Facts n' Stats
Quick stats
Patents
In the 2006/2007 financial year, IP Australia received 27,486 patent applications.
Common technology patents
In 2006, over 3,449 new patent applications came from pharmaceuticals and cosmetics areas, making it the most common technology area.
Organic fine chemicals and medical engineering fields also filed a high number of applications with over 2,678 and 2,917 applications respectively.
View more patent statistics here.
Trade marks
In the 2006/2007 financial year, IP Australia received 106,279 trade mark applications.
Common applicants
The most prolific trade mark applicants (by classes) in Australia between 2001 and 2007 include Telstra (1,252), Coles Supermarkets (895), Mars Australia (789), Woolworths (779), Nine Network Australia (644) and Bluescope Steel (580).
View more trade mark statistics here.
Designs
In the 2006/2007 financial year, IP Australia:
- received 5,864 design applications; and
- registered 7,273 designs*.
We also received 1,105 examination requests and issued 795 certificates of examination.
The new designs legislation, introduced in June 2004, provides for registration following a formalities check only. An application may include multiple designs. Under the new Act an optional examination process is available and may be undertaken at the request of the owner or a third party. Examination must be completed prior to commencing enforcement action.
* The figure quoted for the number of applications is for the number of designs received. Given that a backlog of applications from the previous year were given attention during the 2006/2007 year, the number of designs registered was greater than the number of applications received in the same year.
Common applicants
During the 2006/2007 financial year the top three filers of design were Resmed Ltd, Spencer & Rutherford Pty Ltd and Review Australia Pty Ltd.
View more designs statistics here.
Plant Breeder’s Rights
In 2006, IP Australia:
- received 353 applications; and
- granted 280 rights.