noun
Patent Office; Patent Agency
Refers specifically to the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the government agency responsible for patents, utility models, designs, and trademarks.
特許庁に商標を出願した。
I filed a trademark application with the Patent Office.
特許 means 'patent' itself, while 特許庁 is the government office that handles patents and other intellectual property.
Compound of 特許 (tokkyo, 'patent') and 庁 (chō, 'government office').