1. Beijing

New copyright center

Local IP authorities marked the 13th World Intellectual Property Day with the establishment of the Beijing International Copyright Trading and Financing Service Center on April 18. By building up a library of copyright information and a credit system, the center is meant to improve the copyright industry chain while helping small and medium-sized cultural companies tackle challenges in terms of financing and copyright mortgaging.

ipr.gov.cn

Translating tech into profit

Copyrights for five computer programs used to code or translate the languages of Chinese ethnic groups were recently registered. Experts said the software will help to standardize the translation of ethnic languages, reduce the workloads of translators and help build an information-based society in the ethnic regions. The China Ethnic Languages Translation Bureau, the developer of the software, has been so far granted copyrights for 19 programs in this category .

Mzfy.org.cn

2. Anhui

Charged for pirated discs

A Guangzhou-based online shop-owner surnamed Wu was recently charged in a court of Bengbu city for selling more than 7,000 pirated discs to a local couple, who were already arrested. The two buyers opened a cooking website in 2011 and enlisted Wu's help in April via Taobao to make video discs that teach how to make all kinds of snacks. After investigating the couple, police found the source of their discs and seized Wu on a train earlier this year.

news.xinhuanet.com

3. Hubei

Students get patent aid

A patent commercialization center for college students was founded in Wuhan last week. The two founders of the center - the government of Wuchang district and Wuhan University - will cooperate to provide services related to patent application, management and commercialization. The district government will offer preferential policies and funding to encourage college student innovation and help commercialize a number of student patents that have market potential.

Changjiang Times

4. Chongqing

Prisoner becomes inventor

A former drug dealer has been granted 10 patents since he was put into prison in 2008. His inventions include a device that can prevent a car from going backward when climbing up hills, and a glass installed in vehicles that automatically breaks in emergency, such as fire or dropping into water. Many companies have shown interest in commercializing these patents. The prisoner received the death penalty with a stay of execution in May 2008. His sentence was reduced to imprisonment of 18 years in 2012.

Cqnews.net

5. Hong Kong

HK launches IP exchange

Hong Kong's first online intellectual property trading platform, known as the HKIPEx, was launched on April 18. Built by local companies, it serves IP creators, companies, professional service providers and other IP stakeholders, providing them a secure and reliable online trading system and lower trading cost. Walter Yeung, chairman and CEO of the organization, said the creative industry of Hong Kong has a much bigger market-- the Chinese mainland. He expects the city to become a regional IP trade hub in the near future.

news.china.com.cn

(China Daily 04/24/2013 page17)