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Design of products involving GUIs refers to a design where the design points of a product include the design of a graphical user interface. Applicants can submit applications either as a whole product design or as a partial design.

The product name should meet the requirements of Section 4.1.1 of Chapter 3 of this Part and should specify the specific use of the GUI and the product it is applied to, generally including the keyword “graphical user interface,” such as “Refrigerator with temperature control GUI” or “Mobile payment GUI of a mobile phone.” The name should not be generically just “graphical user interface,” such as “software GUI” or “operating GUI.”

The brief description should meet the requirements of Section 4.3 of Chapter 3 of this Part, and should clearly explain the use of the GUI, corresponding with the use reflected in the product name. The design points should include the GUI. If necessary, explain the area of the GUI in the product, the human-machine interaction method, and the change process.

1 Applications Submitted as Whole Product Design

For designs involving GUIs, applicants can submit applications as a whole product design.

If the design points include both the GUI and the product design, the views should meet the requirements of Section 4.2 of Chapter 3 of this Part.

If the design points are solely in the GUI, the applicant should at least submit the orthogonal projection view of the product surface involved in the GUI, and if necessary, views of the GUI itself. The brief description should state that the design points are solely in the GUI.

2 Applications Submitted as Partial Design

For designs where the design points are solely in the GUI, applicants can submit applications as a partial design. The partial design method includes views with or without the product applying the GUI.

The brief description should state that the design points are solely in the GUI or in a part of the GUI.

2.1 Applications Submitted with the Product Applying the GUI

If it is necessary to clearly show the position and proportion of the GUI design in the final product, applicants can submit applications with the product applying the GUI.

Applicants should submit the orthogonal projection view of the product surface involved in the GUI and, if necessary, views of the GUI. The method of submitting views should meet the requirements of Section 4.4.2 of Chapter 3 of this Part.

If applicants apply for a design patent for a part of the GUI, the product name should also specify the part to be protected, such as “Search bar of the mobile payment GUI of a mobile phone.” The method of submitting views should also meet the requirements of Section 4.4.2 of Chapter 3 of this Part. The brief description should also state the use of the part of the GUI design to be protected.

2.2 Applications Submitted without the Product Applying the GUI

For GUIs that can be applied to any electronic device, applicants can submit applications without including the product applying the GUI.

The product name should include the keyword “electronic device,” such as “Video-on-demand GUI for electronic devices” or “Road navigation GUI for electronic devices.”

Applicants may submit only views of the GUI. In the brief description, the use of the product can be generalized to a type of electronic device.

If applicants apply for a design patent for a part of the GUI, the product name should also specify the part to be protected, for example, “Search bar of the mobile payment GUI for electronic devices.” The method of submitting views should also meet the requirements of Section 4.4.2 of Chapter 3 of this Part. The brief description should also state the use of the part of the GUI design to be protected.

3 Dynamic Graphical User Interfaces

The product name for dynamic GUIs should include the keyword “dynamic,” such as “Weather forecast dynamic GUI for mobile phones.”

For dynamic GUIs, applicants should submit views of the product surface involved in the starting state of the GUI as the main view. They may also submit views of key frames of the GUI as variable state diagrams. The submitted views should uniquely determine the complete change process of the dynamic GUI. The names of the variable state diagrams should be marked according to the chronological order of the dynamic changes.

When deemed necessary by the Patent Office, applicants may be required to submit video files illustrating the change process of the dynamic GUI.