CWS.ATR.ID.2013.AU

Annual Technical Report 2013 on Industrial Design Information Activities submitted by Australia (CWS/ATR/ID/2013/AU)

Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

The expression "industrial designs" covers industrial designs and models. Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in this series of Annual Technical Reports.

I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants (registrations) with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes

Design applications filed
2012: 6,449
2013: 6,912
Percentage difference: Design applications filed increased by 7%

Design applications granted
2012: 5,995
2013: 7,064
Percentage difference: Design applications granted increased by 15%

Note: A single application may include a number of designs (multiple). However, each design in the application will be allocated a separate application number even if it is filed as a multiple. The figures above are for the number of designs filed.

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) – URLs

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/eservices/

General information

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/

Forms and Publications
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/designs-forms/
AND
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/designs-publications/

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/search-for-a-design/

Classification and reclassification activities; classification system used, e.g., International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification), other classification

Industrial Design applications are classified according to the International Designs Classification [Locarno].

Active IDC classes are, in specific instances, further subdivided into internally defined subdivisions.

III. SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Main types of publications in the field of industrial design information, outline of the content (industrial design applications, design patents, registrations, etc.) and medium (on paper, on CDs, online – URLs)

The Australian Official Journal of Designs is published fortnightly. There are 25 issues per year - the Easter and Christmas weeks being excluded. The Journal is available on-line, free of charge, via the IP Australia internet site and contains both bibliographic text, and images.

Standard Notices and Letters are produced via the Designs mainframe business application as XEROX XICS output.

Examination Reports are generated in Microsoft Word.

Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.

The Official Journal contains the following announcements:
- Applications Filed
- Applications Registered or Published
- Amendments and Changes
- Applications Lapsed/Withdrawn
- Assignment, Transmittals and Transfers
- Cancellation of Entries in Register
- Renewal of Registration
- Official Notices

Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external documentation and databases

Examiners Manual

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/pdfs/designsmanual/WebHelp/designs_exam_manual.htm

Information products (coverage, medium, etc.) and services available to external users; conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)

Examiners Manual

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/pdfs/designsmanual/WebHelp/designs_exam_manual.htm

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/search-for-a-design/

Designs Act: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200401901?OpenDocument

Designs Regulations: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Management.nsf/current/bytitle/5654A5E61547B81BCA256F710006C911?OpenDocument&mostrecent=1
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2012A00035

IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements

Current standard desktop software includes Microsoft Windows 7 with Microsoft Office 2010.
The Office's publication system is partially mainframe based and produces:
- camera ready copy of the Australian Official Journal of Designs;
- design certificates and original register entries; and
- notices for design applicants or their agents.

Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office

The Office's bibliographic data is maintained on an ADABAS Natural (zOS) mainframe. Design images (representations) are stored in a Unix file directory.

Australian registered designs are published in the Australian Official Journal of Designs and on microfiche (historical from 1906 to 30 September 1998).

Bibliographic data and images for registered designs post 1985 are also available on the Australian Designs Data Search (ADDS) system on the internet.

The Canberra Office has an ethernet-based LAN providing high speed bandwidth for each user desktop connection. A DMZ-based, DSD approved firewall using IAN ports (Internet IEFT Assigned Numbers) provides the secure means to allow access from internal systems/users to external entities such as the Internet or public/private organisations.

The current SOE includes Windows 7 with Office 2010, and IE 8.0Microsoft Outlook.

Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file

• File building
The Designs Office maintains and updates a search file system using the abovementioned IDC subdivision of current applications, previously registered designs in Australia and maintains a store of current local and international publications.

• Updating
Search files are regularly updated as appropriate.

• In-house systems (online/offline)
Designs bibliographic data and representations [images] for registrations from 1985 can be searched through a web browser application (ADDS – Australian Designs Data Searching). The Official Journal of Designs is also searchable over the Internet for data from July 2001.

• External databases
Disclosures relating to other designs filings/registrations of other countries are accessed via relevant Internet databases and search facilities.

• Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics and administrative support)
The primary business system is the ADABAS Natural mainframe application, DESADMIN, running on IBM zOS. DESADMIN interfaces to a number of satellite applications, eg Word for production of reports, XICS for publishing output and ADDS. In July 2013 Des-E (Objective instance) was implemented where electronic case files could be created to align with the filing of electronic correspondence through eServices. an
All processing relating to the life-cycle of a design (apart from financial processing) is conducted within this environment. The Designs Office, along with the Patent and Trade Mark Offices in IP Australia is in the process of transitioning its business applications from the mainframe to our strategic server infrastructure environment. This environment includes Sun Solaris, Oracle RDBMS, J2EE, BEA Weblogic, and Objective EDMS.

Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)

• Planning, administration, automation, security
Datacom on behalf of IP Australia provides a central contact for customers to obtain information to support their decisions about a wide range of Intellectual Property issues.
Increasingly, IP Australia is using its web site as a means of providing an alternative means of public access to these services. Designs can be searched via ADDS.

IP Australia has recently implemented a system to support business-to-business data exchange of patents, industrial designs and trade marks transactions with its high volume clients (Patents and Trade Mark Attorneys). This system will be consistent with WIPO electronic filing and National e-commerce standards.

• Collection management, preservation
All Australian Designs records/documents are handled in accordance with Office procedures set down under Australian Law and archiving practices.

V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION

Audience specific activities

Exporters:
IP Australia continues supporting the Export Council of Australia with relevant news, information and seminars for its members. A key highlight for 2013 was an increased promotion of the Madrid Protocol and it benefits for exporters managing international trade mark portfolios.

Accountants:
IP Australia is working with Certified Practising Accountants (CPA) Australia to provide an information campaign on intellectual property for CPA members built on the success of our collaboration with the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

A Working Group of industry experts has been formed to guide and support this work. The group met recently and identified IP topics to be presented during the next twelve to eighteen months.

Engineers:
IP Australia has begun collaboration with Engineers Australia. Opportunities for a closer working relationship would ultimately result in greater access to distribution channels, thus improving IP Australia's ability to directly promote the value and benefits of intellectual property to this sector. Early drafting is underway for a joint IP educative program agreement that will target Engineers during 2014 and beyond.

SMEs:
IP Australia continued to work with AusIndustry and Enterprise Connect to extend efforts to promote IP to regional centres across Australia through a range of workshops and seminars.

Stakeholder engagement
In 2013, IP Australia undertook a range of engagement activities with both business and non-business aligned stakeholder interests. The underlying objective of these engagement activities, and the target audience/s, varied subject to the intended strategic or operational outcomes sought. This may have included policy and/or legislative consultations, public education and awareness (PE&A), or intellectual property (IP) advocacy more broadly.
IP Australia's three primary engagement mechanisms are outlined below:

IP Professionals Forum (IPPF)
The IPPF is IP Australia's principle round table meeting for consultation, discussion and information exchange on IP matters that relate to IP professionals and practitioners. IP Australia hosted two of these forums in 2013.

IP Forum (IPF)
The IPF is a bi-annual event which draws together attendees from industry, the attorney profession, government and media. The IP Forum is structured around a topical theme relating to the registered IP system. It serves three key functions for IP Australia: Firstly, it provides delegates with a unique opportunity to network broadly, and in particular, with key executive staff from IP Australia. Secondly, matters discussed at these IP Forums are used by IP Australia to help improve the registered IP system. Lastly, the IP Forum is used as a key communication channel to promote the positive contribution that IP makes to the Australian economy.
IP Australia hosted two of these forums in 2013. The event themes included:
• The future of IP practice in Australia
• Making ideas make money - the nexus between innovation, collaboration and commercialisation

Executive Visits Program (EVP)
The EVP is a comprehensive program of face-to-face meetings with chief executives (or equivalent) concerning IP issues that IP Australia wishes to seek views and feedback on. The EVP provides the agency with a valuable opportunity to learn how users of the IP system maximise the value of their intangible assets.

In 2013, IP Australia met with 28 companies, across a broad mix of industry sectors.

Publications related to different business procedures and industrial design information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.

E-Services
Since October 2011 IP Australia has progressively delivered new online services across two channels.

B2B (business-to-business) is a software product IP Australia provides high volume customers to use that enables the direct transmission of large numbers of service requests directly into IP Australia internal systems.

eServices is IP Australia’s web-based self-service portal that is widely used by individuals and attorney firms. There are currently over 50,000 registered eServices users.
Customer responses from annuity firms, attorney firms and self-filers have been very positive. The B2B system has been adopted by the four major annuity firms (by volume) resulting in the majority of renewal transactions being processed automatically. As at December 2013, two Australian-based attorney firms had fully adopted B2B to file the transactions available. A further two are in the final stages of implementation.

The first significant release across both channels was in October 2012 when all new applications for all IP right types were implemented in both channels. IP Australia envisaged a gradual take-up of the new eServices/B2B. The aim was to reach about 80 per cent take-up two years after the release. These aims have been well exceeded.

Subsequent releases have seen improvements to the channels based on customer feedback, as well as improvements to support Raising the Bar legislative changes.

In late 2013, IP Australia introduced the “General eService” functionality and “Make a Payment”. These latest enhancements allow users to submit the remaining transaction/service request types including amendments, assignments, extensions of time, opposition matters, international services, invoice payments, and responses to examination reports.

Education and training: training courses, e learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.

Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention exhibition
IP Australia has sponsored the Australian tour of "Wallace and Gromit's World of Invention", an exhibition originally developed by the UK Intellectual Property Office, Aardman Animation and the Science Museum in London. Following a successful preliminary season in Melbourne at Scienceworks in 2012 (attracting close to 104,000 visitors), the exhibition was on show at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney from December 2012 to May 2013 (attracting over 84,042 visitors).

Vocational Education and Training (VET)
IP has been recommended as a core competency in proposed new Leadership and Management qualifications in the Vocational Education and Training sector. A decision by the VET Regulator on the new qualifications is expected in late 2014.

Other activities

Indigenous Stakeholder Engagement
IP Australia has continued to attend workshops and events around Australia to promote Dream Shield, a program to raise awareness of intellectual property rights to Indigenous Australia. Events of note included the 6th Indigenous Economic Development Conference in Alice Springs Northern Territory, where IP Australia presented on the theme of ‘taking care of business'. Development is underway to increase the scope of Dream Shield to include important aspects of Copyright and Moral rights following lobbying from representatives of the Indigenous creative industries sector.

State Office Events
There were approximately 70 events undertaken in 2013 by the State Marketing Managers. These events targeted a wide range of audiences including SMEs, students, legal practioners and exporters

In August 2013 IP Australia in partnership with WIPO hosted the ‘Doing Business Internationally' breakfast seminars. Four of WIPO's senior staff addressed IP professionals about some of their key initiatives. The presenters specifically discussed WIPO's Programs for Business, including Global Databases, Global infrastructure and World Reference; the latest developments in the PCT and the Changing Face of Innovation; using the Madrid system to the best advantage; and WIPO’s approach to Alternative Dispute Resolution.

The seminars, which attracted approximately 150 delegates, were held in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

VI.INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION

International exchange of industrial design information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)

Largely restricted to the Official Journal which is available on-line.

Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information

IP Australia presented at the following seminars and workshops in 2013:

• The IP Public Education and Awareness Community of Practice Workshop in Thailand in May 2013. The goal of this AANZFTA project is to develop a sustained and strategic approach to IP public education and awareness in order to maximise the effective use of the IP system by businesses and creators in the region. The beneficiaries should be not only regional innovators but the economies of ASEAN Member States.

Assistance to developing countries

• Through the WIPO Funds-in-Trust theme of developing the IP system, IP Australia has supported the following activities in 2013:
• National Workshop on IP and Technology Management for Universities and Research and Development Institutions – Jakarta, Indonesia (May 2013)
• National Workshops on IP valuation - Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam (June 2013)
• National Training on “Successful Technology Transfer” – Bangkok, Thailand (May 2013)
• International Forum on IP valuation in Malaysia in November 2013
• National Advanced Training Program on Successful Technology Licensing in Thailand (November 2013)
• Development of national IP strategies – Cambodia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu & Tonga

VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS

The Australian Design IP system provides for 2 types of applications:
• Application for registration to obtain rights in the design
• Application for publication which provides no rights except to exclude others from obtaining a valid registration as subsequent designs would not be new.

All applications are assessed against a Formality check prior to Registration or Publication.

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