1. Shandong

Light-rail part gets US patent

Patent authorization for a domestically developed light-rail component was recently granted in the United States, which is among the nations with the world's most stringent patent examination standards. Developed by Qingdao Sifang Rolling Stock Research Institute Co, the product could effectively reduce noise, decrease attrition and is easy to maintain. It is now used in metros and light-rail transit systems in many cities, including Changchun, Dalian, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Beijing and Guangzhou.

Science and Technology Daily

2. Beijing

IP model cities to be named

The State Intellectual Property Office recently launched a new campaign to evaluate national IP model cities. The office will analyze the candidate cities based on a number of criteria, including government investment as well as intellectual property management systems, environment, utilization and protection. The list of the first 23 IP model cities was unveiled last year.

Sipo.gov.cn

WIPO to open HQ in capital

The World Intellectual Property Organization has recently chosen the nation's capital as the site for the WIPO Chinese office, the fifth of its kind to be opened worldwide after offices in Brazil, Japan, the United States and Singapore. The new facility is expected to play an important role in enhancing WIPO's cooperation with China and offering local services, such as arbitration and mediation, collective management and capacity building, according to the Beijing Intellectual Property Office.

The Beijing News

3. Shanghai

Tensions brewing over beer labels

World-renowned brewery Anheuser Busch InBev's China company sued five domestic beer makers and restaurants for "illegally using its trademarks", including AB InBev and Budweiser. It asked for 5 million yuan ($805,000) in total compensation. Four of the defendants claimed that they have used retrieved beer bottles with the plaintiff's trademarks printed at the bottom, but contend that the marks are barely visible. Shanghai First Intermediate People's Court began hearing the case on March 21 and has not made a ruling yet.

Wenweipo

4. Sichuan

Research center planned

The Panzhihua Municipal Intellectual Property Administration has vowed to boost the city's vanadium and titanium industries by integrating research resources as well as enhancing innovation capacity. It will help the local government set up a research institute, which is planned to go into operation at the first half of this year. The institute is expected to carry out at least five research projects this year, with a total investment up to 100 million yuan, according to the IP administration.

Sichuan Daily

5. Hong Kong

Dummies get smart

A research team at Hong Kong Polytechnic University developed a smart mannequin called i.Dummy, which can change its body shape and size in seconds at the tap of a fingertip on a computer or smartphone. With the help of i.Dummy, fashion designers no longer need to keep a large number of dummies of different sizes, said Allan Chan Chee-kooi, associate professor of the university's Institute of Textiles and Clothing. The university has filed two patents for the invention.

The Standard

(China Daily 03/27/2013 page17)