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

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

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• File building;
• Updating;
• Storage, including mass storage media;
• Documentation from other offices maintained and/or considered part of the available search file.
In order to comply with the current Ukrainian legislation in the part that deals with carrying out the substantive examination of applications for inventions since July 1, 1997 the Patent Informational Base (PIB) with its reference and search tools, the search file of the examination body – Ukrpatent has been in operation. In 2005 the updating of the PIB by patent documents (for the most part on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM) received by the State Department and Ukrpatent mainly within the framework of international cooperation with foreign patent offices, regional and international organizations was in progress.
By the end of 2005 the PIB collection contained patent documentation (official bulletins, specifications and patent document abstracts) of 8 foreign countries (the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland – abstracts on GlobalPat discs; Russia, the USSR and the USA – complete patent specifications; Japan – specifications and English-language abstracts), as well as of three international and regional organizations (WIPO, the EPO – abstracts and complete specifications, the EAPO – the official bulletin on paper carrier). Ukrainian patent specifications are available on paper carrier, and since 2002 they are also presented on electronic carrier (joint patent information product of the CIS countries on CD-ROM CISPATENT). A total volume of the PIB collection on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM as of December 31, 2005 amounted to 10,932 disks.
Ukrpatent has already gained a wide experience in conducting patent documents search on optical disks as well as with the help of the Internet that enabled experts to have a notably wider range of available information for the prior-art search when examining applications for inventions. In 2005 external databases available on the Internet were used for the purposes of patent information search, in particular: esp@cenet, the Industrial Property Digital Libraries (IPDLs) available on the sites of such Patent Offices as the USPTO, the Japan Patent Office, the German Patent and Trademark Office and of WIPO. Moreover the following was done to improve the quality of information search in respect of applications for inventions:

- full access to the Eurasian patent information system (EAPATIS) was acquired;
- agreements about usage of the Russian commercial databases (All the Encyclopaedias of Rubricon (since 2004) and the VINITI databank (since 2005) that is one of the biggest electronic databanks on natural, exact and technical sciences in Russia and contains the VINITI Journal abstracts since 1981 (over 20,000,000 documents)) were concluded or prolonged.

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

• In-house systems (online/offline);
• External databases;
• Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics, administrative support, etc.);
• Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), carriers used;
• Existing online thesauri; their structure, presentation and usefulness for computerized searches.
In 2005, the implementation of all-round automation of the technological process of application examination, patent search, preparation of grant decisions, support of the State registration of industrial property rights and the official publication of information concerning them using up-to-date computers, information and telecommunication technologies continued at the examination body (Ukrpatent). At present the following in-house computerized retrieval systems for inventions and utility models function at Ukrpatent: AS “Vynakhody” (Inventions), AS “Vhidnyi Reyestr Zayavok” (Incoming Applications Register), AS “Vynakhody Zarubizhnyh Krayin” (Foreign Countries Inventions), AS “Pokaznyky” (Indicators).
The tendency to an increase of the number of patent applications filed requires continuous upgrading and developing of the computer-informational environment, in particular: implementation of software tools extending the functionalities of the existing automated systems, creating new systems and databases and expanding the local computer network. Owing to that, despite the increase of the total number of applications filed in 2005, the terms of their processing has shortened.
Conceptual tendency of the computer information environment development at Ukrpatent consists in the large-scale implementation of new information technologies with the purpose of the gradual planned transition from the paper to electronic technology of the document group processing (application materials, letters, claims, payment documents etc.).
These technologies provide for: creation of the electronic file (dossier) for industrial property rights applications; development and implementation of the unique centralized electronic archive – an active information repository; introduction of the electronic filing system for industrial property rights applications; development and implementation of the official electronic document circulation system (Office Electronic Document Interchange).
Taking into account that the incoming flow of application documents constitutes about 90 % of all the document interchange the problem of introduction of the electronic filing system for industrial property rights applications at Ukrpatent is highly relevant. As early as 2003 the elements of an offline electronic filing system for industrial property rights applications materials have been investigated and developed. The valuable experience was gained as a result of test examination of the offline system with the participation of all the interested users of the electronic filing system.
The year 2005 became a turning point in this direction. All the previous investigations and practical results led to a fundamentally new idea of the system called “online”. This idea prevails in various aspects in comparison with the previous one. Within the period under report the bundled software of the system was created and tested. It includes the procedure of the application formation and assigning of the electronic digital signature.
Thus, technical backgrounds were created for the test operation of the electronic filing system for industrial property rights applications. After solving the number of the regulatory and legal matters, that are connected with the status of the electronic application it is possible to commence the integration of the system into the technology for applications processing and to test it with the implementation of the real data.
All the complex of activities related to the texts processing, automaton of inventions and utility models applications processing is carried out by the facilities of the “Vynakhody” (“Inventions”) automated system. The AS “Vynakhody” comprises a program system for the verification of classification symbols.
In order to accelerate the search and to avoid errors in the forming of a search query, as well as to provide reference information, the electronic guides comprising information on patent attorneys, the text of the IPC, the tables of the valid IPC symbols, the reference lists of the titles of the entries, classifiers of input and output documents (letters, applications, petitions, etc.), classifications of the types of fees, the normative-reference and auxiliary information were integrated into the AS “Vynakhody” database.
For the purposes of searches in the national database of inventions and utility models the automated system database “Vynakhody” is also used. And in 2005 a retrieval system for the full-text searching by examiners in the document file of the technology database AS “Vynakhody” was developed.
The mentioned database functions within the Local Area Network (LAN) under the control of the Windows 2000 Server operation system. In the capacity of operational stations modern personal computers with the Windows Professional operation system are used.
For the fulfillment of the searches by the examiners of Ukrpatent in patent documentation published by other offices a database “Vynakhody Zarubizhnyh Krayin” (Foreign Countries Inventions) is created and updated by means of downloading the data from the optical carriers received by Ukrpatent in the framework of the international patent information exchange. This database is meant for the internal use at Ukrpatent.
There also functions an interactive (external) database "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine" that aims at the information support of the numerous users. By the end of 2005 the database comprised the data of 89,457 patents. During 2005 it was updated with the data of 6,319 patents.

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)

• Planning, administration, automation, security, buildings;
• Collecting, acquisitions, preparation;
• Collection management, preservation;
• Interlibrary lending, resource sharing, networks of patent libraries in the country;
• 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 Public Fund of Patent Documentation (PFPD) is the only most full and up-to-date collection of patent documentation in Ukraine and functions as a public patent library. The PFPD updating of which is carried on in accordance with the State policy aimed at supporting the innovative development of Ukraine and realized in line with the wide range of scientific and technical public informational needs contains patent documentation of 64 countries (incl. 46 countries participating in the international scientific and technical as well as military and technical cooperation with Ukraine) and three international and regional organizations (WIPO, the EPO and the EAPO). The bulk of the collection is made up by official bulletins of patent offices on paper and electronic carrier: as of December 31, 2005 there were 17,600 items in hard copies and around 1,120 on CD-ROM. Abstracts as well as patent specifications of industrially developed countries are represented with 10-20 or more years back file (on CD-ROM & DVD-ROM). The total PFPD collection on optical media is marked by 1,240 items increase and reached about 10,400 discs; the paper collection of patent specifications exceeded 200,000 items. The composition of PFPD and its quarterly updates are reported on the websites of the State Department (http://www.sdip.gov.ua), Ukrpatent (www.ukrpatent.org) and the Branch of the State Enterprise "Ukrainian Industrial Property Institute” – “The Ukrainian Center of Innovatics and Patent Information Services" (hereinafter referred to as the UkrCIPIS) (http://www.ip-centr.kiev.ua).
In view of many patent offices’ transition to the publication of their documentation on electronic media and the change of the existing patent information products format the PFPD and the PIB started receiving the following CD-ROM & DVD-ROM in 2005:
- official bulletins of the EPO (patents), the USA (trademarks) and Moldova;
- ESPACE EP (a new patent information product which replaced two EPO products and contains complete specifications of European applications and patents);
- ESPACE-PRECES (patent documents of the Eastern and Central Europe countries);
- ESPACE-ACCESS PRECES (disk for search in ESPACE-PRECES);
- ESPACE-ACCESS EPC (bibliographic data of 29 EPO member-countries patent documents);
- ESPACE UK (complete specifications of Great Britain’s patent applications);
- official bulletin of the Russian patent office “Inventions. Utility models” and complete patent specifications published on the same disk with the bulletin.

The national patent documentation in the PFPD is today presented both on paper and electronic carriers: since 2002 – by the regional patent information product of the CIS countries on CD-ROM – CISPATENT, that includes patent documentation of Ukraine; since 2005 – the official bulletin “Promyslova Vlasnist” (“Industrial Property”) on CD-ROM and the national CD-ROM “Vynakhody v Ukraini” (“Inventions in Ukraine”).
The PFPD is also updated with national and foreign publications (primarily patent offices’ publications), legal and guidance literature.
Upon request of the users PFPD provided printouts of patent documents, rendered services and offered advice on the drafting of applications for inventions and utility models.
Taking into consideration requests of the database "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine" users, free access to abstracts in this database was provided in 2005.
In order to provide all the interested users with sufficient information on the free foreign patent documentation databases The List of Addresses of Patent Databases with Free Internet Access (hereinafter referred to as the List of Patent Databases) and The List of Scientific and Technical Databases and Reference Sources with Free Internet Access are posted on the corresponding web-sites of the State Department (since 2004) and Ukrpatent (since 2005). These lists are regularly updated.
In the year under review the list of the information sources available to the public via the Internet (i.e. external databases) was supplemented by the number of interactive databases (DB) and Information and Reference Systems (IRS). Thus, together with the existing and popular DB “Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine” the following DB and IRS are also connected to the Internet: DB “The Official Bulletin "Industrial Property" (Electronic Version)”, ІRS "Invention (Utility Model) Applications Processing State". Activities on the connection of the IRS "International Patent Classification. Eighth Edition (2006). Core Level" are started. They all are created with the purpose of the better patent information supply of the specialists in the sphere of intellectual property as well as national and foreign patent information users, improving it and the widening of the range of patent information services for the satisfaction of needs of the Ukrainian and foreign users.

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

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• Training courses for national and foreign participants, use of audiovisual means;
• Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.);
• Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.);
• Studies to identify trends in new technology, e.g., by the use of patent statistics, preparation of monographs, etc.;
• Assistance furnished by offices to facilitate the changing over of receiving offices to electronic data carriers for the exchange of patent documents (see also sub-item 4 of item VI, above).
One of the tasks of the State Department is the coordination of activities concerning the development, improvement and functioning of the system for training of intellectual property specialists in Ukraine. 16 institutions of higher education in Ukraine hold licence for specialist’s and master’s degree training in the field of intellectual property with the total licence capacity of about 1,210 persons in 2005. In the system of the higher education institutions which implement educational-professional and professional programs of training, improvement and upgrading of qualification in the sphere of intellectual property there functions the educational scientific and production complex “Academy of Intellectual Property”. The Complex is defined as the leading institution in training, improvement and upgrading of qualification of experts in the sphere of intellectual property. The Institute of Intellectual Property and Law (IIPL) which is the basic institution for training and raising the skill level of the professionals in the field of intellectual property and the lecturers, and also for developing curriculums, training programs and teaching and methodical literature, in particular, in the subject “Intellectual property basics” for secondary education institutions is charged with the function of the coordination of the research, teaching and educational activities of the Complex.
Procedural and institutional activities of the State Department are aimed at the knowledge dissemination and human resources development in the field of intellectual property in 2005 positively resulted in the following: 80,000 of students from 122 educational institutions mastered the subject “Intellectual property”; 16 educational institutions were granted licenses to carry out educational activities dealing with training and providing refresher courses to the specialists in the specialist field “Intellectual property” and the total number of such specialists in 2005 constituted 1,210 people; the state order for the intellectual property specialists training made 25 % increase; 550 people were trained and took refresher and promotion courses at the IIPL; the State Department together with the IIPL started the system of promotion courses for scientific and pedagogic staff in the field of intellectual property; 248 specialists from production, entrepreneurship, scientific and scientific-and-technical fields were trained and took refresher courses.
The State Department together with the IIPL held a number of activities aimed at the provision of the modern methods of the intellectual property management implementation: promotion courses for the heads and employees of the intellectual property commercialization divisions and patent engineers at enterprises, institutions and organizations, science and educational specialist; basic valuation activities training courses. The Fifth All-Ukrainian Science and Practical Conference “Problems of the Intellectual Property Specialists in Ukraine” took place.
In order to disseminate knowledge and increase awareness of the public in the sphere of intellectual property in the system of continuous education the IIPL developed an Internet-platform based distance learning with the Ukrainian modules under the WIPO World Wide Academy DL-101 “General Course on Intellectual Property”.
Considerable attention was paid to the popularization of the knowledge in the sphere of modern information technologies implementation when using patent information resources that promoted access to free foreign patent information and scientific-and-technical information via the Internet for the bodies of the national scientific-and-technical information system, enterprises, state scientific and specialized libraries, universities and other educational institutions, research organizations and centers, including the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, patent attorney firms, design offices in the regions of Ukraine.
In 2005 the State Department organized and held in cooperation with Ukrpatent and the UkrCIPIS 20 conferences and seminars on the protection of intellectual property rights. Taking into account the modern tendencies and cardinal changes in the formation of the world and national patent collections, with the purpose of sharing by the Ukrpatent’s specialists the experience gained in the sphere of modern information technologies application by using patent information resources the State Department in cooperation with Ukrpatent conducted the number of science and practical seminars dedicated to the problems of IP information provision, especially, to the national patent information Internet resources, the national patent information products on CD-ROM. Among them are the seminars “Streamlining of patent information search based on the modern information technologies” attended by nearly 100 participants (jointly with the Ukrainian Scientific, Technical and Economic Information Institute) and “The Status and Prospects of the Implementation of the System of Electronic Filing of Applications for IPR” attended by over 70 participants. Sometimes reports on the above-mentioned topics were included in the wider subject-matter seminars. During the 9th annual International Science and Practical Conference “Urgent Problems of Intellectual Property” some reports were dedicated just to these problems. This conference was conducted by the UkrCIPIS, that in 2005 organised 4 seminars for the state intellectual property system users dealing with the most topical problems of the protection, use and enforcement of IPR.
In particular, the following events took place: together with the IIPL – the science and practical seminar “Intellectual Property Management”; with the participation of WIPO – the training seminar “Implementation of the IPC-8 Edition and Practical Application of the IPC-8 Internet Version”; with the assistance of the British Council – “Technologies Commercialization Aspects”.
In order to assist the promotion of the creative activity and to rise the level of comprehension by the society of the importance of the practical enforcement of intellectual property rights, the State Department annually holds the All-Ukrainian contest of inventive activity “Invention of the Year”. In 2005 it organized and held a number of contests, in particular, such as “Effective Implementation – a Way to Prosperity”, “Invention-2004” and the all-Ukrainian contest for the WIPO award for the small and medium innovative enterprises. The winners of the contests were awarded by Diplomas of the State Department, prizes and Certificates for the use of the Internet-Exchange of intellectual property. In August 2005 the contest “Invention-2005 ” and WIPO award for innovational enterprises were announced.
The proceedings of the seminars and conferences are published in the special section on the website of the State Department (http://www.sdip.gov.ua).
In order to foster the dissemination of information concerning the state system for the protection of intellectual property, to facilitate the acquisition of intellectual property rights, popularization of knowledge in the indicated sphere, monographs, textbooks, training and practical aids, proceedings of the conferences and seminars, popular editions, which are also used in the system for training and upgrading of qualification of specialists in the sphere of intellectual property, including examiners, are regularly prepared and published. During the year under review, in particular, were issued the “Intellectual Property Management” monograph.
To provide the state intellectual property legal protection system with the terminological and linguistic support the State Department started in 2005 a series of publications of unofficial Ukrainian translations of the WIPO Standards (mainly those of general nature).
The unofficial Ukrainian translations of the following WIPO Standards were published in the official sources of the State Department and mass media: ST. 2, ST. 3, ST. 6, ST. 8.
The activities of the intellectual property system in Ukraine were regularly elucidated by mass media as well as by the radio and on television.

IX. Other relevant matters

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