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Global patent filings show steady rise, but at slowing growth rate

China is responsible for much of the growth as innovation becomes the main intellectual property battleground.

WIPO's headquarters in Geneva
WIPO's headquarters in Geneva (AN/J. Heilprin)

GENEVA (AN) — Inventors filed almost 3.17 million patents worldwide in 2017, reflecting a steady rise in patent filings but a slowdown in the growth rate from the previous year.

The number of patent filings rose 5.8% from 3.1 million in 2016, the eighth successive annual increase. Trademarks jumped almost 27%, to 12.39 million, from 2016.

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