Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics illuminated by the charm of IPRs

The Olympic flame was slowly extinguished in a chorus, bringing down the curtain on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. During the Games, IPR elements were seen everywhere, on and off the competition zones. By virtue of scientific and technological innovations and IPRs, Beijing 2022 rightfully portrayed China as a responsible big country.

Technological innovations shine at Beijing 2022

"Scientific Winter Olympics" has been one of the key words in the preparations for Beijing 2022 since its successful bid. From game venues to security services, from sports training to intelligent services, this edition of Winter Olympics loaded with IPRs shone with innovations everywhere, injecting more vibration into the "date with ice and snow".

A large number of innovative fruits with self-generated IPRs including artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been applied in both scientific training system and competition equipment. Aiming to hone athletes' skills and conditioning, Northeastern University, Shenyang Sport University and other universities have independently created experiencing systems and digital training equipment for alpine skiing by integrating traditional conditioning training methods with technologies including robotics, IoT, VR and AI.

The game venues of the Beijing 2022 are not only endowed with fancy appearances but also equipped with state-of-the-art energy-saving, low-carbon technologies. The National Sliding Center is world's only bobsleigh tracks with 360-degree slaloms, realized by patented technologies, which can perfectly present the speed of the ice and snow world. The team for converting the National Aquatics Center-the venue for curling and wheelchair curling competitions - uses their patented technologies in recycling ice-making pipes and maintaining constant temperature and humidity of ice surface to allow the Center to be the world's first dual olympic venue, converting from a water sports venue to an ice one.

In order to enrich people's experiences of the Winter Olympics and promote ice and snow sports with personal touch, Chinese R&D teams also innovated digital technologies by combining technologies including VR/AR and AI with smart venue construction to make citizens interact on the cloud by employing the online applets and have more own fun in the Winter Olympics. Making travelling more intelligently, Smart City Research Institute of China Unicom, jointly with Tsinghua University and Beijing Jiaotong University, realized the application of 4 types of vehicles including unmanned shuttle buses and 10 business scenarios including autonomous parking in the Winter Olympic Park. Thanks to the innovative technology, the vision of "engaging 300 million people in ice and snow activities" came into the reality.

IPR escorts the Beijing 2022

Hosting a simple, safe and splendid Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics is China's solemn commitment to the international community. To run the Winter Olympics well lies in the high-level protection of Olympic IPRs to escort the winter gala in a comprehensive way. Government agencies including the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the National Copyright Administration (NCA) have provided solid support in IP protection for Beijing 2022.

Protecting the Winter Olympics' IPRs is one of the crucial measures to create a good competitive atmosphere and ensure the success of the Games. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games has attached great importance to IP protection by organizing a special task force to implement the Olympic-related IP work. As of this February, the CNIPA has published in gazettes of its protection over 63 Olympic symbols as well as timely disclosure of licensees' information; granted protection to 14 patent and 315 trademark applications submitted by the Beijing Organizing Committee. The NCA has provided the Olympic-related copyright works with fast and convenient copyright services through a green channel.

In order to escort the Games all the way for its ultimate success, the CNIPA, jointly with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), launched an action plan in 2021 to wage special campaigns nationwide from mid-October last year to the coming June. The NCA, together with the China Media Group, released a copyright protection plan and established an Anti-Piracy Working Group jointly with another six agencies including the Cyberspace Administration of China to enforce copyright protection for the Winter Olympics.

As to the administrative law enforcement,over 240 cases of infringement of the exclusive rights of Olympic symbols were handled. Local authorities, especially those in Beijing and Hebei, have organized in-depth special actions to comprehensively investigate and severely crack down on Olympic-related infringements and violations,combated and regulated the infringement of Olympic IPRs with zero tolerance.

During the Winter Olympics, the CNIPA issued a notice on the lawful crackdown on malicious squatting of trademarks including "Bing Dwen Dwen" and "Gu Ailing", rejecting 429 related trademark applications and declaring invalidation of 43 registered trademarks, showing the administration's resolve in protecting Olympic buzzwords including the mascots and athletes' names.

Although the Winter Olympics has drawn to a triumphant close, the whole society's awareness of strengthening IP protection is still on.

Source:China IP News