IP News - Patent Detectives

EPO Strikes Drag On as Patent Grants Plummet; SUEPO Warns of Year-Round Industrial Action

The European Patent Office (EPO) is facing a prolonged wave of industrial action that has caused a measurable drop in pa...

2026.04.20

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Trump Administration Imposes Up to 100 Percent Tariffs on Patented Pharmaceuticals: The IP Implications of Excluding Generics

Up to 100% tariffs on patented drugs, generics exempt. How patent status became the dividing line for U.S. trade policy.

2026.04.20

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USPTO Dismisses TikTok’s Patent Challenges, Finding Chinese Government May Be a Real Party in Interest

USPTO vacated seven TikTok IPRs under the Tianma precedent, citing unresolved Chinese government ties as real party in interest.

2026.04.20

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JPO Status Report 2026: AI-Assisted Filing Tools Drive 2.69x Surge in December 2025 Patent Applications — Can Japan Balance Quantity with Quality?

JPO's Status Report 2026 shows Japan's 2025 patent applications hit 358,317 — first time above 350K since 2008. December saw 82,188 filings (2.69x month-over-month), driven by AI filing tools like Tokkyo.Ai. Quality vs. quantity is the central challenge.

2026.04.17

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Stanford AI Index 2026: South Korea Tops Global AI Patent Filings Per Capita for Second Consecutive Year, Japan Ranks Fifth

Stanford HAI's AI Index 2026 shows South Korea leading global AI patent filings per capita for a second consecutive year at 14.31 per 100,000 people. Japan ranks fifth at 4.3. Korea's chaebol-driven filing strategy and AI Basic Act underpin its position.

2026.04.17

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Disney, WB, Universal Fire Back Against Chinese AI Firm MiniMax’s Bid to Dismiss Copyright Suit Over Hailuo AI

Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal are urging a California federal judge to deny Chinese AI company MiniMax's motion to dismiss their copyright infringement suit over the Hailuo AI generative video service. The April 10, 2026 motion raises key legal questions on personal jurisdiction, copyright registration specificity, and extraterritorial AI training. A hearing is set for May 29, 2026.

2026.04.16

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PTAB IPR Filings Hit Historic Low in Q1 2026: 64% Drop and Discretionary Denial Surge Signal Structural Shift

PTAB inter partes review petitions collapsed 64% year-over-year in Q1 2026 to just 131 total filings. Institution rates for NPEs fell to 24.6%, discretionary denials surged 622% YoY, and ex parte reexamination hit its second-highest level in history. Analysis of the structural shift in U.S. post-grant proceedings.

2026.04.16

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USPTO Creates Pre-Order Response Procedure for Ex Parte Reexamination—Patent Owners Get 30 Days to Contest SNQ Before Order Issues

The USPTO introduced a new Pre-Order Response Procedure for ex parte reexamination effective April 1, 2026. Under an Off...

2026.04.16

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EPO 2026 Examination Guidelines Enter Force—AI Provisions, Color Drawings, PACE Changes, and New Medical Use Chapter

The European Patent Office’s 2026 Guidelines for Examination under the EPC entered into force on April 1, 2026. The revi...

2026.04.16

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PTAB Petition Filings Collapse 64% in Q1 2026—Discretionary Denials Drive Historic Low

PTAB petition filings fell 64.2% year-over-year to a historic low of 131 petitions in the first quarter of 2026, accordi...

2026.04.16

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IP News