SlideShare a Scribd company logo
1 of 11
Download to read offline
Free International Web-Based Patent Sites
Gerry McKiernan
In recent years there has been a proliferation of free Internet-based
patent information services: while there were five service providers
with Web-based services in 1996, as of 2001, there were more than 50!
Currently, two hosts dominate the free-of-charge services: the United
States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) [http://www.uspto.gov/]
and esp@cenet®, the service and portal offered by the European Patent
Office [http://www.espacenet.com/] (Technopolis Group, 2001).
The USPTO and many European patent Web sites, however, not only
provide free access to their respective patent information resources;
many also offer access to a variety of relevant Intellectual Property
sources and gateways to international and other national services. Nor
are free Web-based patent services restricted to those offered by the
United States and European countries; a number of non-Western na-
Gerry McKiernan, AB, MS, is Associate Professor, Science and Technology Librar-
ian, and Bibliographer, Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA (E-mail: gerrymck@
iastate.edu).
[Haworth indexing entry note]: “Free International Web-Based Patent Sites.” McKiernan, Gerry. Pub-
lished in Science & Technology Libraries (The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press,
Inc.) Vol. 22, No. 1/2, 2001, pp. 175-185. Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from
The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-HAWORTH, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address:
docdelivery@haworthpress.com].
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/product.asp?sku=J122
 2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.
10.1300/J122v22n01_11 175
SCI-5
tions have established Web-based patent services, many with Eng-
lish-language interfaces. In general, many of these services–like their
Western counterparts–provide access to patent bibliographic data and
abstracts, and in many cases, link to the full text of associated patent
documents.
CITE: Technopolis Group, “Free Patent Information on the Internet: An
Impact Assessment, Final Report, Draft in Confidence,” 2001. <http://www.
european-patent-office.org/epidos/conf/patlib2002/pres/schwanderp_te.pdf>
(16 September 2002).
WHAT? [China Patent Database]
WHERE? http://www.sipo.gov.cn/sipo_English/default.htm
WHEN? July 2002
WHY? The China Patent Database is made available as a public ser-
vice by the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of the People’s Re-
public of China to publicize “the intellectual property policy of the state”
and to provide “complete and comprehensive patent information service
. . . for the purpose of creating better social and economic benefits to the
country.”
HOW? The China Patent Database may be searched in one of three ways:
• basic search (single field search)
• ‘Quick Search’ (two field search)
• ‘Expression Search’ (simple or complex Boolean searching)
Basic Search
A basic search is provided directly from the English-language
homepage of the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Re-
public of China (SIPO). By using a pull-down menu, it allows the user to
search the China Patent Database by one of several fields, notably ‘Ti-
tle,’ ‘Abstract,’ ‘Application Number,’ ‘Inventor(s) Name,’ ‘IPC’ (Inter-
national Patent Classification), or ‘Applicant(s) Name.’
Quick Search
In addition to providing the field search options available in a basic
search, a ‘Quick Search’ option allows users to also search by ‘Applica-
176 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
* * *
tion Date,’ Publication Date,’ ‘Address,’ and ‘Attorney & Agent.’ ‘All
Fields’ can also be searched separately or in combination with a single
field or another ‘All Fields’ option in either an ‘AND’ or ‘OR’ Boolean
relationship. In addition, a single field may be searched individually or
in combination with one other field with identical logical options.
Expression Search
Users may construct a simple or complex search using a select set of
field codes and associated terms, phrases, numbers, or alphanumeric
characters, separately or in a simple or nested Boolean statement (e.g.,
‘pd = 1998 and abst = glove’). The following codes are presently avail-
able and searchable:
• PN (Publication Number)
• PD (Publication Date)
• TTL (Title)
• ADDR (Address)
• APD (Application Date)
• IN (Inventor Name)
• ABST (Abstract)
• ICL (International Classification)
• APM [sic] (Applicant(s) Name)
Search results are displayed as a number list (‘ID’). For each entry
the application number (‘App. No.’), and title are provided. The title is
hotlinked to a full record that provides specific data for each of these
searchable fields (e.g., ‘Title: Non-dusting secondary immersion method
of PVC gum gloves,’ ‘Application Number: 97106357,’ ‘Application
Date: 1997.04.04,’ ‘Publication Number: 1195607,’ ‘International
Classification: B29C 41/14’), and ‘Abstract.’ In addition, a field is pro-
vided for an ‘Approval Pub. Date’ and a ‘Granted Pub. Date.’
Access to the full-text of patents is not directly available from the Eng-
lish-language service. Using data obtained from this English language
search, users can retrieve select full-text documents as TIF images from
the Chinese language patent search database [http://www.jiansuo.com/]
by following instructions on searching the Chinese language interface
provided by John Mayall [http://www.mayallj.freeserve.co.uk/china.htm].
WHO? The China Patent Database is provided by the State Intellectual
Property Office of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing.
Sci-5 177
CITE: IP Menu, “July 2002 to August 2002: Tuesday, 23 July 2002: State
Intellectual Property Office of China Database,” 2002. <http://www.
ipmenu.com/archive/July2002toAugust2002.htm> (17 September 2002).
WHAT? DEPATISnet
WHERE? http://www.depatisnet.de/
WHEN? April 2001 (German) / June 2001 (English version)
WHY? DEPATISnet is a service provided by the German Patent and Trade
Mark Office (Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt), Munich. DEPATISnet,
the German Patent Information System on the Internet, allows users to per-
form online searches free-of-charge for patents contained in the DEPATIS
data archive.
HOW? DEPATISnet provides access to all German patents issued since
1877 and those made available from the national patent offices of Aus-
tralia, Austria, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom,
and the USA. DEPATISnet is an archive of more than 20 million patent
documents published worldwide, and includes more than 5 million Jap-
anese abstracts. Nearly 1 million new documents are currently added
each year.
Within DEPATISnet, full-text searching is available for all German
patent applications (‘Offenlegungsschriften’) and patents granted since
1987. For other patent documents, search options will vary, although
searching by document number and the International Patent Classifica-
tion (IPC) scheme are standard.
A variety of search modes are offered to meet the needs of casual and
expert users, including the following options:
Beginner’s Search
This mode is suitable for simple queries (e. g., ‘publication number,’ ‘ti-
tle,’ ‘applicant,’ etc.). Fields can be searched separately or in combination.
Expert Search
In the ‘Expert’ mode users can compose search statements by select-
ing from a scrollable menu of field names and associated labels, as well
as common and uncommon Boolean operators (e.g., ‘AND,’ ‘OR,’
178 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
* * *
‘NOT’), comparison operators (e.g., ‘>’ (greater than), ‘<’ (less than),
‘=’ (equal to), and IKOFAX proximity operators (e.g., ‘(W)’ (search
terms in the specified order without other intervening terms),‘(P)’ (doc-
uments containing the search terms within the same paragraph), and
‘(L)’ (documents containing the terms within the same field).
IKOFAX Search
In this mode, experienced searchers are offered the opportunity to
use the internal system query command language named IKOFAX.
Using this search option and the command search structure, all indexed
fields are searchable and users can construct detailed and complex
search statements.
Patent ‘Family’ Search
The patent ‘Family’ search allows users to identify documents that
are members of a patent family, either from the patent ‘Family’ search
mode, or directly from the search result list.
When a search has been performed, a results list is displayed. The se-
lection of an entry will provide bibliographic data (title, applicant, in-
ventor, etc.) for the patent. The full text of the patent can be displayed in
PDF format, if available, as indicated by a PDF icon. Users can browse
entries backwards and forwards, and for those documents with full text,
display select sections of a document (e.g., ‘bibliographic data,’ ‘first
page,’ ‘abstract,’ ‘description,’ ‘claims,’ ‘drawing,’ etc.).
WHO? DEPATISnet is a service provided by the German Patent and
Trade Mark Office (Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt), Munich.
CITE: European PatentOffice, “A New FreeInternet Service fromtheGer-
man Patent Office,” 2001, EPIDOS News Online 2/01. <http://www.
european-patent-office.org/news/epidosnews/source/epd_2_01/7_2_01_e.
htm> (25 February 2001).
WHAT? Industrial Property Digital Library
WHERE? http://www.ipdl.jpo.go.jp/homepg_e.ipdl
WHEN? March 1999
Sci-5 179
* * *
WHY? The Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL) is a patent and
trademark service made available by the Japanese Patent Office to provide
free public access to resources that were historically available only at select
offices and libraries. As of April 2002, approximately 47 million ‘IP-re-
lated documents’ are available through the site [http://ship.mind.meiji.ac.
jp/lib/sympo5/overview/fuji.pdf].
HOW? The English-language version of the Industrial Property Digital Li-
brary provides access to the Japanese patent database through a variety of
interfaces, notably a standard patents search (‘Searching PAJ’), a Japanese
patent classification code search interface (‘FI/F-term Search’), a Japanese
patent classification code browse and search interface (‘Patent Map Guid-
ance’), and a ‘Patent & Utility Model Concordance.’ The ‘FI’ (‘File In-
dex’) and ‘F-Term’ are patent classification schemes developed by the
Japan Patent Office [http://www.jpo.go.jp/infoe/pdf/paj21.pdf] [http://
www.european-patent-office.org/news/epidosnews/source/epd_3_01/11_3
_01_e.htm].
On the English-language homepage patent resources are grouped
within the ‘Patent & Utility Model’ category (‘2.’). The Japanese inter-
face for the IPDL offers access to these and several other specialized pat-
ent and trademark databases [http://www.ipdl.jpo.go.jp/homepg.ipdl].
In addition to the JPO database and its various interfaces, the Eng-
lish-language homepage, through a linked list, provides access to vari-
ous regional (e.g., Australian, Korean, and New Zealand) and U.S.,
European, and international, patent Web sites (e.g., USPTO, European
Patent Office, WIPO).
Searching PAJ
From this interface, users can search the JPO database by applicant
name, title, or abstract, separately or in combination. In addition, results
may be limited by date and/or by International Patent Classification
(IPC). The database can also be searched by application, publication, or
patent number, or ‘number of appeal against examiner’s decision of re-
jection’.
If results are greater than 1,000 records, the system will suggest that the
search be refined. For searches with results less than 1,000 entries users
can display a list of relevant entries by clicking on the ‘Index Indication’
button at the top of the results page, which will display a listing of re-
trieved records in reverse chronological order by ‘Publication No.’ Upon
selecting the hyperlinked publication number (e.g., ‘2001-249755’), a
180 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
brief record with basic bibliographic information will be displayed with a
selected figure. In selecting the ‘Detail’ button at the top of this record, a
second window is opened that provides options for retrieving other sec-
tions of the patent (e.g., ‘detailed description,’ ‘technical field,’ ‘prior
art,’ ‘effect of the invention,’ ‘technical problem,’ ‘means,’ ‘description
of drawings,’ ‘drawings’). The English-language patent text is created by
‘machine translation.’
WHO? Industrial Property Digital Library is a patent and trademark
service made available by the Japanese Patent Office [http://www.jpo.
go.jp/index.htm].
CITE: Seiji Banno, “Industrial Property Digital Library,” Presentation
at PATLIB 2000:The Next Generation, May 16-18, 2000, Helsinki, Fin-
land <http://www.european-patent-office.org/epidos/conf/patlib2000/
presentations/bannos.pdf> (14 September 2002).
WHAT? Intellectual Property Digital Library
WHERE? http://ipdl.wipo.int/
WHEN? January 2001
WHY? The objective of the Intellectual Property Digital Library
(IPDL) project is to facilitate access to and exchange of intellectual
property information to provide “a tool for technology transfer and eco-
nomic development to the benefit of developing countries and their in-
ventors, industry, universities and research and development instit-
utions.”
HOW? The Intellectual Property Digital Library Web site provides ac-
cess to various intellectual property databases currently hosted by the
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These databases in-
clude the Hague Express Database, the Madrid Express Database, the
PCT Electronic Gazette, and the non-patent reference data from the Jour-
nal of Patent Associated Literature (JOPAL) [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/
search/search.shtml]. Currently, two levels of access are available for
each database: ‘Account’ and ‘Guest.’
Hague Express Database
The Hague Express Database includes bibliographical data and fig-
ures or images of industrial designs relating to international deposits
Sci-5 181
* * *
that have been recorded in the WIPO International Register and pub-
lished in the International Designs Bulletin as of issue No. 1/1999.
Madrid Express Database
The Madrid Express Database provides access to all international trade-
mark registrations that are currently in force or have expired within the past
six months. It also includes data relating to international applications and
subsequent designations that have been received by the WIPO Interna-
tional Bureau but not yet recorded in its international register of marks.
PCT Electronic Gazette
The PCT Electronic Gazette database provides ‘first page data’ (bib-
liographic data, abstract, and drawing) of Patent Cooperation Treaty
(PCT) applications published since January 1997. The PCT simplifies
and reduces the cost of obtaining international patent protection. By fil-
ing one international patent application under terms of the PCT, an in-
ventor can “simultaneously seek protection for an invention in over one
hundred countries . . . throughout the world.”
The database may be searched using an advanced search interface, a
‘Simple Search’ interface [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/search/pct/search-simp.
html] or a ‘Structured Search’ interface [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/search/pct/
search-struct.html]. The advanced search, the default, allows users to per-
form a free-text or field search (e.g., ‘ET’ (English title), ‘ABE’ (English
Abstract), ‘PA’ (applicant name)) [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/search/pct/search2.
html]. The entire database may be searched or limited to the current week
(e.g., ‘12.09.2002’). Results may be sorted chronologically or by relevance;
full records may be displayed in a ‘Basic,’ ‘Gazette,’ or ‘Front Page’ format.
In addition, users can specify the types of data to be displayed in the results
listing (e.g., publication date (‘Pub. Date’), assigned international classifi-
cation (‘Int. Class.’), application number (‘App. Num.’), ‘First Inventor,’
‘First Applicant,’ ‘Abstract,’ and/or ‘Image’ (None/Small/Large); publica-
tion number (‘Pub. No’) and ‘Title’ are standard. Results may be displayed
as lists of 10, 25, or 50 entries.
The full-text of a PCT application is accessible by clicking the ‘View
Images’ button located in the upper left-hand corner at the top of the ap-
plication record, when available. (Full-text data is provided fourteen
days after the application is formally published.) Applications are pro-
vided in PDF format through a link to the esp@cenet® patent service of
the European Patent Office [http://www.european-patent-office.org/
espacenet/info/index.htm].
182 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
WHO? World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) [http://www.
wipo.int/about-wipo/en/]
CITE: World Intellectual Property Organization, IPDL SCIT Documen-
tation, n.d. <http://www.wipo.int/scit/en/ipdl/index.htm> (17 Septem-
ber 2002).
WHAT? SurfIP
WHERE? http://www.surfip.gov.sg/sip_home.htm
WHEN? July 2000
WHY? SurfIP is “a special project of the Intellectual Property Office of
Singapore (IPOS) . . . developed to serve the . . . [intellectual property]
community as a One-Stop first-stop portal for intellectual property in-
formation.” Through SurfIP, users “can search for information relating
to the Biotechnology, IT, Telecommunication and Manufacturing In-
dustries,” and other areas.
HOW? SurfIP offers member- and non-member-based services: non-
members can use “the Patent and Web Interactive Search Banner . . . ,
Business News Search Banner and IP Events Search Banner” . . . and
most of the information services; registered SurfIP ‘Associate Members’
can access: SurfIP Research, SurfIP Marketplace, and SurfIP Services;
and ‘Premium Members’ can access: SurfIP Research, SurfIP Market-
place, SurfIP Services, and TRRU® Metrics IP Valuation [http://www.
surfip.gov.sg/reg_member_plans.htm].
SurfIP Research
SurfIP Research provides access to selected patent, technical and
business sources and offers the following search options:
• Simple Search (free-text searching across selected patent, techni-
cal and business sources);
• Structured Search (field searching);
• Patent Number Search (patent or application number); and
• IPC Search (International Patent Classification).
Sci-5 183
* * *
SurfIP Marketplace
SurfIP Marketplace is a ‘platform’ for Intellectual Property owners
“to market and commercialize their IP assets through licensing and
sales” and offers the following search or management options:
• Simple Search (free-text searching across selected patent, techni-
cal and business sources);
• Structured Search (fields searching);
• Boolean Search; and
• Portfolio Management facility (for creating, managing, tracking
Intellectual Property listings).
SurfIP Services
SurfIP offers access to a variety of relevant information and services:
• ‘Panel of Advisors’ (directory of “lawyers, accountants, insurers
and technical specialists,” who offer Intellectual Property consul-
tation services);
• ‘IP Directory’ (directory of Intellectual Property law firms and
services located in Singapore);
• Information services (e.g., news, articles and Intellectual Property
‘Resources,’ e.g., ‘Singapore IP Law Resources’).
Miscellaneous
SurfIP also offers a variety of associated services and functionalities:
• Online translation (“machine translation” of English text into Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, and European languages) SurfIP Research only;
• ‘Cross-Lingual Chinese Searching.’ SurfIP Research only;
• Current awareness (daily, weekly, or monthly updates) SurfIP Re-
search and SurfIP Marketplace;
• Bookmarking; print, download, or e-mail delivery, and stored
searches.
Searching
The main search page provides users with the opportunity to search
one or more patent and/or Internet search engines, separately or concur-
rently. Presently, access is provided to the patent databases offered by
184 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS); the World Intel-
lectual Property Office (WIPO); European Patent Office (EPO); the
Patent Office (Great Britain) (UKPO); the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO); the Japanese Patent Office, Industrial
Property Digital Library (JPO-IPDL); the Canadian Intellectual Patent
Office (CIPO); and the Intellectual Property Office (Taiwan) (Taipei
PI). In addition access is provided to AltaVista® and Google™.
WHO? SurfIP is provided by the Intellectual Property Office of Singa-
pore (IPOS) [http://www.ipos.gov.sg/].
CITE:Daniel Buenas, “Intellectual property search portal launched,”
Business Times (Singapore), 14 July 2000, Singapore News, p. 8.
<http://www.surfip.gov.sg/news/20000714/BusinessTimes.htm> (14 Sep-
tember 2002).
NOMINATIONS
Members of the science and technology community are invited to nomi-
nate quality science and technology Web sites and resources for potential
review in Sci-5. Of greatest interest are sites with uncommon but useful
content, and those with innovative features and functionalities. Nomina-
tions should be sent to Gerry McKiernan (gerrymck@iastate.edu).
Sci-5 185
* * *

More Related Content

Viewers also liked (16)

Chefly Keynote at ETSII
Chefly Keynote at ETSIIChefly Keynote at ETSII
Chefly Keynote at ETSII
 
Tesla roadster
Tesla roadsterTesla roadster
Tesla roadster
 
Eis4
Eis4Eis4
Eis4
 
International patents
International patentsInternational patents
International patents
 
Angular 2 is Coming - GDG DevFest Cordoba 2015
Angular 2 is Coming - GDG DevFest Cordoba 2015Angular 2 is Coming - GDG DevFest Cordoba 2015
Angular 2 is Coming - GDG DevFest Cordoba 2015
 
A&i
A&iA&i
A&i
 
Street Art en la Lechera -Torrelavega-
Street Art en la Lechera -Torrelavega-Street Art en la Lechera -Torrelavega-
Street Art en la Lechera -Torrelavega-
 
Acu
AcuAcu
Acu
 
Ji cv6n2
Ji cv6n2Ji cv6n2
Ji cv6n2
 
New agee journals
New agee journalsNew agee journals
New agee journals
 
Curso de Responsive Design
Curso de Responsive DesignCurso de Responsive Design
Curso de Responsive Design
 
Chefly: Pitch for Tetuan Valley Startup School
Chefly: Pitch for Tetuan Valley Startup SchoolChefly: Pitch for Tetuan Valley Startup School
Chefly: Pitch for Tetuan Valley Startup School
 
Educational loans
Educational loansEducational loans
Educational loans
 
KETM catalog.TH
KETM catalog.THKETM catalog.TH
KETM catalog.TH
 
KETM e-catalog.EN
KETM e-catalog.EN KETM e-catalog.EN
KETM e-catalog.EN
 
How KETM power optimization system works?
How KETM power optimization system works?How KETM power optimization system works?
How KETM power optimization system works?
 

Similar to Fips

Patent database with one example
Patent database with one examplePatent database with one example
Patent database with one examplePallavi Belkar
 
2010 Patent Information
2010 Patent Information2010 Patent Information
2010 Patent Informationsmallhead
 
Epo info resources & espacenet & search techniques
Epo info resources & espacenet & search techniquesEpo info resources & espacenet & search techniques
Epo info resources & espacenet & search techniquesLATIPAT
 
IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...
IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...
IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...Dr. Haxel Consult
 
Epo presentation
Epo presentationEpo presentation
Epo presentationKMSReddy
 
The EPO document collection: A technical treasure chest
The EPO document collection:A technical treasure chestThe EPO document collection:A technical treasure chest
The EPO document collection: A technical treasure chestGO opleidingen
 
Patent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transfer
Patent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transferPatent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transfer
Patent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transferRajalingam Balakrishnan
 
Patent scope ompi
Patent scope ompiPatent scope ompi
Patent scope ompiLATIPAT
 
Step by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR Report
Step by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR ReportStep by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR Report
Step by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR ReportAll India Result
 
Epo inpadoc21
Epo inpadoc21Epo inpadoc21
Epo inpadoc21LATIPAT
 
WIPS Global Brochure, New
WIPS Global Brochure, NewWIPS Global Brochure, New
WIPS Global Brochure, Newshikha gupta
 
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...Dr. Haxel Consult
 
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...Dr. Haxel Consult
 
An advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent data
An advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent dataAn advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent data
An advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent dataIntepat IP
 
WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008 5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...
WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008  5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008  5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...
WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008 5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...Roberto Nani
 
International Intellectual Property Legal Research
International Intellectual Property Legal ResearchInternational Intellectual Property Legal Research
International Intellectual Property Legal ResearchKatie Brown
 

Similar to Fips (20)

Patent database with one example
Patent database with one examplePatent database with one example
Patent database with one example
 
2010 Patent Information
2010 Patent Information2010 Patent Information
2010 Patent Information
 
Patent database
Patent databasePatent database
Patent database
 
Epo info resources & espacenet & search techniques
Epo info resources & espacenet & search techniquesEpo info resources & espacenet & search techniques
Epo info resources & espacenet & search techniques
 
How To Complete A UK Patent Search
How To Complete A UK Patent SearchHow To Complete A UK Patent Search
How To Complete A UK Patent Search
 
Patent searching training doc
Patent searching training docPatent searching training doc
Patent searching training doc
 
IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...
IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...
IC-SDV 2018: Martin Kracker (EPO) Linked Open EP data – a new Product from th...
 
Epo presentation
Epo presentationEpo presentation
Epo presentation
 
The EPO document collection: A technical treasure chest
The EPO document collection:A technical treasure chestThe EPO document collection:A technical treasure chest
The EPO document collection: A technical treasure chest
 
Patent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transfer
Patent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transferPatent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transfer
Patent searching process &amp; ownership rights and transfer
 
Patent scope ompi
Patent scope ompiPatent scope ompi
Patent scope ompi
 
Step by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR Report
Step by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR ReportStep by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR Report
Step by Step Guidelines for Preparing PSAR Report
 
Epo inpadoc21
Epo inpadoc21Epo inpadoc21
Epo inpadoc21
 
WIPS Global Brochure, New
WIPS Global Brochure, NewWIPS Global Brochure, New
WIPS Global Brochure, New
 
Patent
PatentPatent
Patent
 
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
 
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
II-PIC 2017: Gain insight into technical, legal and business information thro...
 
An advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent data
An advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent dataAn advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent data
An advanced tool for searching the epo's worldwide patent data
 
WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008 5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...
WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008  5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008  5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...
WORLD CONFERENCE: TRIZ FUTURE 2008 5-7 November 2008, University of Twente, ...
 
International Intellectual Property Legal Research
International Intellectual Property Legal ResearchInternational Intellectual Property Legal Research
International Intellectual Property Legal Research
 

More from Gerry McKiernan (20)

New old(1)
New old(1)New old(1)
New old(1)
 
New agee journals(1)
New agee journals(1)New agee journals(1)
New agee journals(1)
 
New age
New ageNew age
New age
 
Nadsasa
NadsasaNadsasa
Nadsasa
 
Mobile lucky7
Mobile lucky7Mobile lucky7
Mobile lucky7
 
Ji cv6n1
Ji cv6n1Ji cv6n1
Ji cv6n1
 
Iwr g mc-k-may2008
Iwr g mc-k-may2008Iwr g mc-k-may2008
Iwr g mc-k-may2008
 
Iwr
IwrIwr
Iwr
 
In depth 33-2
In depth 33-2In depth 33-2
In depth 33-2
 
I beyondbookmarksi
I beyondbookmarksiI beyondbookmarksi
I beyondbookmarksi
 
G mc kblogosphereprofile
G mc kblogosphereprofileG mc kblogosphereprofile
G mc kblogosphereprofile
 
Free internationalpatents
Free internationalpatentsFree internationalpatents
Free internationalpatents
 
Fip
FipFip
Fip
 
New old
New oldNew old
New old
 
Energy citations
Energy citationsEnergy citations
Energy citations
 
Esp@cenet
Esp@cenetEsp@cenet
Esp@cenet
 
E profiles 1
E profiles 1E profiles 1
E profiles 1
 
Esc net
Esc netEsc net
Esc net
 
Energy files
Energy filesEnergy files
Energy files
 
Eps
EpsEps
Eps
 

Fips

  • 1. Free International Web-Based Patent Sites Gerry McKiernan In recent years there has been a proliferation of free Internet-based patent information services: while there were five service providers with Web-based services in 1996, as of 2001, there were more than 50! Currently, two hosts dominate the free-of-charge services: the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) [http://www.uspto.gov/] and esp@cenet®, the service and portal offered by the European Patent Office [http://www.espacenet.com/] (Technopolis Group, 2001). The USPTO and many European patent Web sites, however, not only provide free access to their respective patent information resources; many also offer access to a variety of relevant Intellectual Property sources and gateways to international and other national services. Nor are free Web-based patent services restricted to those offered by the United States and European countries; a number of non-Western na- Gerry McKiernan, AB, MS, is Associate Professor, Science and Technology Librar- ian, and Bibliographer, Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA (E-mail: gerrymck@ iastate.edu). [Haworth indexing entry note]: “Free International Web-Based Patent Sites.” McKiernan, Gerry. Pub- lished in Science & Technology Libraries (The Haworth Information Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press, Inc.) Vol. 22, No. 1/2, 2001, pp. 175-185. Single or multiple copies of this article are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service [1-800-HAWORTH, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST). E-mail address: docdelivery@haworthpress.com]. http://www.haworthpress.com/store/product.asp?sku=J122  2001 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved. 10.1300/J122v22n01_11 175 SCI-5
  • 2. tions have established Web-based patent services, many with Eng- lish-language interfaces. In general, many of these services–like their Western counterparts–provide access to patent bibliographic data and abstracts, and in many cases, link to the full text of associated patent documents. CITE: Technopolis Group, “Free Patent Information on the Internet: An Impact Assessment, Final Report, Draft in Confidence,” 2001. <http://www. european-patent-office.org/epidos/conf/patlib2002/pres/schwanderp_te.pdf> (16 September 2002). WHAT? [China Patent Database] WHERE? http://www.sipo.gov.cn/sipo_English/default.htm WHEN? July 2002 WHY? The China Patent Database is made available as a public ser- vice by the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of the People’s Re- public of China to publicize “the intellectual property policy of the state” and to provide “complete and comprehensive patent information service . . . for the purpose of creating better social and economic benefits to the country.” HOW? The China Patent Database may be searched in one of three ways: • basic search (single field search) • ‘Quick Search’ (two field search) • ‘Expression Search’ (simple or complex Boolean searching) Basic Search A basic search is provided directly from the English-language homepage of the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Re- public of China (SIPO). By using a pull-down menu, it allows the user to search the China Patent Database by one of several fields, notably ‘Ti- tle,’ ‘Abstract,’ ‘Application Number,’ ‘Inventor(s) Name,’ ‘IPC’ (Inter- national Patent Classification), or ‘Applicant(s) Name.’ Quick Search In addition to providing the field search options available in a basic search, a ‘Quick Search’ option allows users to also search by ‘Applica- 176 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives * * *
  • 3. tion Date,’ Publication Date,’ ‘Address,’ and ‘Attorney & Agent.’ ‘All Fields’ can also be searched separately or in combination with a single field or another ‘All Fields’ option in either an ‘AND’ or ‘OR’ Boolean relationship. In addition, a single field may be searched individually or in combination with one other field with identical logical options. Expression Search Users may construct a simple or complex search using a select set of field codes and associated terms, phrases, numbers, or alphanumeric characters, separately or in a simple or nested Boolean statement (e.g., ‘pd = 1998 and abst = glove’). The following codes are presently avail- able and searchable: • PN (Publication Number) • PD (Publication Date) • TTL (Title) • ADDR (Address) • APD (Application Date) • IN (Inventor Name) • ABST (Abstract) • ICL (International Classification) • APM [sic] (Applicant(s) Name) Search results are displayed as a number list (‘ID’). For each entry the application number (‘App. No.’), and title are provided. The title is hotlinked to a full record that provides specific data for each of these searchable fields (e.g., ‘Title: Non-dusting secondary immersion method of PVC gum gloves,’ ‘Application Number: 97106357,’ ‘Application Date: 1997.04.04,’ ‘Publication Number: 1195607,’ ‘International Classification: B29C 41/14’), and ‘Abstract.’ In addition, a field is pro- vided for an ‘Approval Pub. Date’ and a ‘Granted Pub. Date.’ Access to the full-text of patents is not directly available from the Eng- lish-language service. Using data obtained from this English language search, users can retrieve select full-text documents as TIF images from the Chinese language patent search database [http://www.jiansuo.com/] by following instructions on searching the Chinese language interface provided by John Mayall [http://www.mayallj.freeserve.co.uk/china.htm]. WHO? The China Patent Database is provided by the State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China, Beijing. Sci-5 177
  • 4. CITE: IP Menu, “July 2002 to August 2002: Tuesday, 23 July 2002: State Intellectual Property Office of China Database,” 2002. <http://www. ipmenu.com/archive/July2002toAugust2002.htm> (17 September 2002). WHAT? DEPATISnet WHERE? http://www.depatisnet.de/ WHEN? April 2001 (German) / June 2001 (English version) WHY? DEPATISnet is a service provided by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt), Munich. DEPATISnet, the German Patent Information System on the Internet, allows users to per- form online searches free-of-charge for patents contained in the DEPATIS data archive. HOW? DEPATISnet provides access to all German patents issued since 1877 and those made available from the national patent offices of Aus- tralia, Austria, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the USA. DEPATISnet is an archive of more than 20 million patent documents published worldwide, and includes more than 5 million Jap- anese abstracts. Nearly 1 million new documents are currently added each year. Within DEPATISnet, full-text searching is available for all German patent applications (‘Offenlegungsschriften’) and patents granted since 1987. For other patent documents, search options will vary, although searching by document number and the International Patent Classifica- tion (IPC) scheme are standard. A variety of search modes are offered to meet the needs of casual and expert users, including the following options: Beginner’s Search This mode is suitable for simple queries (e. g., ‘publication number,’ ‘ti- tle,’ ‘applicant,’ etc.). Fields can be searched separately or in combination. Expert Search In the ‘Expert’ mode users can compose search statements by select- ing from a scrollable menu of field names and associated labels, as well as common and uncommon Boolean operators (e.g., ‘AND,’ ‘OR,’ 178 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives * * *
  • 5. ‘NOT’), comparison operators (e.g., ‘>’ (greater than), ‘<’ (less than), ‘=’ (equal to), and IKOFAX proximity operators (e.g., ‘(W)’ (search terms in the specified order without other intervening terms),‘(P)’ (doc- uments containing the search terms within the same paragraph), and ‘(L)’ (documents containing the terms within the same field). IKOFAX Search In this mode, experienced searchers are offered the opportunity to use the internal system query command language named IKOFAX. Using this search option and the command search structure, all indexed fields are searchable and users can construct detailed and complex search statements. Patent ‘Family’ Search The patent ‘Family’ search allows users to identify documents that are members of a patent family, either from the patent ‘Family’ search mode, or directly from the search result list. When a search has been performed, a results list is displayed. The se- lection of an entry will provide bibliographic data (title, applicant, in- ventor, etc.) for the patent. The full text of the patent can be displayed in PDF format, if available, as indicated by a PDF icon. Users can browse entries backwards and forwards, and for those documents with full text, display select sections of a document (e.g., ‘bibliographic data,’ ‘first page,’ ‘abstract,’ ‘description,’ ‘claims,’ ‘drawing,’ etc.). WHO? DEPATISnet is a service provided by the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt), Munich. CITE: European PatentOffice, “A New FreeInternet Service fromtheGer- man Patent Office,” 2001, EPIDOS News Online 2/01. <http://www. european-patent-office.org/news/epidosnews/source/epd_2_01/7_2_01_e. htm> (25 February 2001). WHAT? Industrial Property Digital Library WHERE? http://www.ipdl.jpo.go.jp/homepg_e.ipdl WHEN? March 1999 Sci-5 179 * * *
  • 6. WHY? The Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL) is a patent and trademark service made available by the Japanese Patent Office to provide free public access to resources that were historically available only at select offices and libraries. As of April 2002, approximately 47 million ‘IP-re- lated documents’ are available through the site [http://ship.mind.meiji.ac. jp/lib/sympo5/overview/fuji.pdf]. HOW? The English-language version of the Industrial Property Digital Li- brary provides access to the Japanese patent database through a variety of interfaces, notably a standard patents search (‘Searching PAJ’), a Japanese patent classification code search interface (‘FI/F-term Search’), a Japanese patent classification code browse and search interface (‘Patent Map Guid- ance’), and a ‘Patent & Utility Model Concordance.’ The ‘FI’ (‘File In- dex’) and ‘F-Term’ are patent classification schemes developed by the Japan Patent Office [http://www.jpo.go.jp/infoe/pdf/paj21.pdf] [http:// www.european-patent-office.org/news/epidosnews/source/epd_3_01/11_3 _01_e.htm]. On the English-language homepage patent resources are grouped within the ‘Patent & Utility Model’ category (‘2.’). The Japanese inter- face for the IPDL offers access to these and several other specialized pat- ent and trademark databases [http://www.ipdl.jpo.go.jp/homepg.ipdl]. In addition to the JPO database and its various interfaces, the Eng- lish-language homepage, through a linked list, provides access to vari- ous regional (e.g., Australian, Korean, and New Zealand) and U.S., European, and international, patent Web sites (e.g., USPTO, European Patent Office, WIPO). Searching PAJ From this interface, users can search the JPO database by applicant name, title, or abstract, separately or in combination. In addition, results may be limited by date and/or by International Patent Classification (IPC). The database can also be searched by application, publication, or patent number, or ‘number of appeal against examiner’s decision of re- jection’. If results are greater than 1,000 records, the system will suggest that the search be refined. For searches with results less than 1,000 entries users can display a list of relevant entries by clicking on the ‘Index Indication’ button at the top of the results page, which will display a listing of re- trieved records in reverse chronological order by ‘Publication No.’ Upon selecting the hyperlinked publication number (e.g., ‘2001-249755’), a 180 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
  • 7. brief record with basic bibliographic information will be displayed with a selected figure. In selecting the ‘Detail’ button at the top of this record, a second window is opened that provides options for retrieving other sec- tions of the patent (e.g., ‘detailed description,’ ‘technical field,’ ‘prior art,’ ‘effect of the invention,’ ‘technical problem,’ ‘means,’ ‘description of drawings,’ ‘drawings’). The English-language patent text is created by ‘machine translation.’ WHO? Industrial Property Digital Library is a patent and trademark service made available by the Japanese Patent Office [http://www.jpo. go.jp/index.htm]. CITE: Seiji Banno, “Industrial Property Digital Library,” Presentation at PATLIB 2000:The Next Generation, May 16-18, 2000, Helsinki, Fin- land <http://www.european-patent-office.org/epidos/conf/patlib2000/ presentations/bannos.pdf> (14 September 2002). WHAT? Intellectual Property Digital Library WHERE? http://ipdl.wipo.int/ WHEN? January 2001 WHY? The objective of the Intellectual Property Digital Library (IPDL) project is to facilitate access to and exchange of intellectual property information to provide “a tool for technology transfer and eco- nomic development to the benefit of developing countries and their in- ventors, industry, universities and research and development instit- utions.” HOW? The Intellectual Property Digital Library Web site provides ac- cess to various intellectual property databases currently hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). These databases in- clude the Hague Express Database, the Madrid Express Database, the PCT Electronic Gazette, and the non-patent reference data from the Jour- nal of Patent Associated Literature (JOPAL) [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/ search/search.shtml]. Currently, two levels of access are available for each database: ‘Account’ and ‘Guest.’ Hague Express Database The Hague Express Database includes bibliographical data and fig- ures or images of industrial designs relating to international deposits Sci-5 181 * * *
  • 8. that have been recorded in the WIPO International Register and pub- lished in the International Designs Bulletin as of issue No. 1/1999. Madrid Express Database The Madrid Express Database provides access to all international trade- mark registrations that are currently in force or have expired within the past six months. It also includes data relating to international applications and subsequent designations that have been received by the WIPO Interna- tional Bureau but not yet recorded in its international register of marks. PCT Electronic Gazette The PCT Electronic Gazette database provides ‘first page data’ (bib- liographic data, abstract, and drawing) of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications published since January 1997. The PCT simplifies and reduces the cost of obtaining international patent protection. By fil- ing one international patent application under terms of the PCT, an in- ventor can “simultaneously seek protection for an invention in over one hundred countries . . . throughout the world.” The database may be searched using an advanced search interface, a ‘Simple Search’ interface [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/search/pct/search-simp. html] or a ‘Structured Search’ interface [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/search/pct/ search-struct.html]. The advanced search, the default, allows users to per- form a free-text or field search (e.g., ‘ET’ (English title), ‘ABE’ (English Abstract), ‘PA’ (applicant name)) [http://ipdl.wipo.int/en/search/pct/search2. html]. The entire database may be searched or limited to the current week (e.g., ‘12.09.2002’). Results may be sorted chronologically or by relevance; full records may be displayed in a ‘Basic,’ ‘Gazette,’ or ‘Front Page’ format. In addition, users can specify the types of data to be displayed in the results listing (e.g., publication date (‘Pub. Date’), assigned international classifi- cation (‘Int. Class.’), application number (‘App. Num.’), ‘First Inventor,’ ‘First Applicant,’ ‘Abstract,’ and/or ‘Image’ (None/Small/Large); publica- tion number (‘Pub. No’) and ‘Title’ are standard. Results may be displayed as lists of 10, 25, or 50 entries. The full-text of a PCT application is accessible by clicking the ‘View Images’ button located in the upper left-hand corner at the top of the ap- plication record, when available. (Full-text data is provided fourteen days after the application is formally published.) Applications are pro- vided in PDF format through a link to the esp@cenet® patent service of the European Patent Office [http://www.european-patent-office.org/ espacenet/info/index.htm]. 182 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
  • 9. WHO? World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) [http://www. wipo.int/about-wipo/en/] CITE: World Intellectual Property Organization, IPDL SCIT Documen- tation, n.d. <http://www.wipo.int/scit/en/ipdl/index.htm> (17 Septem- ber 2002). WHAT? SurfIP WHERE? http://www.surfip.gov.sg/sip_home.htm WHEN? July 2000 WHY? SurfIP is “a special project of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) . . . developed to serve the . . . [intellectual property] community as a One-Stop first-stop portal for intellectual property in- formation.” Through SurfIP, users “can search for information relating to the Biotechnology, IT, Telecommunication and Manufacturing In- dustries,” and other areas. HOW? SurfIP offers member- and non-member-based services: non- members can use “the Patent and Web Interactive Search Banner . . . , Business News Search Banner and IP Events Search Banner” . . . and most of the information services; registered SurfIP ‘Associate Members’ can access: SurfIP Research, SurfIP Marketplace, and SurfIP Services; and ‘Premium Members’ can access: SurfIP Research, SurfIP Market- place, SurfIP Services, and TRRU® Metrics IP Valuation [http://www. surfip.gov.sg/reg_member_plans.htm]. SurfIP Research SurfIP Research provides access to selected patent, technical and business sources and offers the following search options: • Simple Search (free-text searching across selected patent, techni- cal and business sources); • Structured Search (field searching); • Patent Number Search (patent or application number); and • IPC Search (International Patent Classification). Sci-5 183 * * *
  • 10. SurfIP Marketplace SurfIP Marketplace is a ‘platform’ for Intellectual Property owners “to market and commercialize their IP assets through licensing and sales” and offers the following search or management options: • Simple Search (free-text searching across selected patent, techni- cal and business sources); • Structured Search (fields searching); • Boolean Search; and • Portfolio Management facility (for creating, managing, tracking Intellectual Property listings). SurfIP Services SurfIP offers access to a variety of relevant information and services: • ‘Panel of Advisors’ (directory of “lawyers, accountants, insurers and technical specialists,” who offer Intellectual Property consul- tation services); • ‘IP Directory’ (directory of Intellectual Property law firms and services located in Singapore); • Information services (e.g., news, articles and Intellectual Property ‘Resources,’ e.g., ‘Singapore IP Law Resources’). Miscellaneous SurfIP also offers a variety of associated services and functionalities: • Online translation (“machine translation” of English text into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and European languages) SurfIP Research only; • ‘Cross-Lingual Chinese Searching.’ SurfIP Research only; • Current awareness (daily, weekly, or monthly updates) SurfIP Re- search and SurfIP Marketplace; • Bookmarking; print, download, or e-mail delivery, and stored searches. Searching The main search page provides users with the opportunity to search one or more patent and/or Internet search engines, separately or concur- rently. Presently, access is provided to the patent databases offered by 184 Patent and Trademark Information: Uses and Perspectives
  • 11. the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS); the World Intel- lectual Property Office (WIPO); European Patent Office (EPO); the Patent Office (Great Britain) (UKPO); the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); the Japanese Patent Office, Industrial Property Digital Library (JPO-IPDL); the Canadian Intellectual Patent Office (CIPO); and the Intellectual Property Office (Taiwan) (Taipei PI). In addition access is provided to AltaVista® and Google™. WHO? SurfIP is provided by the Intellectual Property Office of Singa- pore (IPOS) [http://www.ipos.gov.sg/]. CITE:Daniel Buenas, “Intellectual property search portal launched,” Business Times (Singapore), 14 July 2000, Singapore News, p. 8. <http://www.surfip.gov.sg/news/20000714/BusinessTimes.htm> (14 Sep- tember 2002). NOMINATIONS Members of the science and technology community are invited to nomi- nate quality science and technology Web sites and resources for potential review in Sci-5. Of greatest interest are sites with uncommon but useful content, and those with innovative features and functionalities. Nomina- tions should be sent to Gerry McKiernan (gerrymck@iastate.edu). Sci-5 185 * * *