patent fee.
Note: When dissatisfied with a decision of refusal, the decision may be contested by appeal or through trial.
Procedures Leading to Acquisition of Rights to a Utility Model
Utility model rights protect ideas pertaining to the form of an object, etc.
In the same way as for patents, the acquisition of rights to a utility model requires the submission of application documentation, including a specification detailing the characteristics of a device, to the Patent Office.
However, in contrast to patent applications, there is no requirement for utility models to undergo rigorous examination, and they are subject only to a simple examination of prescribed formalities. Registration fees are paid at the same time as the application is submitted, resulting in the acquisition of rights to the utility model.
Procedures Leading to Acquisition of Design Rights
Design rights protect the ornamental design of an article.
To acquire design rights, application documentation describing the characteristics of a design must be submitted to the Patent Office, where the application will then be examined to determine whether the design is novel and has creativity.
Where a notice of reasons for refusal is issued by the Patent Office during the course of examination, the applicant can correct the application documentation or submit written opinion to overcome the reasons for refusal.
When a design application is examined and it is judged that there are no reasons for it to be refused, a decision to grant registration of the design will be issued. Design rights can then be acquired by paying the registration fee.
Note: When dissatisfied with a decision of refusal, the decision may be contested by appeal or through trial.
Procedures Leading to Acquisition of Trademark Rights
Trademark rights protect the names and/or logos of products and services.
To acquire trademark rights, application documentation describing the trademark that the applicant wants to register and the product(s) or service(s) for which the applicant wants to use the registered trademark must be submitted to the Patent Office, and the application is examined to determine, for example, whether the trademark bears similarities to or is distinct from trademarks that have already been registered.
Where a notice of reasons for refusal is issued by the Patent Office during the course of examination, the applicant can submit written opinion to overcome the reasons for refusal.
When a trademark application is examined and it is judged that there are no reasons for it to be refused, a decision to grant registration of the trademark will be issued. Trademark rights can then be acquired by paying the designated registration fee.
Trademark rights can be renewed every 10 years.
Note: When dissatisfied with a decision of refusal, the decision may be contested by appeal or through trial.
