Intellectual Property Right Risk Prevention and Control in International High Speed Railway Project

Abstract

At present, many countries in the world have now controlled core high speed railway (HSR) technologies and are making vigorous effort to get involved in the Moscow-Kazan HSR. When railway companies try to participate in international HSR projects, one key issue other than technical and economic benefit is IPR protection. It is found that the HSR patent applicants in the Russian HSR project are mainly local companies and traditional international HSR giants from Germany, Japan and France, while other countries seem to be lack of awareness for intellectual property right (IPR) protection in Russia, hence facing great IPR risk while participating in this HSR project. The characteristics of Russian HSR patent distribution are analyzed and the IPR risks of foreign companies also identified. In the meanwhile, suggestions are proposed on IPR protection for companies wishing to get involved in the Russian HSR project.