SCIT.ATR.PI.2007.MD

Annual Technical Report 2007 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Republic of Moldova (SCIT/ATR/PI/2007/MD)

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

Filing of patent applications - 353 (289 in 2006, increase of 22%); Of these 12 (3,4%) applications have been filed through PCT route.

Filing of utility model applications – 37 (18 in 2006, increase of 105%). Majority of them (20) have been filed by natural person.
The absolute majority of patent applications proceed from national applicants – 335 (95%). 299 (89%) of them being filed by applicants from the city Chisinau. In 2007, the national applicants filed 18 applications for patenting abroad, of which 5 under Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), 4 under the Eurasian Convention. In 2005 there were filed 8 applications for patenting abroad – 5 under the PCT and 13 under the regional route of the Eurasian Convention.

Although the number of applications proceeded from natural persons remained the same, their quota in the general number decreased and constitutes 38.5%, by 7.4 per cent points less than in the previous year. Most of the patent applications refer to
the following fields of the IPC:
A (Human necessities) – 131 (39.3%);
C (Chemistry; Metallurgy) – 71 (21.3%);
F (Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating; etc.) – 49 (14.7%).

Granting of patents – 268 (288 in 2006, decrease of 7%). The absolute majority of issued patents (97.8%) belong to the national applicants.
Of the sum total of patents granted in 2007, 215 patents (80.2%) were granted so-called „examination under the responsibility of the applicants” (with limited examination of novelty - covering patent collections of MD, SU and EA documents) and 53 (19.8%) with the substantive examination. In 2006 said ratio constituted 72.6:27.4%.

Granting utility model certificates – during the year there were issued 18 utility model registration certificates (11 in 2006, increase of 64%).

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

The most active, from the innovative point of view, were the institutions from the sphere of science and innovation, including the institutions of higher education which, generally, filed 194 applications (57.9%), with 21 (12.1%) more than in the previous year. Most of all increased the number of applications filed by the institutions within the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, by 53% compared with the year 2006.
Though increased twice in comparison with the year 2006, the reduced number of
applications filed by foreign applicants directly with the AGEPI can be explained by the fact that the inventors from abroad prefer to protect their inventions on the territory of the Republic of Moldova via regional route of the Eurasian Patent Convention, to which the Republic our country is party. Thus, 2692 patent applications, with 399 (17.4%) more than in the previous year, were filed with the Eurasian Patent Office in 2007. It should be mentioned that on December 31, 2007, 3120 patents were valid in the Republic of Moldova, including 1032 (33%) issued by the AGEPI and 2088 (67%) – by the EAPO. Compared with December 31, 2006, the total number of valid patents increased by 162 (5.5%), being attested a decrease by 183 (15%) of valid domestic patents and an increase by 345 (20%) of those issued by the EAPO.

URLs of web pages of the Office's website that provide statistics related to patents

URLs of web pages of the Office website that provide statistics related to patents:
http://www.agepi.md/en/statistica/inventii.php
http://www.agepi.md/en/statistica/mu.php

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

Publishing, printing, copying (main types of publications of the Office in the field of patent information, etc.)

1) Paper
Patent applications:
The front page containing bibliographic data, the abstract and the drawings are printed. The added specifications are reproduced.
Patents:
The front page and the specification are printed, the incorporated drawings being scanned.
2) CD-ROM
- CD-ROM „Inventions of the Republic of Moldova 1963-1992” containing bibliographic data for patent applications and patents
- CD-ROM „Inventions of the Republic of Moldova, 1993-2007”, containing bibliographic data and abstracts in 3 languages (Romanian, English and Russian) for patent applications; bibliographic data, abstracts and specifications for patents. This CD-ROM is renewed annually by adding the data for the last year.
- CISPATENT – in conjunction with the IP Offices of several CIS countries (AM, BY,GE, RU, TJ, UZ, UA) and of the EAPO is issued this CD-ROM containing bibliographic data and abstracts in Romanian, English and Russian for patent applications and bibliographic data, abstracts in 3 languages and specifications in the original language for patents. The CD-ROM is issued on a monthly basis; there is also a yearly issue.
3) Official Bulletin on Industrial Property (BOPI)
Bibliographic data and abstracts in Romanian, English, Russian and official notices are published in this official monthly newspaper. The Bulletin appears on paper form and on the AGEPI website in PDF format: www.agepi.md/biblio/periodice/bopi.php
BOPI is also published and distributed on CD-ROM, on a monthly basis.
4) On-line database
Bibliographic data and abstracts relating to MD patent applications and granted patents are available through the database “Inventions” on the office website: http://db.agepi.md/InventiiEng/Baza.aspx?Lang2=engt
It is a free Internet service. For patents is also published the specifications and drawings.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of patent information

Announcements, notices and changes in the legal status or the patenting procedure are published in the Official Bulletin on Industrial Property (BOPI).
The most important office notices regarding patents and other IP rights are put directly on the AGEPI website (www.agepi.md) for different kinds of users (applicants/owners, patent agents etc).

Mass storage media used (paper, microforms, optical storage, etc.)

AGEPI has a complete classified paper collection of MD patent documents. The full data relating to MD patent documents, excepting the drawings for non-published patent applications, are stored in the internal databases.
AGEPI has a CD/DVD-ROM collection containing published/granted US, FR, DE, CH, RU, WO, EP patent documents.
See also “Publishing, printing, copying etc.”, item II, p.2).

Word processing and office automation

The Patent Office uses Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 which provides an integrated and extensive network of applications that are available to all staff. All staff has their own personal workstation on which numerous applications are available. Word processing can be carried out using Microsoft Office 2003; search tools including access to online databases, translation software, management and administration information etc. There is also a corporate database (Inventions) and automated production of search and examination reports.
All staff has access to the Internet and has their own e-mail and official e-mail address.

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

Abstracting, reviewing, translating

The office translate the titles and abstracts into English and review the titles and abstracts provided by the applicant (in Romanian and Russian) and, if necessary, amend them accordingly to WIPO standard ST.12/A in order to ensure that the abstract contain the necessary information to be a useful search tool. The abstracts are published for patent applications and granted patens in 3 languages.

Classification¹, preclassification² (if applicable), and reclassification³ 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)

From January 1, 2006 AGEPI use the advanced level of the IPC (8th edition).
From November 2005, the AGEPI uses revised WIPO standard ST.8 and applies the advanced level symbols of the 8th IPC edition to all patent documents.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

File building

File building of paper search files classified under the IPC and of the CD/DVD-ROM collections classified under years and countries are centralized at the office library. The patent documents and author certificates of the former URSS from 1924 up to 1992 are stored within National Technical Scientific Library (NTSL).
All MD patent documents are electronically stored and searchable for internal use; all published MD patent applications and patents are electronically searchable for external use.

Updating

Paper and some CD/DVD-ROM search files are updated monthly, several CD-DVD/ROM search files are updated yearly. Electronically searchable files for internal use are updated permanently depending of filings; electronically searchable files for external use are updated monthly.

Storage, including mass storage media

See „File building” above

Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file

Patent collections from other offices are available by online search techniques; there is an electronic access to 39 databases in the field of patents.

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

In-house systems (online/offline)

The management of the patent applications is based on the “Patents” search database developed by the AGEPI skilled persons. This database is used in conducting the examining procedure, the publication and dissemination of information.
The AGEPI “Inventions” database, which is an opened to the public search database, can be used by examiners and other interested persons for electronic search through the MD published patent applications and granted patents. See also “Publishing, printing, copying etc.”, item II, p.4).

External databases

- VINITI (patent associated literature- bibliographic data), managing by the VINITI Institute of the Russian Federation (www.vinini.ru);
- eapatis, managing by EAPO
- esp@cenet
- and other specialized chemical, biotech, electrical and other databases.

See also “Documentation from other office maintained and/or considered part of the available search file”.

Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics and administrative support)

Register and legal status information is available through the internal database. The system also provides statistical information and management reports.
During 2007, AGEPI continued to apply the Program of IPC classification administration in the databases “Inventions” and “Utility Models”, statistics on Eurasian patents, database “Utility Models”. There were modernized the database “Inventions”, elaborated and published the annual CDs “Inventions patented in the Republic of Moldova 1993-2007”.

Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), carriers used

The Electronic Information System of AGEPI:
HARDWARE
- 9 servers in a ActiveDirectory Domain
-29 Intel Pentium IV and AMD AthlonXP, 256-512 RAM, 40-80 Gb HDD
-1 network printer;
-2 scanners;
-INTERNET/INTRANET Subsystem. Using 1024 Kb/s ADSL line. The INTERNET/INTRANET Subsystem comprises a mail-server, a database server, a fire-wall and FTP service. Computer Network: 100 MB, Server Network: 1Gb

SOFTWARE
-Microsoft Windows 2003 operating system for Intel/Xeon servers;
-Linux operating system for the Server of the INTERNET/INTRANET database;
-Data base server Interbase V.7.5
-Windows XP Professional for client PCs;
-Microsoft Office for client PCs;
- Microsoft Internet Explorer for INTERNET/INTRANET;
-Software specific to the CD-ROM collections namely Mimosa, Eapatis, etc.
Administration of the Patent Collection and of the Services Rendered to the Public (for applications, assistance on search, ways and means of getting the official publications and of gaining access to records/statistics).

The internal network uses a client-server arrangement on an Ethernet LAN running Microsoft Active Directory Domain. The platform used by the Patents Department uses a database server, for Interbase applications. Client PCs are used by all staff and are AMD AthlonXP or Intel Pentium IV machines with 17 CRT or 15 LCD screens. Client PCs operating systems Microsoft Windows XP. Mimosa and Diapat are software specific of the CD-ROM collections.

VI. Administration of the industrial property office library, and information products 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)

Planning, administration, automation, security, buildings

The office library functions simultaneously as an in-house and public library are used for servicing all the categories of users without any restrictions.

The library specialists are available to assist the public in all aspects of their work with catalogues, CD-ROMs, books, Internet, etc.
The AGEPI Library is available to the public during 5 days (except Saturday and Sunday) from 9:00 to 16:00.

Collecting, acquisitions, preparation

The main information sources of the Patent Collection are the official publications of the AGEPI, patent documentation and collections of patent law related publications, normative and methodical, related literature including dictionaries, periodicals, as well as a set of Indexes and other references and search aids to these collections, received through international exchange with the Patent Offices worldwide and other information centers, purchase or subscription. All received documents are registered, classified and grouped for storage purpose.

On December 31, 2007, the collection of the AGEPI Library counted 23,8 mln of documents on electronic carrier, copies of books, periodical journals, on paper carrier, including: 4728 copies of books and booklets, 39232 copies of serial and periodical publications (journals, newspapers, official bulletins), 23744839 copies of documents on electronic carrier, and 7843 copies of national documents (patent applications, patents, utility models, plant variety).

In the year under review, the digital library consisted of 31 textual databases and 17 bibliographic and reference databases with a volume of 23,74 mln of documents, and the collection of specialized literature included 40252 copies of books, journals, dictionaries, encyclopedias in the technical-scientific, legal, financial-economic, informational fields etc.

Collection management, preservation

The Patent collection of Library is arranged along the geographical-systematic-numerical lines. The conditions for storing collections correspond to the types of information carried out:
- patent documentation on paper is stored in cassettes on shelves;
- on CD-ROM/DVD-ROM – in catalog racks;
- in automated databases.

The electronic catalog of the Library collection was completed in 2007 with bibliographic descriptions of 367 books (DB “BOOKS”), 305 articles from periodical editions in the intellectual property field (DB “IP ART”) and 86 scientific reports (DB “Scientific Results”), it reflecting by the end of the year under review with 6582 materials (4302 books, 1560 articles, 720 scientific reports).

Interlibrary lending, resource sharing, networks of patent libraries in the country

The AGEPI exchanges documents with the National Library and the Republican Technological-Scientific Library, which have a complete collection of the official bulletins and relevant literature in the field of IP published by the AGEPI; the Agency also exchanges documents with 37 national offices and 2 regional organizations (EP, EA).
The AGEPI Library cooperates intensively with 56 territorial Libraries to which the IP information (official bulletins) and other literature in this field is furnished regularly. In the year under review were intensified the relations of collaboration with the university and public libraries. In the IP promotion activity there were mobilized libraries from the district centers situated in different zones of the republic.

By the end of the year 2007, the AGEPI Library concluded cooperation agreements with 32 district libraries, 2 – municipal, 5 – with republican statute, 9 – university and 3 specialized libraries. Alongside of the information assistance, organization and carrying out of IP promotion activities, one of the main trends is creation and systematic completion of the document collections in the IP field of those institutions. In that sense, 15 sets (250 copies) of AGEPI publications were transmitted to them as donation via the Book Foundation.

The AGEPI Library contributed to the dissemination of IP information by organization round tables:
• “Library and Intellectual Property” organized in cooperation with the chair “Librarianship and Informational Assistance” from the SUM, oj the occasion of the Librarian’s Day;
• “Library and Intellectual Property in the vision of the information promoters”;
• Representative exhibition of AGEPI publications and launching of the publication “Official Bulletin of Copyright and Related” at the XVI-th edition of the “International Book Fair”;
• Launching of the II-nd edition of the republican Competition “Library – partner in the promotion of intellectual property”;

Information services available to the public (including computerized services and search files contained in libraries remote from your Office and patent information posted by your Office on the World Wide Web)

Rendering of methodological assistance and provision of library-information services constituted priority trends in the activity of the AGEPI Library.

The AGEPI Library has a general reading room and a specialized PC room. The total area of the AGEPI Library is 125 sq.m. All categories of readers could receive assistance in terms of advice and methodological recommendations from a qualified staff while performing searches. Anyone may find there patent documentation, access the CD-ROM databases (20-full-text and 18 abstract) and on-line open-access databases of AGEPI (“Invention Database”) and of other Patent Offices (Esp@cenet, Eapatis, managing by EAPO, FIPS.ru, etc.)

Visits to the AGEPI Library and services offered to all categories of readers are free of charge (except copying the documents from CD-ROM/DVD-ROM on paper or on CD / ROM, copying the documents from the Library paper Collection).
In 2007, the AGEPI Library registered 372 new readers, the sum total being of 996 readers, including 193 employees of the AGEPI. The beneficiaries of the AGEPI Library covers inventors, researchers, engineers and managers from different branches of the national economy, professors etc. During the year 2007, the AGEPI has rendered to the beneficiaries over 500 consultations on patent documentation tools, training in the use of date bases.

Information about the new acquisitions in the library collection is monthly offered on the AGEPI web site. The information provided on the AGEPI web site www.agepi.md – covers all general topics concerning patents (national searchable database “Inventions of the Republic of Moldova”, national and international legislation, preparation of application, office procedures, and application forms).

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

International or regional cooperation in the exchange of machine-readable information, e.g., bibliographic data, abstract and/or full text information

AGEPI provides monthly bibliographic data and abstracts on published patent applications and granted patents to EPO (EPIDOS). AGEPI furnished the MD patent documents and the official gazette (BOPI) on CD-ROM to 41 IP Offices.
AGEPI receives patent documentation and information from 35 countries and 2 regional patent organizations (EPO and EAPO).

VIII. Other relevant matters concerning education and training in, and promotion of, the use of patent information, including technical assistance to developing countries (please indicate URLs of web pages of the Office’s website wherever appropriate)

Training courses for national and foreign participants, use of audiovisual means

During the year 2007, the AGEPI specialists participated actively in the works of the most important regional and international events, such as scholarship, meetings and seminars, official visits, at which were talked issues of common interest aimed at developing the intellectual potential, creativity and innovations.
The AGEPI staff participated in 56 international events etc., among which the most relevant are:
- The 3rd edition of the International Exhibition “Inventions and Innovations 2007”, organized in Kiev, Ukraine;
- The 9th session of the Working Group on Reform of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT);
- The PATLIB Annual Conference – 2007, Seville, Spain;
- Training courses in professional skills improving in the field of industrial property protection organized by the Federal Institute of Industrial Property, Russian Federation”;
- Interregional Seminar on Industrial property organized by the World Academy of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
- Training on Industrial Property organized by the Centre for International Studies in Industrial Property field, Strasbourg, France,
- 2nd meeting of the UNECE Team of Specialists on intellectual property, International Conference “Intellectual Property rights Protection and Transforming Research and Development Outputs into Intangible Assets in Economies in Transition» in Geneva, Switzerland,
- The 11th edition of the International Scientific and Practical Conference on Actual Problems of IP Protection organized by the State Department for Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Training and Science of Ukraine, the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, WIPO and EPO,
- The 11th session of the WIPO Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Recourses, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore
- Scholarship organized by International Academy of the EPO on the intellectual property protection “ The most recent realizations in the field of patent inventions”,
- Study visit on patent expertise of inventions in the medical field, organized by the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO),

In the year under review it was intensified the cooperation with the European Patent Organization (EPO) in the problem of harmonization of the national procedures for protection of inventions with those of the European system. In the prospect of accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU, it was continued the national staff upgrading process by means of training programs of the EPO International Academy. Thus, the AGEPI benefited by 3 training courses, focused on diverse problems of invention patenting and of information in the given field.
It was brought up-to-date the agreement on the exchange of information between the AGEPI and EPO, there were improved the procedures for submitting to the EPO the information on patents for invention protected in the Republic of Moldova. Within the framework of a working meeting of the AGEPI, EPO representatives and of the members of the EU delegation in Chisinau it was agreed upon the need of a more active implication of EPO in the activities of adjustment of the national protection system to the European standards.

Within the framework of the EAPO Administrative Council, there were approved certain amendments and completions in the Instructions on the EAPO Patents.

There also were successfully developed the relations of cooperation between the AGEPI and the State Department of Intellectual Property of Ukraine. Thus, the AGEPI participated with a e delegation of 7 persons in the XI-th edition of the International Practical-Scientific Conference in Alusta, contributing to the works thereof with a series of actual communications. The AGEPI representatives presented the national intellectual property system to the Ukrainian economic agents participating in the III-rd edition of the International Exhibition “Inventions and Innovations-2007”.

The year under review was remarkable for organization by the AGEPI in common with the ISE “Moldexpo” and ASM, of the X-th edition of the International Specialized Exhibition “INFOINVENT”, which identified the most topical and far-reaching technical-scientific achievements, the authors thereof being awarded diverse distinctions and prizes.

Within the framework of the World Intellectual Property Day, was organized the 3rd edition of the Competition “Invention of the Year”, launched in 2004.

IX. Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office's website that:

provide information on legislation related to patents

URLs of Web page of the Office Website:
● information on legislation related to patents http://www.agepi.md/en/acte/index.php
● Annual Report of the Office http://www.agepi.md/en/despre/raport/index.php
● all news regarding the Office

X. Other relevant matters