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Patent applications in nanotechnology: Everybody talks about nanotechnology. However, this is not yet reflected in the patent applications. It is only since the year 2000 that nanotechnology has been listed as a special technical field in the International Patent Classification under the organisational category B 82.
A third of the 54 applications filed at the German Patent and Trade Mark Office between 2001 and 2004 were accounted for by three applicants: Infineon Technologies AG (12 applications), Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH (3 applications), Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V. (3 applications). The other 36 applications were filed by 30 applicants, not showing any specific concentration on certain enterprises. At present, it is not yet possible to compare these figures with the domestic applications in the US, since statistical assessment is possible only for granted patents in the US. Besides, the number of granted patents is not yet significant. In Japan, domestic applicants published 12 patent applications in 2001, 23 in 2002, 51 in 2003 and 82 in 2004.
German Patent and Trade Mark Office, Annual Report 2004, Munich 2005
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)
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IX. Other relevant matters
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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