REGISTER now: Sweden Event - A new era for innovation: AI, the UPC and global patent opportunities
​

Online image searches for designs and marks

No items found.
​
August 29, 2013
#
Building a Resilient Quantum Patent Portfolio: Winning the Race to File First
Table of contents
  • Toc Heading
  • Toc Heading

An online image search tool for figurative trademarks and designs could be launched under new proposals by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM).

OHIM is currently developing a tool to carry out image searching online in line with feedback received from delegates at the international conference held to celebrate 10 years of the Registered Community Design (RCD) system in April 2013, on how to improve the RCD system.

Would the adoption of an online image search tool improve the RCD system, as applicants could more easily assess whether or not similar designs already exist prior to filing? Could this tool lead to bad practices or risks where the owners of designs are uploading images of as yet unfiled designs? What do you think? Tweet us @EIP_Designs

Recent Case Reports

See all Case Reports

Scripps mRNA reengineering patent found invalid and not infringed by Comirnaty
08 September 2026
The Local Division Munich invalidated Promosome's licensed mRNA patent over Scripps' codon-optimisation method, then found BioNTech's Comirnaty vaccine would not have infringed the claims even had they been valid.
​
Fujifilm v Kodak: clarifying the defence of dependent claims and inventive-step combinations at the UPC
27 August 2026
The Court of Appeal gave guidance on defending dependent claims, relying on EPO central limitation during UPC proceedings, and pleading revocation attacks. It also emphasised that inventive-step combinations require a proper pointer to the secondary reference.
​
Can Reference Numerals Influence Claim Interpretation?
21 August 2026
In T 0903/24, the EPO Board of Appeal relied on reference numerals to interpret disputed claim language, rejecting the patentee's narrower reading and revoking novelty over prior art D2 for the main request.
​