Watson & Band convened the latest China Law Salon on October 23, 2015 in its office at the Shanghai United Press Tower. Japanese, European and U.S electronics enterprises as well as domestic technology enterprises dispatched a total of 15 representatives to the event. Mr. Hua Xiao, who serves as W&B Partner and Supervisor of the Electronic Communications Department and the Optical Physics Department, delivered a lecture entitled The New Internet Patent Battlefield: Are You Ready? The structure of the lecture offered useful training as well as audience participation.

The lecture was broken into three sections: Case Studies, Domestic Internet/Software Patent Applications and Analysis of the Exploitation of Domestic and Offshore Patented Technology. In the Case Studies section Mr. Xiao provided food for thought by introducing the two landmark cases Nokia v. Huaqin and Xiaoi Robot v. Siri. He used diagrams and data to summarize Internet/software invention patent applications in cases where well-known domestic technology enterprises are involved in competitive technical fields related to the Internet. In the last section, Mr. Xiao outlined several issues that need to be addressed by enterprises and inventors. These issues include the question of whether or not an invention can be the object of a license, the role of corporate business models, and the procedure required for the implementation of technology under the Chinese legal system. The audience found the discussion of these issues to be extremely informative.

Focusing on content that can be protected under patent law in the course of Internet innovation (particularly computer software innovation), Mr. Xiao elucidated by analyzing cases and combining applicable legal provisions techniques for drafting patent claims in computer software invention and creation patent applications in a manner that is compatible with and satisfies the needs of rights enforcement, as well as common legal issues in computer software invention patent disputes. 

Further lectures on e-commerce and patent protection will be held in November. If you are interested, please keep abreast of the pertinent information as it is updated on our official website and our WeChat blog. Your interest is greatly appreciated.