Latest Intellectual Property Resources
News
|
Tuesday, 30 April 2002
- IP Australia -
Time period reviews
From the news item; "Changes to the Patents, Designs and Trade Marks Acts are
proposed to remove
uncertainty about the effect of local public holidays and time zones on the expiration
of time periods. An issues paper has been prepared to support the Official Notice that
was published about this issue in June 2001. Please click on the following links to
access the Issues
Paper and the Official
Notice.
Comments and feedback are welcomed and should be sent by 10 May 2002 to:
Ms Kerry Sillcock
Development and Legislation Section
PO Box 200
WODEN ACT 2606
or by e-mail to Kerry.Sillcock@ipaustralia.gov.au.
For further information, please contact Mr Albin Smrdel on (02) 6283 2097 or at
Albin.Smrdel@ipaustralia.gov.au"
Posted by Simon Ware.
Monday, 29 April 2002
- IPONZ - IP Renewals
online
IPONZ has just announced that "Renewals have never been so easy! From Monday 29 April
2002 you will be able to renew your patents, trade marks or designs via the website in
just a few minutes and have the records updated and viewable on the internet in "real
time"."
For more information visit the IPONZ website.
Posted by Simon Ware.
- auDA - New 2LDs
"auDA is calling for proposals for new .au second level domains (2LDs), that would be
created alongside the existing 2LDs like com.au and org.au ...
auDA is considering whether there is sufficient public support for the creation of some
new 2LDs. For example, should auDA follow the example of ICANN and create a new
"biz.au" or "name.au"? Another option might be to create new 2LDs for
specific sectors of the community, like "law.au" for lawyers...
auDA is particularly interested in receiving proposals for the existing info.au 2LD, which
is currently inactive...
The closing date for proposals is Friday 31 May 2002.
See http://www.auda.org.au/policy/panel-newname-2002
for more information."
Posted by Simon Ware.
Friday, 26 April 2002
- World Intellectual
Property Day - WIPO
April 26, 2002 will again be celebrated as World Intellectual Property Day, an opportunity
to highlight the significance of creativity and innovation in people's daily lives and in
the betterment of society.
At their annual meetings in September 2000, WIPO member States decided to designate April
26, the date on which the Convention establishing WIPO entered into force in 1970, for
special activities to highlight the importance and practical use of intellectual property.
Following on from the success of the first day (April 26, 2001), WIPO have decided to
repeat the celebration with a series of events and activities organised in WIPO member
states.
Please click here
for a summary of activities planned by Member States and various organisations.
Posted by Simon Ware.
Wednesday, 24 April 2002
- Europe - Automatic
patent watching service
A new service is being offered by Minesoft. EPTracker is an Internet-based automatic
patent monitoring service, which tracks the progress of European patents. EPTracker is
based upon a Public Information Service from the European Patent Office, the European
Patent Registry Online (epoline TM).
More information is available from the EPTRACKER
website.
Posted by Simon Ware.
- MicroPatent
launches Licensing Exchange (WPT-X)
MicroPatent launched WPT-X, the World Patent & Trademark Exchange, for listing and
searching intellectual property available for commercialization. Presently patents and
technologies are published on WPT-X. Trademarks will be added to the service soon.
Posted by Simon Ware.
- ASEAN
and EU to intensify co-operation in the field of intellectual property rights protection
The European Union and ASEAN have made a significant step forward in their joint efforts
to promote internationally accepted standards of intellectual property rights (IPR) in
South-East Asia through an international symposium organised in Bangkok under the new
European Commission-ASEAN Intellectual Property Rights Cooperation Programme (ECAP II).
The EC funded programme sets out is designed to foster trade, investment and technology
transfer between Europe and ASEAN, as well as within ASEAN. The symposium, which is the
first IPR-related event based in Asia under the new scheme programme, unites around 50
intellectual property specialists from the ASEAN and EU member states.
Posted by Simon Ware.
- Draft guidance
literature on patents
The Office would welcome your comments on the attached draft guidance literature which is
comprised of the following booklets:
Pocket guide to protecting your invention (pdf file 143Kb)
Patenting your invention - Essential reading (pdf file 281Kb)
Preparing a UK patent application (pdf file 337Kb)
Requesting search and examination of your patent application (pdf file 298Kb)
Renewing, enforcing and exploiting your patent rights (pdf file 209Kb)
Posted by Simon Ware.
- Commissioner for Trademarks
to Host Trademark E-Commerce Seminar
The Commerce Department's U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Commissioner for
Trademarks, Anne H. Chasser, will host a training seminar, featuring a demonstration of
the agency's award-winning Trademark Electronic Filing System (TEAS) for prospective users
and offering "nuts-and-bolts" perspectives from trademark applicants who have
used the system. Electronic government is a cornerstone of the President's Management
Agenda. Approximately 31% of USPTO's trademark applicants currently use USPTO's faster,
more efficient electronic filing system. The seminar is intended to increase the number of
trademark filers using the system.
Posted by Simon Ware.
Tuesday, 23 April 2002
- Online
searching seminars - Derwent and STN
"Washington, USA, April 2002, Derwent
Information, the world's leading patent information provider, is holding a series of free
seminars in the United States, in conjunction with STN, the leading online information
service. The seminars will show legal, consulting, financial and patent professionals how
they can offer their clients a faster and more cost-effective patent service, through
online searches of international patent information, including genetic sequences and
chemical structures. The seminar dates are:
Washington DC, May 6th 2002
New York, NY, May 7th 2002
Chicago, IL, May 16th 2002.
Anyone interested in attending can book online at : www.derwent.com/ipseminars. "
Posted by Simon Ware.
- Japan - Invention Day 2002
"Invention Day celebrates the starting point of the Japanese intellectual
property rights system. Mr. Korekiyo Takahashi, the first Commissioner of the Patent
Office in Japan, introduced Japan's first patent system by promulgating the Patent
Monopoly Act on April 18, 1885. His goal was to build a nation with a level of technology
equal to highly-industrialized countries. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln once said
"The patent system added the fuel of interest to the fire of genius." Indeed, it
can be said that Invention Day was established to commemorate the day when the fuel of
interest was added to the fire of Japan's abundant wisdom."
Posted by Simon Ware.
Monday, 22 April 2002
Friday, 19 April 2002
- IP Australia's
- National Small Business IP Seminar Program 2002
"If you are in a business which could benefit from information about -
Getting the best commercial returns for your innovations and new business ideas
Practical "real life" examples from Australian business about how to use IP
successfully
How to use IP information to keep track of your market and find out what your competitors
are doing
The differences between different types of IP such as patents, trade marks, designs and
copyright
How to protect and commercialise your ideas
How to identify and manage your IP
How to place value on your IP
Then this is the seminar for you!
IP Australia, in conjunction with the Australian Innovation Festival, is presenting a
series of
evening seminars aimed at helping you to make the most of your IP. Hear from leading
Australian IP experts and local businesses about using IP to stay ahead of your
competition and
making the most of your business innovations.
A list of dates and agendas for the seminar series can be found below:
Date City
29 April Perth
30 April Adelaide
1 May Hobart
2 May Melbourne
8 May Sydney
9 May Brisbane
9 May Canberra
If you would like to view the entire program including dates and venues please click here for the
PDF document or phone 1800 010 999 to register."
| IP Australia | Seminar Information
|
Posted by Simon Ware
Thursday, 18 April 2002
- IPR-Helpdesk relaunched
 "As from 1 April 2002 onwards, and
following the pilot project implemented by the European Commission from 1998 to 2001, we
have the pleasure to announce the launch of the new European Commission’s
Intellectual Property Rights Helpdesk (IPR-Helpdesk).
As you might be aware of, the IPR-Helpdesk aims to assist your organisation on
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) issues related to Research projects receiving European
Commission funding. In addition, if you are not taking part in European Commission funded
Research and Development projects but you are still interested in IPR issues, we are also
at your disposal for accurate guidance.
In order to improve the IPR-Helpdesk operation, we present you the new services we have
established:
1) Website - www.ipr-helpdesk.org (fully
operational by end June 2002)
2) Helpline - Legal/Detailed queries (fully operational in May 2002)
3) Representative Office - General information on IPR-Helpdesk services -
Dissemination action"
4) Info-Service - Legal analysis & Newsletter"
| IPR-Helpdesk |
Posted by Simon Ware
Wednesday, 17 April 2002
Tuesday, 16 April 2002
- INTA Bulletin Archive now available
INTA members now have exclusive access to the INTA Bulletin
Archives. Archived issues since January 2000 are now available. The archives are
searchable by issue, keyword, subsection or article title.
To enjoy this section, you must be a registered user of the Members Only site, and you may
be prompted to enter your username and password. From the Members Only Site, click on
"INTA Bulletin," then "Bulletin Archives."
http://members.inta.org/membersonly/bulletin/archive.asp
Questions about accessing the Members Only site? Send an email to mailto:membersonly@inta.org.
Posted by Simon
Ware
Monday, 15 April 2002
Wednesday, 10 April 2002
- Call for
Posters for 2002 PIUG Northeast Workshop
 PIUG
are preparing the program for the 2002 PIUG Northeast Workshop. This meeting will be held
on Tuesday, October 8, 2002 at the Hilton Woodbridge in Iselin, NJ. In addition to oral
presentations, PIUG are planning to have a poster session. If you are interested in
presenting in the Poster Session at the PIUG NE Workshop, please send an abstract and bio
to Elyse Turner by April 30, 2002. Submission
of an abstract does not guarantee poster space due to the limited space available in a one
day workshop.
| PIUG Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- U.S.
Patent System 212 Years Old
The USPTO have posted a Press Release on the 212th anniversary of the US Patent
System. On 10 April 1790, President George Washington signed the bill that "laid
the foundation of the modern American patent system. This date marks the first time in
American history that the law gave inventors rights to their creations. The 1790 law gave
the Patent Board members the power to grant a patent. Their authority was absolute and
could not be appealed. The first board members included Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of
State, who was considered the first administrator of the American patent system and the
first patent examiner; Henry Knox, Secretary of War; and Edmund Randolph, Attorney
General. The Department of State had the responsibility for administering the patent laws,
and fees for a patent were between $4 and $5, with the board deciding on the duration of
each patent, not to exceed 14 years". To read the full press release, click here.
| USPTO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- IP
MENU Update
IP MENU has updated the following - IP Conferences, IP Firms - Belgium, IP
Firms - Denmark, IP Firms - Japan, IP Firms - Liberia, IP Firms - Norway, IP Firms - Sweden, IP Firms - USA - California,
IP Firms - USA -
Washington DC, IP Firms
- USA - Georgia, IP
Firms - USA - Massachusetts and IP
Firms - South Korea.
Posted by Saskia Jahn and Matthew Downing.
Tuesday, 09 April 2002
- STN-Easy
- New Patent Look-Up Tool
 Users
of STN Easy can now select the Patent Tab and search for patents by inventor, patent
assignee, patent number, keywords etc. Online help messages and examples are available to
assist in choosing search terms specific to patents.
STN Easy is one of several services that provide access to STN International, the premier
online network for science and technology, offering a network of more than 200 scientific
and technical databases. STN Easy provides access to more than 80 of the STN databases
including major patent databases from the USPTO and the European, German and Japanese
patent offices among others.
| STN Website | STN-Easy Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Hilltop
Consulting - Employment Opportunity
 Hilltop
Consulting is looking for two individuals to provide assistance, on a part-time basis, in
marketing our products and services to IP law firms, corporations, and other
organizations with an interest in Intellectual Property.
Qualified applicants must possess experience, preferably in the Intellectual Property
arena, in at least two of the following areas:
1) Onsite Software Training or Demonstration.
2) Phone or E-Mail-based Technical Support.
3) Patent and Trademark Research.
4) Patent and Trademark Copy Services.
5) Software Marketing.
Please submit resumes to jturner@latpat.com
Hilltop Consulting is the developer of FileShopper.com and FileShopper P2P file sharing
software, and is the only authorized reseller of PatSee The Patent Downloader in the
eastern United States.
To find out more about FileShopper, please visit www.FileShopper.com
To find out more about Hilltop Consulting and Patsee The Patent Downloader,
please visit www.latpat.com.
Monday, 08 April 2002
Friday, 05 April 2002
- World Intellectual Property
Day is April 26, 2002
 April
26 is World Intellectual Property Day. WIPO state that it is an opportunity to highlight
the significance of creativity and innovation in people's daily lives and in the
betterment of society.
To mark the occasion, WIPO Director General Dr. Kamil Idris issued the following message: "Encouraging
Creativity, the theme of this year’s World Intellectual Property Day, springs from
the World Intellectual Property Organization’s conviction that human inventiveness,
harnessed by the intellectual property system, is key to generating wealth, raising living
standards and enriching our global cultural heritage. The ability to generate original and
useful ideas and imagine a better future has fuelled human progress since the beginning of
time, generating a stream of life-enhancing breakthroughs in areas such as environmental
protection, food security and healthcare, and a richer choice of music, films, and books.
WIPO is committed to the development of a universal culture of creativity, in which the
intellectual property system is widely used to strengthen economic performance and enhance
wealth creation for the betterment of all. The components of the intellectual property
system such as patents, trademarks, and copyright are powerful tools to capture the value
of creativity and knowledge to promote economic and cultural development. It is our
mission at WIPO to encourage use of this system to realize the creative potential that
lies in us all. This will help make this world a better place for current and future
generations". [Link]
Events are being planned by various countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations in observance of World Intellectual Property Day. You may find more
information on these activities here.
| WIPO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- New
Business Method Patents Database
IFI has announced the availability of their new Business Method Patents
Database. "This first-of-its kind database offers a variety of powerful,
value-added tools that ensure fast, accurate results and ease of use. Foremost of these is
IFI's hallmark indexing and patent title enhancement process. Our expert indexing staff
read and thoroughly index and enhance each business method patent as it issues from the
USPTO". Indexing terms and title enhancements are also available on IFI CLAIMS
File 340 on Dialog.
The database is available directly from the IFI website for an annual subscription of
USD$495.00. There is a special for PIUG members of USD$395.00.
For more information, visit the IFI website.
| IFI Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Thursday, 04 April 2002
- USA - USPTO
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP)
 The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) from the USPTO
has been updated. The 8th edition is available from the USPTO website [Click Here].
For those with a historical interest, the very first edition of the MPEP was in November
1949. Edition dates:
First Edition, November 1949
Second Edition, November 1953
Third Edition, November 1961
Fourth Edition, June 1979
Fifth Edition, August 1983
Sixth Edition, January 1995
Seventh Edition, July 1998
Eighth Edition, August 2001
| USPTO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Wednesday, 03 April 2002
- New
EPIDOS News Now Available Online
 A
new edition of EPIDOS News [Issue 1/02] is now available online. The
headlines are:
Headlines:
- All board of appeal decisions now available - The complete set of EPO
board of appeal decisions from 1979 onwards is now available on the EPO website
- Meeting users' needs - Liliane Meyers presents the EPO's plan to carry out an extensive
survey of patent information users, and non-users, in Europe.
- esp@cenet - enhancements coming soon - Cited document links and a special statistical
tool for searching using ECLA classifications are being prepared and are due for release
soon.
- epoline - the EPO's new was of doing business - Thanks to epoline, it will be possible
for all communications and transactions with the EPO to take place via the internet. A
series of EPIDOS News articles starts in this issue with Online Filing.
- European Patent Office on the road - To give people who cannot easily come to our
offices the opportunity to meet us, the EPO takes stands at various fairs and exhibitions
in Europe and throughout the world.
- Training 2002 - The EPIDOS Training Centre has published its training schedule 2002.
To read the full version of EPIDOS news, click here.
| EPO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Tuesday, 02 April 2002
- Canada - Patent Rules Amendments
The regulations amending the Canadian Patent Rules - Patent Cooperation Treaty
(PCT) Time Limits were published in the Canada Gazette on March 27, 2002. These amendments
ensure that the Canadian Patent Rules conform with Canada’s international obligations
under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). They come into force April 1, 2002.
| CIPO
Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Upgrade of the Japan Patent Office IPDL Service
The Japanese Patent Office has announced that it has added the
following services to its Industrial Property Digital Library (IPDL).
* Patent & Utility Model Gazette DB(Databases)
(You can retrieve necessary data by inputting a publication number.)
* Patent & Utility Model Concordance
(You can retrieve necessary data by inputting an application number.)
To find out more, visit the JPO website.
| JPO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Australia - Grace Period in Effect from 1 April 2002
 A
significant change has occurred in relation to Australian Patent law. Australia has just
introduced a "grace period", effective from 1 April 2002. Below we have
reproduced the announcement from the IP Australia Website [Link].
"The introduction of a grace period was announced in the Prime Minister's launch
of Backing Australia's Ability: An Innovation Action Plan for the Future in January last
year. Grace periods already apply in 38 countries including the US, Japan and Canada. As
of 1 April 2002, a grace period will also apply in Australia.
The Government will review the grace period 2 years after its commencement to ensure that
it is meeting its objective.
What is a grace period?
With the introduction of this change, an invention can be made public (under
certain conditions) and this will not prevent a valid patent from being granted. This is
to cover those circumstances where the inventor has disclosed their invention before
applying for a patent, for example when they have discussed it with a contractor without a
confidentiality agreement.
Prior to the introduction of the grace period, an invention had to be kept secret before
an application for a patent was made. If the inventor showed the invention to another
party, a later patent was invalid unless the disclosure was covered by a confidentiality
agreement. The introduction of the grace period allows for public disclosure of an
invention without affecting the validity of a subsequent patent application (provided that
a complete application is filed within 12 months of the disclosure).
The grace period covers disclosures of an invention made by or with the consent of the
nominated person or patentee.
The grace period may help a patent application succeed in cases where disclosure of an
invention has been made by mistake or is ill timed. However, a grace period should not be
used as a general strategy for publishing an invention before filing a patent application.
The lack of a uniform grace period or grace period requirements around the world could
mean patent applications that rely on grace period disclosures may be invalid in other
countries. In addition, third parties who use an invention in the grace period and before
a patent application is made will retain their rights to use the invention.
How does the grace period work?
The grace period covers a period of no more than 12 months before the filing date
of the complete application. The grace period will not provide an applicant with an
earlier priority date.
The grace period will have no retrospective effect - it will only apply in relation to
disclosures that are made on or after 1 April 2002, even if an application is made after 1
April.
The pros and cons of grace periods.
The arguments for grace periods include:
Inventors would not lose their rights through accidental disclosure. Indeed, many do not
realise they have an invention worth protecting until they see others' interest in it.
Academics may be able to share research results at seminars or conferences, through
journals or on the internet without having to waive any prospect of patent rights.
Inventors could engage in field trials, prototyping and negotiating with potential
distributors or customers without the need for every relationship to be covered by
cumbersome confidentiality agreements. Presently the only alternative is to secure an
early patent filing date before disclosing to third parties, but often it is better to do
more development work on the invention before lodging a patent application.
All of the above benefits would increase access to and use of the patent system, and
result in increased levels of innovation.
In spite of these 'pros' it is nevertheless incumbent on the applicant to ensure they file
their application as soon as possible.
The arguments against grace periods include:
The present system is clear and simple. Introduction of grace periods may mislead
inventors into thinking that they are safe to disclose their inventions in all
circumstances, or confuse inventors as to when their grace period 'clock' started ticking.
Inventors wishing to file patents abroad may be caught out in those countries which do not
recognise grace periods or have a different grace period. In other words, a disclosure
allowed under the grace period that wouldn't affect the validity of an Australian patent
would in all likelihood invalidate a patent in Europe.
The 18 month interval between filing and publication of a patent application already makes
life uncertain for innovators as they wait to see which of their competitors' products are
going to be covered by patents. By adding a grace period to the publication period the
length of the interval of doubt is increased.
A grace period system may encourage people to delay filing patents and securing priority
dates. However, the grace period only protects a patent application from the applicant's
own prior disclosures. Any delay in filing the application will increase the risk that
intervening disclosures by third parties (eg: a competitor) will invalidate or reduce the
scope of patent applications."
| IP Australia Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Thursday, 28 March 2002
- Derwent
- Free US Seminars
 Derwent
has announced that with STN® the will be holding free seminars on finding key patent,
genetic sequence and chemical structure information "easily and quickly online".
"Find out how you can offer your clients a faster and a more cost effective
patent service by improving your searching capability - discover how to conduct powerful
searches of international patent information including genetic sequences and chemical
structures".
The seminars will be on the following dates:
May 06, Washington, DC
May 07, New York, NY
May 16, Chicago, IL
For more information visit the Derwent website.
| Derwent Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Canada
- Patent E-Services Update
 The CIPO
has announced that saving and retrieving functions are now available under their Patent
E-services. "As part of our ongoing efforts to improve client service, we are
pleased to inform you that the Patent E-services have been redesigned. This allows saving
of information on an incomplete form for later retrieval and resumption thereof. This
function is now available through the new "Preview/Save" button at the bottom of
the following forms: File/Complete Application; National Entry Phase; Assignments/Other
Documents; General Correspondence; and Pay Fees".
| CIPO
Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Wednesday, 27 March 2002
- USA
- Under Secretary Rogan Speaks to WIPO
As reported on the USPTO Press
Release website, James E. Rogan, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), made his inagural
presentation on 26 March 20002 to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in
Geneva at a conference on the international patent system. "In his remarks, Rogan
told WIPO member organizations that "the foundation of an international patent system
exists in the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the Patent Law Treaty, and in the Agreement on
the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property." WIPO member organizations should
"seek opportunities to build maximum efficiencies into the existing foundation,"
he continued". The full text of Under Secretary Rogan's speech can be found here.
| USPTO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Tuesday, 26 March 2002
- Dialog
Introduces DialogLink® 3.0
 Dialog has just released version
3.0 of its DialogLink® telecommunications software package. DialogLink provides access to
non-Web-based command language online services offered under the Dialog® and
DataStar™ brands, including DialogClassic and DataStarClassic. "DialogLink
is used by online searchers-corporate librarians, knowledge specialists, and freelance
information brokers-who regularly have in-depth and sophisticated information searching
and management needs and prefer using command languages. DialogLink enhances and manages
the information searching and retrieval process. It is provided by Dialog as part of a
customer's annual service agreement at no additional charge". It can be
downloaded free here.
| Dialog Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Monday, 25 March 2002
- New
Zealand to Launch New IP Telephone Service
A new telephone help line will give the public direct access to
Intellectual Property information and assistance when launched by the Intellectual
Property Office on 2 April. The toll free number 0508 4 IPONZ (0508 – 447-669) is
being established in response to the growing demand for information about intellectual
property from members of the public. In the last twelve months the Intellectual Property
Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) received over 10,000 telephone enquires, which represents an
increase of 10% from the previous 12 month period. Read the full press release here.
| IPONZ Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Thursday, 21 March 2002
- PatSee
Free Update - Patent Downloading Software
Steve from Image Applications has advised that Version 3.08 of PatSee (Patent
Downloading Software) has been released which addresses the following issues:
1) This version fixes problems with PatSee PRO when downloading PDF files from the Depatis
server.
2) You can now paste USPTO search results directly into PatSee PRO, offering a data
harvesting facility for INAS. Click here for
more details.
3) PatSee will now optionally beep when a download is complete.
The new version can be downloaded from Image Applications Ltd - (simply re-install using your existing keys)
| Image Applications Ltd Website
|
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- European
File Histories - Image Applications Limited
Image Applications Limited has announced that it is now able to provide
electronic file histories for European patents and applications and PCT (WO) patent
applications. These are made available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format and will contain
pre-grant correspondence between the patent office and applicant and post-grant
correspondence such as opposition proceedings and appeals.
"Prices are about 10-30% below that charged by other companies at 0.75 GB Pounds
per page with a minimimum charge of 35.00 GB Pounds".
To find our more visit the Image
Applications Ltd website or to check availability and cost of EP and PCT (WO) file
histories you can complete the form on the Image Application website.
| Image Applications Ltd Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Wednesday, 20 March 2002
- New Enhancements to Chemical Abstracts on CD
 CAS
has announced 3 new enhancements to their CA on CD product:
- URL links in references - For fast, convenient searching, all URL addresses in CA on CD
document references are now linked to the web. You will be able to spot these links more
quickly because they are now highlighted in blue.
- The NEXT LINK button offers you additional convenience and speed in finding the
information you need. Click this button and you will advance immediately to the next
active link—whether it links to a URL, a CAS Registry Number®, or a CAN.
- Query strategy saved Now when you save the results of your CA on CD searches, your
search queries will be included at the top of the file containing your saved search
results. This feature is a convenient way of keeping track of a search question and its
results.
Wider margin The next time you print a search strategy saved in your query file, you will
notice something different. You now have a wider margin along the left-hand side of your
printout to accommodate a hole-puncher. You will no longer have to punch holes in the
content of your printouts when you store them in a ringed-notebook
| CA on CD Website
| CAS Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Tuesday, 19 March 2002
Monday, 18 March 2002
- Amendments
to the Common Regulations under the Madrid Agreement and Protocol
The UK Patent Office reports that from 4 April 2002 a number of amendments to the
Common Regulations come into force.
"By and large the Common Regulations had been working well. However, experience
had shown that some of the provisions required revision and that others would benefit from
clarification and simplification. It was therefore considered opportune for the
International Bureau to review, in co-operation with the offices of the Members of the
Madrid Union and taking account of the views of organisations representing users of the
Madrid system, what changes were necessary".
The UK Patent Office has detailed the most significant amendments on their website
(access
here). From 28 March 2002 the revised regulations can also be accessed via the International Bureau's
website.
| UK Patent Office Website | WIPO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Canada - Regulations Amending the Patent Rules
Regulations
amending the Canadian Patent Rules relating to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Time
Limits will come into force on 1 April 2002. These amendments ensure that the Canadian
Patent Rules conform with Canada’s international obligations under the Patent
Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Further details are available here.
| CIPO
Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- PatMate
1.6 Version Now Available
Gim Jean, the author of the Patent Downloading software
"PatMate" has announced the release of version 1.6. The new version supports
Windows XP and corrects the DEPATISnet error. The software can also download document
formats such as MS Word or Text without downloading the image.
| PatMate Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- PATINFO
2002 - 13 - 14 June 2002
Thomas Eckert, the Project Manager of PATWARE at INCOM Information und Computer
GmbH has invited users to visit INCOM at the PATINFO 2002 in Ilmenau on the 13th and 14th
of June. PATINFO at the Technical University in Ilmenau is "a very important
meeting for patent specialists...you have the possibility to get the latest information
around the patent business, meet interesting people and listen to presentations from
Patent Offices ( DPMA, EPA, Polish Patent Office, WIPO), industrial companies (
BASF) and Document Delivery Services". Sounds like a great line up! For more
information about PATINFO 2002 please contact Mrs. Astrid Schieck.
| PATWARE Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Thursday, 14 March 2002
- USPTO Pulse - March 2002 - Volume 10 Number 3 Now Available
 The March 2002
edition of the USPTO Pulse is now available from the USPTO. The articles this month
include:
- March is Women's History Month - The purpose of Women's History Month is to
increase consciousness and knowledge of women's history, find out more about it.
- USPTO Women's History Month Program Keynote Speaker is Congresswoman Melissa Hart
(R-PA) - The USPTO Federal Women's Program Subcomittee, and the Office of Civil
Rights, celebrated Women's History Month at their flagship event on Wednesday, March 6th,
with a special keynote speaker.
- Taste of the Techs Celebrate Black History Month - On Wednesday, February 6th,
Technology Centers 2100 and 2600 celebrated Black History Month with their Fifth Annual
Taste of the Techs program, "Embracing Diversity in Song and Dance."
- PTDL Holds 25th Annual Training Seminar - The Patent and Trademark Depository
Library Program (PTDLP) will host the 25th PTDL Annual Training Seminar at the Crystal
City Marriott Hotel from March 17-22, 2002.
- Join the online dialogue with Director James E. Rogan - All USPTO employees are
invited to join the discussion on Thursday, April 4th.
- E-Government Seminars Promote Electronic Filings - One of the proactive steps
trademarks is taking to promote electronic filing is a series of e-government seminars
offered around the country.
- At Trademarks, Hoteling is the Wave of the Future - The USPTO trademark operation
has expanded its telecommuting program to include a "Hoteling" pilot program.
To read Pulse, click here.
| USPTO Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Wednesday, 13 March 2002
- Derwent World Patents Index - Dialog User Guide Update
Derwent have updated their Dialog Users guide for the Derwent
World Patents Index database. This edition includes all the changes associated with the
reload of Derwent WPI on DIALOG; also, full details of the content and coverage of Derwent
WPI, DIALOG search features, detailed descriptions of all search fields with examples,
display options, Derwent and DIALOG customer service information, and comprehensive
appendices. You can download a PDF copy from the Derwent website.
| Derwent Website | Dialog Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- United
Kingdom Notice - The Patents (Amendment) Rules 2002 (SI No 529)
"This notice is to inform you that the Patents (Amendment)
Rules 2002 were laid before Parliament on 8 March and will enter into force on 1 April
2002. The Rules amend the Patents Rules 1995 to implement a modification, adopted by the
PCT Assembly on 3rd October 2001, to Article 22 of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. Article
22 of the Treaty provides for a minimum period of 20 months, except in certain
circumstances, within which an applicant had to provide certain documents and fees to the
national patent offices in the countries in which patent protection was being sought. The
modification extends this minimum period to 30 months".
"These Rules amend in particular rule 85 of the Patents Rules 1995 by extending, from
21 to 31 months, the period within which an applicant must provide certain documents and
fees to the Patent Office before his international application can enter the national
phase and proceed to grant of a patent in the United Kingdom. There will then be a uniform
period of 31 months for entering the national phase, irrespective of whether International
Preliminary Examination of the international application has been requested under Chapter
II of the PCT".
"The Rules will apply to any international application for a patent (UK) in respect
of which the national phase has yet to begin and the prescribed period in relation to the
application, notably the 21-month period mentioned above, has not expired when the Rules
come into force".
For more information, click here.
| UK Patent Office Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Current Patents - Gazette Links
Current Patents Ltd have announced that their Gazette now includes links
to Minesoft's PatentOrder public patent server document delivery service. "Having
evaluated this product, we believe it to be the most appropriate for use by CPG
subscribers. Specifically, it provides very early access to the all-important PCT
specifications, which account now for almost 90% of the new pharma/biotech inventions in
the Gazette. The PCT documents are now typically available to PatentOrder users by midday
on Friday - the day following publication - almost as early as subscribers receive the
Gazette PDF in their email!". For more information visit Current Patents Ltd's website.
| Current Patents Ltd Website
| Minesoft Website | PatentOrder Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Derwent
Focus Group on Software Patents - April 25 in San Jose, CA, USA
Stephen Wensley,
Project Manager from Derwent Information has advised that Derwent are creating a prior art
database for Software patents. Derwent are "building an extensive database of all
software background art, drawn from patents and non-patent literature. It will serve as a
'one-stop' information resource for anyone interested in software patents and related
art".
Prior to the launch of this product, Derwent "wishes to discuss the key issues
involved in patenting software and business methods". They are also interested
in gaining users feedback about the database they are developing, so they "can
tailor it to meet your exact needs".
To make it even more attractive to participate and provide valuable input, Derwent will
provide a "free trial of the product and you will also have the opportunity to
help shape searching tools of the future by becoming one of our developmental
partners". For those of us who have had to do prior art searches in this area, I
believe this sounds like an excellent potential resource.
The where and when of it. The focus group will take place in San Jose, California on 25th
April 2002. Just after PIUG 2002. If you would like to attend, please contact Stephen Wensley.
| Derwent Website |
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Tuesday, 12 March 2002
- OHIM - EUROLOCARNO
"In order to ensure the smoother processing of future design applications
at OHIM, the International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification)
Seventh edition has been extended to include many more terms. These terms will form a
fundamental part of any design application as they can be used to provide the mandatory
indication of product and if utilised will substantially reduce the need for external
translation. The draft version of this document (EuroLocarno) is now available for
consultation and comments or suggestions will be welcomed".
Click here for
more details on the EUROLOCARNO consultation exercise.
OHIM Website
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Canada
- Proposed Legislative Amendments to the Patent Act
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office is in the process of developing a new set
of proposed legislative amendments to the Patent Act for inclusion in the current phase of
the Intellectual Property Law Improvement Bill. The Canadian Intellectual Property Officee
would appreciate receiving comments by mid-April 2002. For more information, click here.
CIPO
Website.
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- New
Software Solution for Handling PDF Documents from INCOM
Users of PATWWW may be interested to know that INCOM Information and
Computer GmbH has developed a new software that allows for better and optimised handling
of the downloaded patent PDF documents from their service PATWWW. "With our new
software you can print the PDF documents on high speed printers with high performance or
send them directly to a separate email address. This solution can be integrated very easy
in your existing workflow". For more information contact INCOM Information und
Computer GmbH at
Bachstraße 32
53 115 Bonn
Telefon: +49-(0)228-97977-63 FAX: +49-(0)228-97977-98
PatWWW Website
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- Mogee
Research & Analysis, LLC - Patent Citiation Reports
Mogee Research & Analysis, LLC has announced that it is making a new patent
information product available on the World Wide Web – Patent Citation
Reports™. The reports are based on the “U.S. Patent Documents” portion of
the “References Cited” on the front page of U.S. patents issued since 1975. The
reports can be used for citation searching backwards or forwards for groups of patents,
and for statistical analysis of citations. More informationis available from their website.
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- CPA
Acquires Maxim
CPA announced on Monday 11 March 2002, that it has increased its software
portfolio by acquiring a substantial interest in Maxim Technology (Pty) Limited, "the
leading supplier of IP software solutions for patent and trade mark attorneys. This
latest agreement completes the CPA software offering to clients and increases its global
reach. Founded some 10 years ago in Sydney, Maxim Technology specialises in the
development, marketing and support of IP & practice management software. Supporting
over 80 sites in 15 countries around the world, its flagship product is InProma, a
comprehensive software system designed for docketing and managing intellectual
property".
Peter Sewell, chief executive officer, CPA, said, "As the market continues to
demonstrate a thirst for greater management and cost efficiencies, this new deal is a
further indication of our commitment to remaining at the forefront of the industry. Last
year we successfully integrated Memotech, the market leader in IP software for companies
and, with this latest acquisition, we now provide the most comprehensive offering of
global IP software. Furthermore, this latest move also represents an increased global
reach for CPA through Maxim's offices in Australia, Canada and Europe and Maxim's 40
employees will support the 400-strong CPA worldwide team bringing years of software
specific expertise to the new mix."
CPA Website | Maxim Technology Website
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Friday, 8 March 2002
- Switzerland - SIC! Online - IP Decisions Now Available
An overview of all editorial contributions and court decisions from 1997, which
have been published in "sic!" otherwise known as the "Journal for
Intellectual Property, Information and Competition Law" is now available online.
There is no charge for this information.
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- News
from Hungarian Patent Office
Visit of the president of Slovak Industrial Property Office to the HPO
- "At the invitation of dr. Bendzsel Miklós, President of the Hungarian Patent
Office, Mrs. Darina Kyliánová, President and a delegation of the Slovak Industrial
Property Office paid a visit to the HPO on February 15, 2002. At the meeting held within
the framework of the intensive bilateral relations the parties exchanged information on
the most important steps to be made in connection with their preparations for their
countries' accession to the EOC, on the fulfilment of their obligations prescribed by
international treaties and on the experience of representation before international
organizations. The Slovak party focused its interest on the institution development and
financial activity of the HPO, which was followed by a detailed presentation of the HPO's
infrastructure within the framework of a tour of the office. The two Presidents agreed
upon the extension of the cooperation in the form of meetings at expert level".
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Thursday, 7 March 2002
- Australian Innovation Patent Index - Update
 The
Australian Innovation
Patent Index is now hosted by IP MENU and IP
Organisers Pty Ltd (a service company of Phillips Ormonde & Fitzpatrick). The database has been updated to 28
February 2002. Background information can be found in this news item from
October 2001.
Apart from exclusively hosting the Australian Innovation Patent Index, IP Organisers provides a growing
list of other IP services with a focus on Australian IP. You can order Austrailan
patent specifications or file histories for download, electronic, paper or cdrom delivery.
Soon IP Organisers will be providing a range of cost effective trademark
services. As usual IP MENU will keep you informed!
Remember that you can order copies of Australian Innovation Patents free
of charge from IP MENU and IP Organisers. Click here for more
information.
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Wednesday, 6 March 2002
- UK
Office To Issue "Centenary Certificates"
The UK Patent Office has introduced an initiative that invites organisations to
celebrate the fact that they have maintained a registered trade mark for 100 years. "This
is a significant achievement and, to commemorate the anniversary, the Trade Marks Registry
has commissioned special Centenary Certificates that portray original marks and their date
of registration. This initiative also allows us to promote Intellectual Property as a
valuable business commodity. Strong branding and packaging enable products and services to
stand out in the market place. In addition, it helps build customer loyalty and is
therefore an invaluable marketing tool. We welcome opportunities like this to reinforce
this fact to the wider business world". Apparantly there will be no charge for
this "Centenary Certificate" and the Trade Marks Registry will contact the trade
mark owners direct to see if they like to use this certificate. In a possible sign of the
times, the UK Office appears to moving into to marketing arena as it is also inviting
trade mark owners to "discuss any other related publicity" with them.
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
Monday, 4 March 2002
- STN Promotion - Special Offer to New Customers
One of the major players in Scientific and Patent information is running a
special limited-time offer for new STN® customers if they open a new STN account between
March 1 and August 31, 2002. The deal includes:
- Free account set-up (a USD$55 savings)
- USD $50 coupon for searching, valid in any of the files on STN during any one month
through October 31, 2002
- STN Express® with Discover! software for the price of an upgrade (USD$52)
If you are interested in taking up this offer, visit their website for further
information.
Posted by Rodney Cruise.
- USPTO Recognizes Inventive Women during Women's History
Month
As part of the celebration of Women's History Month, held each
year during the month of March, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is
recognizing some women whose inventions have made a great contribution. For example "In
1809, Mary Dixon Kies, a native of Killingly, Conn., received the firs | |
GetIPDL
just keep coming with the upgrades to their great Patent Downloading software (which is
free!) They have released version 1.5.1. A history of the software changes
can be found 
Questel-Orbit's Imagination software version 2.6 is now
available. You can download the patch or update your communications software. Click