[Article/Unfair Competition Prevention Act] On the Usefulness and Nonpublic Nature of Trade Secrets … Osaka District Court, 2014 (Wa) 11151, “Tin Alloy”
日本語原文 / Japanese original Article information Article type: Publication review Category: Unfair competition law Topics: Design choices, Trade secrets First published on this website: 2026-11-01 Display and classification checked: November 2, 2026 Originally published on Ameblo: 2024-10-28 (Japan time). Full English translation. https://ameblo.jp/hideki-takaishi/entry-12872886872.html [Article/Unfair Competition Prevention Act] On the Usefulness and Nonpublic Nature of Trade S
2022 (Gyo-Ke) 10007 [Heat Transfer System] <Shoji> — Design Matters and Motivation
日本語原文 / Japanese original Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Topics: Inventive step, Motivation and teaching away, Design choices First published on this website: 2026-11-01 Display and classification checked: November 2, 2026 Originally published on Ameblo: 2024-10-22 (Japan time). Full English translation. https://ameblo.jp/hideki-takaishi/entry-12872170863.html 2022 (Gyo-Ke) 10007 [Heat Transfer System] <Shoji> *Design matters and motivation “W
IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10037 [Wood composite] <Presiding Judge Hibiki Shimizu>
Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step, Numerical limitations and parameters, Design choices First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10037 Display/classification checked: 2026-10-10 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10037 [Wood composite] <Presiding Judge Hibiki Shimizu> Lacks inventive step. The plaintiff argued that density, flake dimensions
IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10001 [Yarn color placement system] <Presiding Judge Hibiki Shimizu>
Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step, Design choices First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Court: Intellectual Property High Court Case number: Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10001 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Ne) 10001 [Yarn color placement system] <Presiding Judge Hibiki Shimizu> Lacks inventive step ⇒ Claim dismissed. “High-low control” is conventional technology for making patte
IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10039 [Bag having embossing] <Presiding Judge Hibiki Shimizu>
Read the Japanese version / 日本語版を読む: https://www.takaishihideki.com/single-post/linkedin-7511586062423515136-ja Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step; Numerical limitations and parameters; Design choices First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10039 [Bag having embossing] <Presiding Judge Hibiki Shimizu> Cited inventions 1 and 2 both belong to the
IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10018 [Motor vehicle] <Presiding Judge Miyasaka>
Read the Japanese version / 日本語版を読む: https://www.takaishihideki.com/single-post/linkedin-7511586762335404032-ja Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Issues: Inventive step; Motivation and teaching away; Design choices First published on this website: 2026-10-03 Display and classification checked: 2026-10-03 IP High Court, Reiwa 6 (Gyo-Ke) 10018 [Motor vehicle] <Presiding Judge Miyasaka> = Reiwa 5 (Ne) 10042 <Presiding Judge Miyasaka> The invention pro
IP High Court, Reiwa 5 (Gyo-Ke) 10062 [Bone anchor with improved fixation strength] <Presiding Judge Shoji>
日本語版を読む / Japanese version Article information Article type: Case note Category: Patents Topics: Inventive step, Design choices, Patent corrections First published on this website: October 2, 2026 Case number (as stated in the source): Reiwa 5 (Gyo-Ke) 10062 Display and classification checked: October 2, 2026 (not a re-review of the legal analysis) IP High Court, Reiwa 5 (Gyo-Ke) 10062 [Bone anchor with improved fixation strength] <Presiding Judge Shoji> The claimed “outer su
Topic guide: Inventive step
Explore existing articles on inventive step, design choices, motivation and teaching away. The collection includes case notes, reviews of publications and lecture materials. See each article for its discussion and sources.
[IP Practice Online] “20 inventive-step issues, 3 min each” (Authors; supervisor: Hideki Takaishi)
[Summary; case discussions omitted] 1. Motivation to combine and design choice are independent. Weak correlation with problem-solving favors design choice. 2. Cited-invention eligibility: No comment.
[Article / Patents] A study of design choices in inventive-step assessment (Mamoru Suzuki, Hiroyuki Nagamine, Patent, September 2024)
The criteria for finding a “design choice,” particularly when inventive step can be denied without direct evidence (a secondary reference), were studied through device/system cases. Cases recognizing design choices without evidence fall into three types:
![Tokyo District Court, 2012 (Wa) 12351 [Rice Cake]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/324a18_1e68d290faf1421383ef0182da9fd77b~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_225,h_125,fp_0.50_0.50,lg_1,q_35,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/324a18_1e68d290faf1421383ef0182da9fd77b~mv2.png)
![Tokyo District Court, 2012 (Wa) 12351 [Rice Cake]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/324a18_1e68d290faf1421383ef0182da9fd77b~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_152,h_84,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_avif,quality_auto/324a18_1e68d290faf1421383ef0182da9fd77b~mv2.png)
