SCIT.ATR.PI.2005.AM

Annual Technical Report 2005 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Armenia (SCIT/ATR/PI/2005/AM)

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 term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Industrial Design Information Activities.

I. Evolution of patent activities

Changes experienced in terms of application filings and grants with respect to the previous year

The average duration of the examination of applications on invention from filing date of applications to the conclusion date in 2005 was 6.15 months (in 2004-6.13 months).
The average duration of the examination of utility models from filing date of applications to the conclusion in 2005 was 2.35 months (in 2004-2.05 months).

Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year

As a whole there is a decrease in the number of applications for inventions and utility models, which is about 60.42 % as compared with 2004.
The breakdown of filed applications received in 2005 (applications received in 2004 are brought in brackets for comparison) is made by Sections of the International Patent Classification (IPC) as follows:

Section A. 66 (41)
Section B. 43 (39)
Section C. 53 (22)
Section D. 1 (3)
Section E. 21 (4)
Section F. 27 (12)
Section G. 15 (15)
Section H. 5 (8)

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, distribution and use of primary and secondary sources of patent information

In 2005, four numbers of the Official Bulletin “Industrial Property” were published: No 1 (33), No 2 (34), No 3(35) and No 4 (36) on CD-ROM. The bulletins are published in two languages: Armenian and Russian and contain official data are published on patents for 126 inventions, 20 utility models, as well as information on registration of license agreements on assignment of patents and trademarks (100 registrations).
Abstracts, formula and full descriptions of inventions and utility models have been published on paper and electronic formats.
The schemes of descriptions of 126 inventions and 20 utility models have been input, the electronic version of “Fist page”, “Full description” and formula has been made for their transfer to the patent owners and libraries, for their inner use in the computer network of the Agency and their insert on the Internet site and CISPATENT disk for public use.
Twelve issues of Official Bulletin “Applications on Inventions” are published.
Technical and Statistic reports on inventions for the year of 2004 have been made to be presented to the World Intellectual Property Organization.

III. Matters concerning abstracting, classifying, reclassifying and indexing of technical information contained in patent documents

Abstracting, reviewing, translating

The Agency issues monthly Official Bulletin “Applications on Inventions” in which essays on inventions in Armenian for inspection by public are published, and quarterly official bulletins “Industrial Property” in which abstracts on inventions and utility models in Armenian and Russian are published.

Classification and reclassification activities; Classification system used, e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC), other classification (please indicate whether or not patent documents are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification is used)

Classification and reclassification of applications on inventions or utility models filed with the Agency was realized with application of IPC 7th edition.

Coordinate indexing (domestic deep indexing systems, keyword indexing)

Coordinate indexing is carried out under the standards of WIPO. ST.9 (Annex 1. INID codes), ST.3 (two-letter codes for indication of country). ST.12/A (instructions for preparation of patent documents abstracts) ST.16 (standard codes for identification of various types of patent documents).

Hybrid system indexing

The Agency experts use hybrid system indexing during carrying out examination on certain objects.

Bibliographic data and full-text processing for search purposes

The Agency uses electronic database on inventions and utility models, which contains bibliographic data, abstracts and sketches with reporting opportunity in three languages: Armenian, Russian, English, as well as with transmission opportunity of bibliographic data for publishing in Official Bulletins, issued by the Agency, and transmission of information for optical CD-ROMs production under series CISPATENT (CISPATENT CD-ROM series), which contain full description of patent documents, including bibliography and abstracts in national language, Russian and English in well-known “MIMOSA” environment.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

The Agency continued works on replenishment of the funds of Armenian Scientific and Technical Information Centre. Information received from foreign patent agencies was handled to the Centre.

V. Activities in the field of computerized and other mechanized search systems

The Agency has purchased four “Pentium 4” computers as well as accessories to the computers, among them printers. Shortcomings and omissions in the information system of the Agency revealed in the course of its exploitation have been eliminated. A series of changes and supplements have been made with the aim of coping with the tasks having been raised as a result of improvement of works carried out in the Agency.
Works were carried out for improvement of the second version of subsystem “inventions and utility models”. The subsystem “inventions and utility models” designed for examination of inventions and record keeping work, provides:

- Collection of bibliographic data in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English)
- Collection and control of fees
- Automation of record keeping work
- Outlet of statistics
- Publication of bibliographic data
- Search of information.

Windows 2000/XP and Microsoft Office have been installed and adjusted, service of operation system, installation of computer programs, diagnostics of infected and damaged computers and programs and elimination of errors have been carried out.
Archiving device HP surestore dat autoloader and software Veritas Back-up Exec and installation and adjustment as well as development of strategy on archiving of data on inventions and utility models.

VI. Administration of the industrial property office library and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, for assisting clients on searching procedures, for obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

Official Bulletins “Applications on Inventions” and ready reports of ARMPATENT for 2004 are inserted on the Internet site for public awareness.
Official Bulletins are sent free of charge to the Armenian Scientific-Technical Information Centre, Main Library of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Libraries of Yerevan State University, State Engineering University of RA, Armenian Agricultural Academy and National House of Books of Armenia.
Patent information of the Agency is available to the wide public as well as via Internet (http//www.armpatent.org). The page contains the following information sections:
- Statistic data
- Published patent applications
- Annual report
- Bank data
- Patent attorneys
- Contact information
- Normative- legal base
- Information-search system.
The information is available in three languages (Armenian, English, Russian).
New electronic forms of applications on inventions and utility models have been prepared in 2005. The new electronic forms of applications on obtaining RA patent on inventions, utility models can be found in the Agency site hyperlink “Blanks” (in Armenian only).

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

According to the preliminary arrangement in the frame of exchange of patent information, 21 copies of the Official Bulletin of Intellectual Property Agency were sent to the Patent Offices of foreign countries as well as to WIPO, EPO and EAPO.
For realization of the international agreement “On joint publication of the regional patent – information product on optical discs CD - ROM”, which has 9 CIS member-countries, were produced 12 compact discs “CISPATENT” 4 of which contain bibliographic data in Armenian, Russian and English on 126 patents on inventions and 20 utility models registered in the Republic of Armenia. Works based on the above Agreement are in course. Within the framework of information exchange the Agency receives patent documentation on CD-s from European Patent Agency, the patent offices of the USA, Austria, France, and from Canada since 2005 as an exchange for the CISPATENT disc.
In 2005 the IPA continued experiments of information search system EAPATIS, created in cooperation with the EAPO. This system allows all the interested persons to have free access to the database of inventions and utility models registered in the Republic of Armenia. The information database of the Agency has been updated with the patent information from the Russian Federation since 1924, which is input on optical discs. The Agency continues to receive the inventions search system “ESPACEWorld” from WIPO as well as inventions search system “BREF” and “COSMOS” from France.

VIII. Other relevant matters concerning education and training in, and promotion of, the use of patent information, including technical assistance to developing countries

EPO

1. Seminar 11/2005 “IP Information and Documentation on the Internet and on the CD-ROM”, 11-15 April 2005, Vienna (one participant)
2. WIPO-CBD Meeting “Eighth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore”, 20-11 June 2005, Geneva (1 participant)
3. Seminar 16/2005 “Data Bases, Data Capturing and IP Documentation”, 04-08 July 205 (1 participant).

Others

Studies in Russian State Institute of Intellectual Property (1 participant).

IX. Other relevant matters