WIPO Celebrates Chinese Patent Explosion, Pretends That It's Innovation
from the patents-do-not-equal-innovation dept
We've talked in the past about patent system supporters' somewhat blatant cluelessness to China's clear recognition that its own growing patent system is the perfect tool for backdooring protectionism and trade barriers, without making it look like protectionism and trade barriers. I sometimes can't tell if this is just because those system supporters are so focused on the narrow "more patents must be good" argument that they're missing the big picture, or if they truly don't understand what's happening. Either way, we've got the latest example, as the folks at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a part of the UN, are celebrating the fact that China's patent system has received more applications than any other patent system this year.China received 526,412 applications compared to 503,582 for the United States and 342,610 for Japan, according to the latest report from the Geneva-based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).Now, some might wonder why this is happening -- or even look to some of those earlier examples where China has used the patent system specifically to hold back foreign competition and wonder if this is actually something worth celebrating.
But not WIPO.
It thinks that patents are good, so more patents must be excellent:
“Sustained growth in IP filings indicates that companies continue to innovate despite weak economic conditions,” said WIPO’s Director General, Francis Gurry. “This is good news, as it lays the foundation for the world economy to generate growth and prosperity in the future.”Except almost nothing that Gurry says there is even close to accurate. It assumes -- without proof -- that increased patent filings have something to do with innovation. They don't. Increased patent filings only show people are filing for more patents. That is not the same thing as suggesting that they are innovating, because research has shown that patent numbers do not correlate well with innovation. Furthermore, a massive growth in patent applications does not "lay the foundation for the world economy to generate growth and prosperity." Again, the reality is almost entirely opposite. It lays the foundation for a massive hindrance on innovation, increasing the amount of patent trolling, protectionism and general holding back of true innovation. And this doesn't even touch on the fact that China's numbers are propped up by the crazy incentives it's been giving to people to file for patents.
This is a massive problem with groups like WIPO. They never seem to recognize that "more patents" or "more copyright" aren't automatic good things. They simply assume -- despite a total lack of evidence -- that it must be so. Considering the harm that over-protection can do to any market, it's a really ridiculous stance to take, and it makes WIPO and the UN lose nearly all credibility on the subject of patents and innovation.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: innovation, patents, wipo
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
It's a step up from worrying about a screensaver...
I'll pretend there's some substance, though and carp at "patent numbers do not correlate well with innovation". -- 1) SO they correlate SOMEWHAT. 2) Define "innovation".
Mike "Streisand Effect" Masnick desperately needs your click. -- Why? -- Don't ask me! He's the one puts this link up often:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
(IF he's so famous, why does he need to put the link up?)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's a step up from worrying about a screensaver...
Innovation is the act of creating new interesting and useful products that people want to use, or improving on products that already exist.
Patents merely protect what has already been created from being improved and thus have nothing to do with innovation.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: It's a step up from worrying about a screensaver...
And since you may be asking a rhetorical question, it appears that you take the time to come here and not bother with your:
in·no·va·tion
/ˌinəˈvāSHən/
Noun
The action or process of innovating.
A new method, idea, product, etc: "technological innovations".
Synonyms
novelty - newness
Source: Google
--
in·no·va·tion noun \ˌi-nə-ˈvā-shən\
Definition of INNOVATION
1: the introduction of something new
2: a new idea, method, or device : novelty
— in·no·va·tion·al adjective
Source: Merriam-Webster
--
in·no·va·tion [in-uh-vey-shuh n] Show IPA
noun
1.
something new or different introduced: numerous innovations in the high-school curriculum.
2.
the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods.
Origin:
1540–50; < Late Latin innovātiōn- (stem of innovātiō ). See innovate, -ion
Related forms
in·no·va·tion·al, adjective.
Source: Dictionary.Reference.com
--
Innovation is the development of new customers value through solutions that meet new needs, inarticulate needs, or old customer and market needs in new ways. This is accomplished through different or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are readily available to markets, governments, and society. Innovation differs from invention in that innovation refers to the use of a better and, as a result, novel idea or method, whereas invention refers more directly to the creation of the idea or method itself. Innovation differs from improvement in that innovation refers to the notion of doing something different (Lat. innovare: "to change") rather than doing the same thing better.
Source: Wikipedia
--
Boom, four links for you! If you don't like them, then get away from your computer (or whatever you're using to get to this site) and pull out a dictionary! There, you have your definition!
And finally, since does Mike put up a link to that page? You're the one's who putting it up, you idiot! And besides, do you have ANY clue what that phrase means?! Why bother putting it up if you have no idea what it means beyond trying to say that Mike's the one who created a phrase? That's nothing special compare to other trope namers out there, dipwad.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Faith-based truths
Another example of faith-based 'knowledge'.
Just like:
- Piracy is destroying the music industry.
- The TSA is effective against terrorism.
- etc...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Faith-based truths
WAY TO GO, WIPO!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Faith-based truths
There is no Tooth Fairy.
There is no Queen of England.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Faith-based truths
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
'just because more filings are being made, doesn't mean there is more innovation'.
more to the point, it doesn't mean there are even more patents, just attempts to secure more, possibly of the same!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
They also provide tools for protecting a market, and are especially useful for reigning in small agile innovative companies that would otherwise steal large parts of their market.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
You don't say? Well, that sounds exactly like what we want! Something to slow down innovative companies!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Maybe you're just too stupid to understand?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Holy Shit
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
It is called PCT
China is leading the way in international patent applications with 33% of the pie so far.
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2012/article_0001.html
http://www.lawfirms.com/re sources/intellectual-property/patents/pct-patent-a-global-patent-filing-mechanism.htm
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Where ????
Will someone please tell me where all this new shit is so I can run out and buy it?
I looked in Walmart and Costco, it's not there.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Where ????
The point is valid though. It's still a lot of "inventions."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Where ????
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Where ????
The easiest way to increase the number of patent applications is to remove excemptions! That doesn't mean there is more innovation. It merely means more patents are possible to achieve in the countries!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Where ????
Did you look in the clearance isle?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Where ????
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
the game is moving
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Looking forward to people runnin riot and taking control over the Rich and Corrupt.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
WIPO and its relevance
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rewording
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
If you just believe in the Father Patent and his only begotten son Copyright, together with the Holy Trademark: you shall have everlasting profit--Amen
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Quantifying innovation
It seems difficult to argue with people who have a different sense of what drives innovation if we don't have any good ways to measure it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
--Emily
[ link to this | view in chronology ]