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Design protection case - Google's app UI/UX

Written by 弁理士 杉浦健文 | 2026/05/22

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Google design registration

The UI/UX design of an app is important for differentiating it from rival companies, but I think many companies do not protect it with design and exclude other companies. Good UI/UX attracts users and increases app usage. Here, we will introduce the design registration of one of the many companies, Google, a famous American company, as an example of design protection.

Table of Contents

  1. Design Registration No. 1623178 Electronic computer with chat function
  2. Design Registration No. 1621588 Mobile information terminal

1. Design Registration No. 1623178 Electronic computer with chat function

Patent attorney's comment
Since the description of the article to which the design refers to is a "chat function," such functions and the icon design of the app are protected by the design. The scope of rights does not simply apply to icons themselves, but to common functions (chat functions) and goods that fall within the scope of computers (I think this is primarily intended for smartphones). It is said that the quality of an app's icon design has an impact on the number of downloads, so this is effective in protecting against imitations.

[Design owner] Google LLC
[Article to the design] Electronic computer with chat function
[Description of article to the design] The product is a computer with chat function. The chat function consists of multiple screens. When an icon displayed on the display section of the front view is selected by touching or the like, the currently displayed screen changes to another screen.
[Design description] The part indicated by the solid line is the part for which design registration is sought as a partial design. The dashed-dotted line is a line that only indicates the boundary between the part for which design registration is sought as a partial design and the other parts. The rear view and bottom view are omitted because they do not show the part for which the design is registered.

2. Design Registration No. 1621588 Mobile information terminal

Patent attorney's comment
This design protects a mobile information terminal with a "message communication function." It seems that it mainly protects the functional design (UI/UX) of the smartphone chat screen. In the image above, the solid line is the part for which rights are requested. Unlike the icon example, it seems to be designed to make it easier for users to operate by protecting the design relationship between the input display field, slide bar, and expressiveness indicator, as well as individual functions. It is protected by design.

This point can also be protected by a patent. At our firm, we will advise you from the perspective of the intellectual property mix, such as which method to protect, which is easier to obtain rights, and which has a wider range of rights.

[Design owner] Google LLC
[Article to the design] Mobile information terminal
[Description of the article to the design] The product is a portable information terminal with a message communication function. The images displayed on the display screen are for performing operations to enable the relevant functions, and are related to operations such as inputting, editing, and displaying messages, and character decoration. As shown in the reference diagram showing the names of each part on the display screen, the message being created is displayed in the input display field, and by sliding the expressiveness indicator on the slide bar up and down, you can change the font size of the message and add font decorations.
[Design description] The part for which design registration is requested as a partial design is shown in solid lines, and the other parts are shown in broken lines. The rear view, left side view, and bottom view are omitted because they do not show the part for which the design is registered.

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AUTHOR

Takefumi SUGIURA (杉浦 健文)

EVORIX Intellectual Property Law Firm Managing Patent Attorney

Supports clients across IT, manufacturing, startups, fashion, and medical industries, covering patent, trademark, design, and copyright filings through trials and infringement litigation. Specialized in IP strategy for AI, IoT, Web3, and FinTech. Member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA), Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA), and Japan Trademark Association (JTA).