The document provides an overview of the European Patent Office (EPO) including its 38 member states, 5 office locations, roles and services. It describes how European patent applications can be filed and processed at the EPO for patent protection across member states. Key services mentioned include patent searches, filing fees, and training resources available through the EPO.

1. [email_address] - the database of ideas EPO overview

2. 38 member states Albania • Austria • Bosnia • Belgium • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • De n mark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • Malta • Monaco • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Rom ani a • San Marino • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom European patent applications and patents can also be extended at the applicant's request to the following states: Montenegro • Serbia

3. Locations The EPO has offices at five different locations. Its headquarters are in Munich.

4. Our role in the patent system We provide patent protection in up to 40 European countries based on a single application in one of the three official languages (German, English, French) European patent applications can be filed: direct with the EPO via the national patent offices of the contracting states based on an international (PCT) application We are also responsible for limitation and revocation proceedings by patentees opposition proceedings by third parties appeal proceedings before the Boards of Appeal We process international patent applications we act as a receiving office for international applications (PCT) we carry out international search and preliminary examination procedures

5. Other services Free online services filing fee payment file inspection tracking of legal status of applications Free patent information services online access to all European patent documents (updated weekly) simple online searches in our database of over 90 million patent applications helpdesk staffed by experts on the Japanese, Chinese and Korean patent systems Training conferences workshops and seminars e-learning

6. The modern concept of patents dates to 1421, Florence, Italy, when the city-state granted the first recorded patent to Filippo Brunelleschi, for the design and use of a ship, the Badalone ("seagoing monster"). The Badalone was intended to ferry supplies up the Arno river to the city for the building of the Florentine cathedral dome, of which Brunelleschi was the designer. He demanded and was duly awarded legal protection for his invention, being given the right for three years to burn any competitor's ship that incorporated his design. Alas, the Badalone sank during delivery of a load of white marble intended for use in constructing the dome. http://www.patenthawk.com/#About_Patents

7. 500 B.C.: Greek Colony Sybaris 1449: Henry VI, letters patent - England 1474: Parte Veneziana (Venetian Statute) 1623: Status of Monopolies (England) 1790: US and France 1873: Vienna Exhibition 1883: Paris Convention 1963: Strasbourg 1970: Patent Convention Treaty (PCT) 1973: Munich Convention (EPC)

8. 15-25% of all R&D efforts … wasted each year on developing what has already been patented! Thanks to N. Omland/WHU for providing this slide

9. GB-A-2365393 US-A-1833019 Thanks to N. Omland/WHU for providing this slide

10. Leading applicants and patentees in 2010 Applications Granted European patents

11. What is a patent? A patent is a legal title granting its holder the right to prevent third parties from commercially using an invention without authorisation . In return for this protection, the holder has to disclose the invention to the public . Protection is granted: for a limited period, generally 20 years for a specific geographic area

12. Patent information The grant of an IP right is part of a deal between the applicant and the public: Public is made available complete information about the invention Inventor or owner gets a territorial exclusive right limited in time Publication is a fundamental building block of every patent system A direct outcome of the patent granting procedure ALL of the different procedures foresee the publication of the application documents

13. [email_address] is....... A database of almost 90 million records Prior art Source of technical information A support for innovation, entrepreneurship Designed for the scientist, engineer or technologist Used also by patent experts Data from 85 patent authorities Free of charge

14. What is in esp@cenet ? Almost 90 million patent documents from all over the world from the beginning of the 19th century to today providing you technical information Legal status information, helping you find out if the patent is in force or not and in which countries Patent families information, telling you if very similar patents have been claimed in other countries Bibliographic data of non-patent literature ("XP" documents) Forward and backward citations Link to the European Register for EP and Euro PCT documents Tools for searching in specific technical fields ( IPC and ECLA ) Full document downloads Online translation engine Smart Search tool

15. [email_address] .... ....some statistics >3 million hits per day 28,000 users per day = >10 million per year! around 1200GB transferred per day

16. Watch new technologies emerge Find solutions to your technical problems Discover what your competitors are developing Find business partners What can you do with [email_address] ?

17. http://worldwide.espacenet.com

18. Quick Search Technical keywords Choose database Inventor or Applicant

19. Number search Input of application, publication, priority or NPL reference number (even without country code or kind code) The system finds the numerical string and suggests suitable documents Choose database

20. Advanced search Choose database Many search possibilities

21. Classification search - ECLA

22. Classification search Two options: search with keywords - to find a suitable classification search with symbols to find the definition of a classification Then - MOST IMPORTANT copy the classification to the advanced search mask combine this with other search terms (e.g. keyword)

23. Smart Search A free search field CQL - Standard: Contextual Query Language Future: plug-in for other websites Simple mode: just try it out... Expert mode (field identifiers): target your search fields

24. Smart Search

25. esp@cenet : Sorting & highlighting search Search Statement Sort Hit List Search Terms Highlighted

26. Example Number Search

27. Retrieving a document

28. Retrieving a document

29. Retrieving a document - Bibliographic data

30. Retrieving a document - Description

31. Retrieving a document - Machine Translation

32. Retrieving a document - Claims

33. Retrieving a document - Claims Independent Claim Dependent Claims

34. Retrieving a document - Mosaics

35. Retrieving a document - Original document

36. Retrieving a document - Save full document - 500 pages for EP and WO documents - 250 pages for the rest

37. Retrieving a document - INPADOC legal status data

38. INPADOC Legal Status Information about procedural steps occurring during the patent grant procedure and the subsequent life of a patent (ex. to find out if the patent is in force and in which countries or if it has expired (lapsed)) This information might not be available or might not be complete. The data is provided by the individual patent-granting authorities The EPO does not guarantee the accuracy of the data You should not base important decisions solely on this data. We recommend to check with the relevant patent-granting authority first

39. Advanced Search : Searching for an applicant/inventor

40. Example Advanced Search Searching with technical keywords

41. Searching with technical keywords

42. Searching with Classification Search - ECLA

43. Searching with Classification Search - ECLA

44. Searching with Classification Search - ECLA

45. Search in European Classifications

46. Search in European Classifications

47. Advantages of patent classifications Searches are independent of the wording of the applicants Information added by experts Constantly being revised and updated Field is available in entry level portals (e.g. esp@cenet) Useful field for statistical purposes Product and production processes can both be searched

48. Improving search results Use European and international classifications Combination of search fields Truncations: * Replaces a character string of any length ? Replaces 0 or 1 character # Replaces exactly 1 character Boolean operators: AND , OR , NOT (AND default) Synonyms Phrase search, e.g. "Name1 Name2" (nested) parentheses e.g. (( diode OR excimer ) AND laser )

49. Some limitations Maximum of 10 search terms per search field Maximum of 3 operators per search field Maximum of 21 search terms or 20 operators per search mask (advanced search) Keywords must be in English Not all documents have English titles, English abstracts, ECLA or IPC symbols

50. Non-patent literature (XP documents)

51. Non-patent literature (XP documents)

52. Non-patent literature (XP documents)

53. Help

54. INPADOC patent family Document - patent families simple patent family

55. "simple" patent family P4 P3 D5 P3 P2 D4 P2 P1 D3 P2 P1 D2 P1 D1 Priority Priority Priority Priority Document

56. INPADOC patent family http://www.epo.org/patents/patent-information/about/families.html P4 P3 D5 P3 P2 D4 P2 P1 D3 P2 P1 D2 P1 D1 Priority Priority Priority Priority Document

57. Document - INPADOC patent family

58. Backward citations Documents cited in the search report

59. Forward citations Documents that have cited the document you are looking at

60. Export Hit Lists

61. Useful tips

62. Numbers are not harmonised worldwide but usually consist of the following parts: Country code DE 3629434 A1 Series of numbers WO 1995US15925 ; GB 19950008026 Document kind code EP 0287578 B1 More details at http://www.wipo.int / Numbers ST.16 ST.3 ST.6

63. Names - spelling

64. Names and Spelling Theodor W Hänsch Theodor Haensch Theodor W Haensch Theodor Hansch Wistre Rodriguez Del Amo Wister Rodriguez y del Amo Wistre R Del Amo Wistremundo Rodriguez

65. Names - alternatives and changes AEG until 1999 until 2004 Now: Sanofi Aventis

66. Synonyms and Spelling SYNONYMS spade shovel agricultural implement excavation device .... ACRONYMS MRI, SCUBA, LASER, etc SPELLING colour, color organise, organize ...

67. Synonyms pipe channel, conduit, twitter, pipeline hole aperture, opening, orifice, perforation container holder, receptacle, vessel pipe , hole container

68. Translation and Transliteration Texts may have been (human/machine) translated Consider language of document Transliteration - Juri Yuri Iuri, Τα γάντια κολύμβησης είναι βοηθήματα κολύμβησης χεριών που αποτελούνται από γάντια, τα οποία έχουν μεταξύ των δακτύλων των χεριών μεμβράνη (1), έτσι ώστε όταν ο κολυμβητής τα φορά και ανοίγει τα ... Государственное учреждение "П тигорский государственный научно-исследовательский институт курортологии министерства здравоохранени Российской Федерации" Разширяемите плавници са приложими в плувния спорт. Те имат увеличена площ, в резултат на което сеповишава скоростта при плуване на плувците и водолазите. Плавниците представляват еластична обувка (1) /бота/ от пластмаса или каучук, с вградена метална основа (2) в подметките и прикрепени към нея по две оребрени...

69. INID codes

70. INID codes WIPO: (www.wipo.int)

71. "Electronic Apparatus" Traps for the Beginner of Patentese The Misleading Title

72. " Cooling system for Electronic Apparatus" Traps for the Beginner of Patentese The Misleading Title

73. Traps for the Beginner of Patentese The Over-Specialised Title

74. Traps for the Beginner of Patentese The Over-Specialised Title Viagra Sildenafil citrate

75. Fluorescent Flourescent Traps for the Beginner of Patentese The Alternative Spelling

76. It's a pen!! Writing Instrument? Traps for the Beginner of Patentese The Over Elaborate Title Electric power source for electronic circuits It's a battery!!

77. Jargon des brevets instrument d'écriture = stylo pluralité de billes = roulement à billes objet sphérique muni de filaments souples permettant de mieux l'attraper = balle ludique

78. Jargon des brevets : électronique (1) source d'alimentation électrique pour circuits électroniques dispositif de commutation à semi-conducteur muni d'une électrode de contrôle moyen de liaison électrique isolé galvaniquement = batterie = transistor = transformateur

79. Jargon des brevets : électronique (2) = pantographe dispositif photo-émetteur = DEL (diode électroluminescente) agencement de prélèvement de courant depuis un câble électrique

80. Jargon des brevets : technologie générale (1) élément allongé = tuyau, colonne montante, câble ou fibre optique aile = porte ou fenêtre

81. Jargon des brevets : technologie générale (2) organe de stockage d'énergie = ressort moyen de fixation = clou, vis, rivet, etc.

82. Jargon des brevets : technologie générale (3) membre flexible = membrane ou diaphragme moyen de verrouillage = élément de retenue en forme de U, etc.

83. surface hydrophobe et oléophobe polymère soluble dans l'eau ou dispersible dans l'eau super absorbant copolymère styrénique expansé poly isoprène ionomère copolymère greffé de monomères de vinyle aromatiques sur un caoutchouc butadiène polyester aromatique Teflon® acide polyacrylique (sel) ou alcool polyvinylique gel d'acide polyacrylique (sel) mousse de polystyrène ; Styrofoam® caoutchouc naturel copolymère d'éthylène et sels d'acide acrylique ABS (le plastique des briques LEGO) PET (polyéthylène téréphtalate) Jargon des brevets : chimie (1) Facultative

84. Jargon des brevets : chimie (2) Composition comprenant A, B et C = mélange d'au moins A, B et C, et éventuellement d'autres composants Exemple : composition comprenant une solution d'acide lactique dans de l'alcool/de l'eau -> Le vin ! Composition constituée de A, B et C = mélange dans lequel seuls A, B et C sont présents Exemple : composition constituée d' une solution d'acide lactique dans de l'alcool/de l'eau -> On peut désormais écarter le vin, étant donné qu'il comprend bien plus de composants que l'acide lactique, l'alcool et l'eau. Composition constituée essentiellement de A, B et C = mélange de A, B et C susceptible d'inclure d'autres composants à condition qu'ils n'aient pas de répercussion négative sur l'effet de l'invention Exemple : composition constituée essentiellement d'une solution d'acide lactique dans de l'alcool/de l'eau -> Le vin peut être inclu si les autres composants qui y sont présents n'empêchent pas d'obtenir les effets de l'invention.

85. Jargon des brevets : chimie/industrie pharmaceutique Composition comprenant de l'eau et du glycérol "comprenant" = d'autres ingrédients peuvent également être présents "contenant" = d'autres ingrédients peuvent également être présents "constituée de" = seuls les ingrédients énumérés sont présents

86. Jargon des brevets : industrie pharmaceutique (1) solution ophtalmique = solution adaptée à l'application oculaire (donc PAS une solution d'hydroxyde de sodium avec un pH de 13, par exemple) support pharmaceuti- = toute substance qu'un expert travaillant dans quement acceptable ce domaine (= homme du métier) utiliserait pour préparer un médicament (exemples : cellulose, glycérol, amidon) dispositif de mixtion = tout dispositif ou mixeur qui convient à cette fin. des ingrédients Il ne doit pas forcément provenir du secteur pharmaceutiques pharmaceutique et peut être utilisé dans un but différent (exemple : mixeur ménager)

87. Jargon des brevets : industrie pharmaceutique (2) composition pharmaceutique = exception au principe expliqué : comprenant X et Y pour le l'utilisation visée est prise en considération traitement de la maladie Z (au lieu d'un simple "adaptée à") si - la composition n'a encore jamais été utilisée en médecine (= première utilisation médicale ) ou - l'utilisation spécifique au moins (= deuxième utilisation médicale ) n'a pas encore été décrite

88. PATENT INFORMATION SERVICES FOR EXPERTS GLOBAL PATENT INDEX

89. Rich Internet Application (Adode Flash Player) Access to free & subscription-based databases Replaces MIMOSA Patent information services for experts

90. EP applications (A) and specifications (B) European patent bulletin Global patent index (GPI) PATSTAT Patent information services for experts PRODUCTS

91. What for: worldwide prior art search worldwide weekly patent watch Patent information services for experts GLOBAL PATENT INDEX

92. Patent information services for experts STEP 1: RUN WEB APPLICATION https://data.epo.org/expert-services

93. Patent information services for experts STEP 2: USER IDENTIFICATION AND DATABASE SELECTION

94. 100 search criteria detailed searches complex queries save/load queries for re-use one index per criterion control of presence, format, and quality of data search history check parsed queries STEP 3: CREATE QUERY - RUN SEARCH

95. Boolean query = combination of: criteria terms Boolean operators and or not arithmetic operators = >= <= [ ] ( ) proximity operators e.g. enzymatic +1W hydrolysis wildcards * ? # string delimiters &quot; Patent information services for experts REMINDER (1/2)

96. Query evaluation from left to right: WORD = argon and ( reinigung or purifi* ) WORD = argon and reinigung or purifi* WORD = ( argon and reinigung ) or purifi* Patent information services for experts REMINDER (2/2)

97. Patent information services for experts STEP 4: DISPLAY RESULT LIST AND DOCUMENTS result list customisable downloadable document customisable downloadable query edit zone refine your search

98. GPI DOCUMENT CONTENT DOCDB data (searchable)

99. GPI DOCUMENT CONTENT OPS data (fetched on-the-fly)

100. STEP 5: SIMPLE STATISTICS

101. STEP 5: CROSS REFERENCE

102. week n week n + 1 DOCDB exchange weekly file DOCDB exchange added in GPI database (monday 2pm) criterion DLE (Date of Last Exchange): limit the search scope to the most recent documents exchanged criterion STA (document status): STA = C (Created): document is new in DOCDB STA = A (Amended): document is not new in DOCDB (re-exchanged) GPI DATABASE UPDATE POLICY Patent information services for experts

103. publication, application, priority: country: PUC APC PRC number: PUN APN PRN kind: PUK APK PRK date: PUD APD PRD PUC = (DE FR CH GB) and APP = CERN Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA

104. Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA date filter (standard: YYYYMMDD): PUD = 2008* PUD >= 2008/01/01 and PUD <= 2008/31/12 PUD [01-01-2008, 31-12-2008]

105. titles, abstracts: TIEN or ABEN TIDE or ABDE TIFR or ABFR WORD : all indexed languages Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA

106. English words: ABEN or TIEN = enzymatic and splitting ABEN or TIEN = enzymatic +1W splitting ABEN or TIEN = &quot;enzymatic splitting&quot; Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA

107. acronyms (e.g. DDT), some chemical elements (e.g. argon, krypton), family names (e.g. FISCHER-TROPSCH), translated words: WORD = argon and (reinigung or purifi*) Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA

108. parties: inventor/applicant name: INV APP inventor/applicant country: INVC APPC Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA

109. Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA names indexed by words + expressions INV = &quot;FROMONT JACQUES&quot; INV = FROMONT AND JACQUES

110. classifications: IPC: IPC (IPC 1-8) ECLA: ECLA ICO: ICO national: JPFI , JPFT , USC national: NAT (for non US or JP) Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA JPFI = &quot;B01D000100 A&quot; AND JPFT = 4D076AA

111. Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA classification filter: IPC = A01B000110 IPC = A01B1/10 IPC = &quot;A01B 1/10&quot;

112. citations: category: CCAT patent: CPAT NPL: CNPL Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA CCAT = (X OR Y) AND CNPL = (DERWENT OR WPI) AND CPAT = EP

113. designations: PCT: DSP EPC: DSE EPC extensions: DSX Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA DSX = ME AND PUD = 2011* AND APP = SAMSUNG

114. weekly patent watch: date of last exchange: DLE document status (A/C): STA Patent information services for experts GPI RECOMMENDED SEARCH CRITERIA DLE = 20110922 AND STA = C AND IPC = G01R

115. Download: several formats current limit = 1.000 documents zip files kept 2h server-side Patent information services for experts DOWNLOAD

116. Print: current limit = 50 Patent information services for experts PRINT

117. General preferences: Patent information services for experts Preferences: General

118. Customise result list content: Patent information services for experts Preferences: Result list content

119. Customise document content: Patent information services for experts Preferences: Document content

120. Thank you for your attention! www.epo.org acknowledgements for material: Lisa McDonald-Maier, Nigel Clarke Wistre Rodriguez Del Amo - Computer Engineer - BNS Application Manager EPO The Hague / Patent Grant Automation [email_address]