Digitalisation and transport. German Patent and Trade Mark Office on innovation and technological trends
Where in Germany are the most innovations created? What is happening with digitisation? What are the impacts of the latest trademark law reform? In its 2019 annual report, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) is again offering important, up-to-date information about industrial property rights, innovation and technological trends. Featuring rankings and infographics, the national authority shows which of Germany’s states are ahead when it comes to filing patents, utility models, marks and designs, and the companies that are submitting the most inventions. For example, the number of patents filed and published in the fields of communication technology, semiconductors, audiovisual technology and data-processing methods in 2019 rose by almost 10% year-on-year to the present 23,143. The momentum in the application numbers, according to DPMA President Cornelia Rudloff-Schäffer, indicates how strongly digitisation will keep changing all aspects of life. Ever-transforming technological trends also play an important role in the automotive sector. German applicants have a strong role in electric-drive systems and battery and fuel cell technologies in their home market. However, the president also says there is major competition from Asia and the United States. The annual report also shines a light on the significance of IP rights in popular culture, using the examples of Mickey Mouse, Star Wars and the Simpsons, among others, and pays tribute to Albert Einstein, the most famous patentor of all times. The 2019 annual report can be downloaded from the DPMA website.
