NGB IP RESEARCH INSTITUTE

IP Research Institute is an organization based in Japan, with technical experts, legal experts and business experts covering various aspects of IP research and activities. We have about 40 IP analysts and searchers specialized in various fields of technology including chemical, pharmaceutical, automotive, electronics and telecommunications. We can assist you not only with conventional patent searches, such as validity, novelty, infringement and subject-matter searches, but also IP consulting services based on our search capabilities. We can also function as a liaison for licensing our clients’ technology.

Experience that Counts

It is our mission to accurately understand your needs, and to provide best services in a timely manner and with passion.

Since our establishment, we have been dedicated towards improving our capability of information processing and analysis of patent and non-patent literatures, including scientific literatures, and we always make our best efforts to satisfy our clients’ needs and requirements.

Our commitment to maintain and improve our quality allows us to work for the Japan Patent Office, governmental agencies, universities and private companies. In addition, we provide consulting services and give lectures regarding various IP areas.

As evidence of our clients’ trust in us, our reports are often relied upon for decision-making before and during patent opposition, patent invalidation and infringement proceedings, and where necessary, for submission before the relevant authorities.

Geographic Coverage

Our search services cover patents, utility models, designs, and non-patent literatures anywhere in the world. Many of our US and European clients ask us to search Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese prior art.

We have strong capabilities in searching Chinese prior art, bolstered by its exclusive Chinese prior art search company, China Techno Corporation (CTC). Members of CTC are being trained by our experienced experts since the establishment of CTC, to maintain their high level of service quality and consistency.

Award in Patent Search Competition

Our team and individual members have received awards in Japanese, Chinese, and international patent search competitions for evaluating searcher’s capability.

■Award in Patent Search Grand Prix (Japan)
Awarded for 7 consecutive years (2013-2019) in Patent Search Grand Prix hosted by IPCC (Industrial Property Cooperation Center)

Individual competition
・Top ranking (Gold award)
・Mechanical arts: 2015, 2016, 2018
・Electrical arts: 2013, 2014 (Highest award), 2017, 2019

Team Competition
・1st place: 2014, 2019
・Top 5: 2013-2016

■Award in China (China Techno Corp.)
The New Science and Technology Search Competition in China was hosted by incoPat, China Intellectual Property Training Center. One CTC representative member received the 3rd place (Bronze) award in the individual competition, and the CTC team took 4th place in the team competition.

■Award in Patent Olympiad (International)
Patent Olympiad, which is the first international patent search grand prix, was held in Milan, Italy. Our representative, Mr. Nagayoshi received the Silver award in this competition.

Our Strong Points

■Tokyo-based award-winning research arm
Patent Search Grand Prix / Patent Olympiad / China Patent Search Grand Prix (China Techno Corp.)

■Decades of Experience
・Over 60 years’ of experience with major Japanese manufacturing companies and foreign law firms
・Servicing over 800 customers since 2015

■Depth of Knowledge
・More than 400/year Pre-filing novelty search projects
・More than 300/year Invalidity search projects
・More than 700/year FTO search projects
・More than 200/year Patent landscape analysis projects
・More than 300/year Patent monitoring projects

■Strength of Expertise
・40 analysts and 100 searchers, some having foreign prosecution experience
・Search experts in every technology field

■One-stop services for Asian patents & NPL searches
・Business partnerships in China and Korea