Annual Technical Report 2008 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Egypt (SCIT/ATR/PI/2008/EG)
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
Please see attached file.
Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year
In 2008 the patents from IPC section A human necessities have been in the lead ( 33.8%) ,followed by these sections:
- C Chemistry 27.7%
- B Performing operations; transporting 11.4%
- E Fixed constructions 8%
- F Mechanical Engineering,lighting,heating,weapons,blasting 6.1%
- G Physics 5.8%
- H Electricity 5.8%
- D Textiles 1.4%
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.)
The Egyptian Patent Office publishes three journals as follows :
1- The Egyptian patent gazette
2- The patent applications bulletin
3- The Egyptian patent Abstracts
These publications are published every month , and we send them to the universities, industrial companies, and research institutes in Egypt as well as the foreign patent offices abroad.
Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of patent information
The Egyptian Patent Office web site (www.Egypo.gov.eg) plays an increasingly important role in the dissemination of information regarding patents.
Mass storage media used (paper, microforms, optical storage, etc.)
The Egyptian Patent Office has a data base containing the Egyptian applications and patents grants .
The Office has a DVD and CD-ROM collection containing published/granted patents for US , WO , EP , GB , etc.
We used paper , Microfilm , Microfilm Jackets , tapes , HD , and DVD as mass storage for our Applications and Patents .
Word processing and office automation
All office action is done on the application or Patent Produced Automatically from our data base as word processing.
We check all patent abstracts provided by the applicant besides amending them when necessary to ensure that the abstract represents a useful search tool.
III. Matters concerning abstracting, classifying, reclassifying and indexing of technical information contained in patent documents
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)
Our Office classifies the Egyptian patent applications according to the IPC (8th edition), the Office doesn't reclassify documents and we don't use local classification
Bibliographic data and full-text processing
Bibliographic data, abstracts of Egyptian documents (checked by examiners) can be searched from the Egyptian Patent Office data base .
IV. Search file establishment and upkeep
V. Activities in the field of computerized and other mechanized search systems
The Egyptian Patent Office database is the only in-house system that we have for searching.
In-house systems (online/offline)
Technical searching can be carried out on combination of terms from different headings . IPC terms can be searched too.
External databases
We have a list of some external databases that we use regularly, including Esp@cenet,JAPIO,USPTO,WIPO databases, and other databases. Our official policy is that a world-wide online search should be carried out as whole or part of every patent search done in this Office.
Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics and administrative support)
Registration and legal status information are stored in the Egyptian Patent Office database.
Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), carriers used
Please see attached document.
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
We have a big collection of patent documents from many countries in our library such as DE, US, FR, GB, EPO, etc.
The available collection includes also various pamphlets ,manuals and other publications such as law reports, official journals of the Egyptian Patent Office and of many different countries, magazines, etc. These collections are located in our main building and are therefore secure .
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)
The Egyptian Patent Office searches and advisory services are continuous.
We have a Web site for our Office which includes published patents and searchable database where we can find the bibliographic data for any granted patent . Also, it includes all information needed to register patent and others , the web site is : ( www. Egypo.gov.eg)
We made 397 state of the art searches for users as follows (see attached document)
VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information
Medium used for exchange of priority documents
We can accept priority documents in paper format only.
Medium allowed for filing applications
Currently , filing is done in paper format but means of electronic filing are being developed.
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
Please see attached document.
Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)
The regional training center in the Egyptian Patent Office has continued to receive trainees from Arab countries such as Sudan, Jordan ahd Syria.
Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)
Hosting expert from EPO to discuss the latest upgrades to select the Egyptian Patent Office as an Office for international search and for international preliminary examination.
Hosting a delegate from Beijing-based IP services to exchange the opinions and experiences in the field of IP.
Holding workshop on reinforcement of the IP value and improvement of negotiation skills for granting patent licensing Mubarak City for scientific researches for the cooperation with WIPO.
Hosting expert in the field of Information Technology from WIPO to hold workshop in the field of "Information Technology and Mechanic".
Hosting expert from EPO for training the employees in the EGPO on using the "EPOQUE net system" between EPO and EGPO.
Applying and activating the needed equipment for EPOQUE net databases.
Furthermore, the Egyptian Patent Office has continued in participating in several exhibitions, to give seminars and to host visits.
IX. Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:
X. Other relevant matters
| 1. | Classification is allotting one or more classification symbols (e.g., IPC symbols) to a patent application, either before or during search and examination, which symbols are then published with the patent application. |
| 2. | Preclassification is allotting an initial broad classification symbol (e.g., IPC class or subclass, or administrative unit) to a patent application, using human or automated means for internal administrative purposes (e.g., routing an application to the appropriate examiner). Usually preclassification is applied by the administration of an office. |
| 3. | Reclassification is the reconsideration and usually the replacement of one or more previously allotted classification symbols to a patent document, following a revision and the entry into force of a new version of the Classification system (e.g., the IPC). The new symbols are available on patent databases. |