...
Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of patent information activities and expected time frames for their realization
The outline of main policies and plans of patent information activities have officially been announced in the following plans.
...
New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks
Concerning the above a)(i) and b)(i), the JPO built the “Chinese and Korean Gazette Translation and Search System” which enables users to search machine translated full-text data (machine translation into Japanese) of Chinese/Korean patent/utility model documents by using Japanese text and made it available to examiners and the general users in January 2015. For more information about this, see 3.(4)(a-3).
...
Main areas of patent information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year
Toward the realization of “the world’s utmost quality service to provide patent information,” in order to discuss how the measures for disseminating and utilizing patent information should be, the subcommittee on dissemination and utilization of patent information consisting of patent information experts was appointed under the Intellectual Property Committee under Industrial Structure Council, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in July 2015. The result of the study was summarized as a report, “Toward further utilization of patent information” in May, 2016.
...
Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes
(1) Patent
In 2015, the number of applications was 318,721 (down 2.2% from the previous year) and the number of registrations was 189,358 (down 16.6% from the previous year).
...
Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
(Annual Report in Japanese) http://www.jpo.go.jp/shiryou/toukei/gyosenenji/index.html
...
Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs
a) Paper-based application
...
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
a) Search for Examination Document Information, One Portal Dossier
...
Classification1, preclassification2 (if applicable), reclassification3 activities; classification systems used (e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC)); matters concerning indexing of patent information
In 2015, the number of applications that were assigned FI and IPC by the JPO was: about 280,000 when the application was laid open, about 190,000 when the Patent Gazette was issued, and about 7,000 when the registered utility model gazette was issued.
...
Abstracting, reviewing, and translation of the information contained in patent documents
a) Reviewing of the abstract
...
Main types of publications of the Office (patent applications, full text, first pages, abstracts, bibliographic data, granted patents, etc.), medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)
The JPO published the following patent documents in 2015:
...
Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.
Nothing in particular
Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external collections and databases
a) Off-line
LiqCryst, Code V
...
Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to external users, conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
a) Providing IP rights information via the Internet
...
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
Legal status information of applications filed in January 1990 onwards can be searched on the Japan Platform for Patent Information (J-PlatPat) by using document numbers such as application numbers, publication numbers and registration numbers. In addition, applications filed in 1989 and before can be searched if any data (e.g. publication of Gazettes, requests for examination, registration for establishment of rights, requests for trials/appeals) was renewed in April 1998 onwards.
...
Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements
The JPO has been using an electronic application, file wrapper system and peripheral examination assistance system since 1990. These systems improve the efficiency of administrative works by computerizing application filing, formality/substantive examinations, dispatch, registration, gazette publications, and requesting for inspection of files, requesting for certification.
...
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
Servers, network devices, PCs for business use etc.
...
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
a) Patent and Utility Model Search System (F-term search system)
...
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
a) File building and updating
...
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Refer to 4.(1).
Other matters
...
Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
a. Japan Platform for Patent Information (J-PlatPat)
...
Cooperation with universities, research centers, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
Patent information is as important as journal information for researches conducted at universities, etc. In addition, patent information has a characteristic as public goods, since it is widely disclosed and contributes to the development of science and technology. The JPO has provided the IPDL Official Gazette Fixed-address Service since 2007 which allows users such as universities to directly access data contained in Gazettes on the IPDL with the aim of supporting R&D by universities.
...
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
a) J-PlatPat etc. training seminars
...
International exchange and sharing of patent information in machine-readable form, e.g., priority documents, bibliographic data, abstracts, search reports, full text information
a) The Five IP Offices (IP5) data exchange and bilateral data exchange
...
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information
a) Dossier Information Mutual Reference System
...
Assistance to developing countries
a) Activities/cooperation through voluntary contributions (Funds-in-Trust) for WIPO
...