The Revised Design Examination Guidelines regarding "graphic image on a screen" designs entered into force on April 1, 2016, in Japan

There is a class 14-04 for Graphical User Interfaces [computer screen layout] in the International Design Classification or Locarno Classification. However, in Japan a design for a GUI cannot be registered under the title “GUI”. It is instead necessary to indicate a product to which the GUI design is applied, e.g., “Mobile phone” or “Digital Video Disc Player”. “Part VII, Chapter IV, Design Including a Graphic Image on a Screen in the Revised Design Examination Guidelines” published on March 11, 2016, includes the examination standards related to a design for a “graphic image displayed on a display of an article”, “graphic image displayed on a screen” or “graphic image on a screen”. In this article we will explain how to file a design application for protecting a design for a “Graphical User Interface [computer screen layout]” and “Icons (for Computers)” at the JPO under the Revised Examination Guidelines by using the term “graphic image on a screen” or GIOS.