Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2021 submitted by Hungarian Intellectual Property Office
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I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PATENT INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Information on the following topics is desired:
- Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of patent information activities and expected time frames for their realization
1.High-quality fulfillment of the quantitative and qualitative requirements of the national intellectual property protection authority activity (industrial property protection, copyright activity) and R&D certification activity in accordance with international professional requirements and the interests of domestic enterprises. Strengthening the service provider nature of official activities, maintaining partnerships with customers.
2. Fulfill the role of legal practice analysis and legislative preparation related to the protection of intellectual property (industrial property rights and copyright) and R&D certification activities, paying special attention to the needs of the European Union and domestic policies.New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks.
3. Fulfilling the tasks of the member states arising from the European integration of Hungary in the field of intellectual property (European Patent Convention, European Union trademark and design protection system, copyright), with special regard to the interests of Hungary. Carrying out international patent research and preliminary examination tasks related to the operation of the Visegrád Patent Institute, as well as supporting the operation of the institute, with special regard to its headquarters in Budapest.
4. Improving the conditions of awareness, orientation and training of the Hungarian industrial property rights and copyright culture through customer service, value-added service, IT and education support programs; purposeful support for science, technology and innovation policy strategies to improve national performance.
5. Utilize the infrastructural and human resources of the office in an efficient organizational and management system in order to ensure economical, efficient, effective institutional operation.
6. Improve the process-based, risk-based operation, maintain the office's internal control system and maintain and develop an integrated system (quality management and information security management) in accordance with the ISO standards introduced in the office in order to effectively operate and develop the industrial property and copyright system. which is necessary for the development of a knowledge-based, innovative and competitive economy.
- New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks
- Main areas of patent information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year
Preparing the drafting or amendment of intellectual property legislation is a major task of the Office. On 26 November 2019, the European Union acceded to the Geneva Act of the Lisbon Agreement on Appellations of Origin and Geographical Indications. Following the accession of the EU, the Geneva Act entered into force on 26 February 2020. Hungary has also ratified the Geneva Act. HIPO prepared the Hungarian translation of the Geneva Act and the Common Implementing Regulations and participated in the preparation of the ratification proposal in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice. The Bill was adopted by the National Assembly at the spring session of 2021, and Hungary deposited its instrument of ratification on 10 June. The Geneva Act entered into force in Hungary on 10 September.
The Office participated in the preparatory work for the amendment of the Patent Act initiated by the Hungarian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association. The industry proposals were aimed at amending the bifurcation model, the compensation for damages caused by unjustified provisional measures in patent litigation and the Bolar exception rules. The amendments to the Act entered into force on 1 January 2022.
- Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes
Number of valid Patents, Supplementary protections, Plant variety protections and Utility models in Hungary at the end of 2021
Patents granted via the national route: 1240 (2020: 1696)
European patents validated by HIPO: 33557 (2020: 31870)
At the end of December 2021, the number of valid patents in Hungary amounted to 34797 up by 1,231, or 3.7%, compared to the end of the previous year.
The increase was driven by a 5.3% increase in the number of European patents validated for Hungary, while the number of nationally granted valid patents decreased to 1 240.
The number of patent applications filed via the national route in 2021 was 446, 10 applications down on the previous year. The applications filed via the national route include patent applications of domestic origin on the one hand, foreign applications filed directly with HIPO and PCT applications entering the national phase on the other.
The number of patent applications filed by Hungarian, i.e. domestic applicants (431) was similar to the previous year, as it increased by 0.7%.
In the field of patents, the growth of electronic filing continued in 2021. 55 % of applications were filed electronically, up from 39% in 2020.
The proportion of applications filed in person fell from 42% to 29% probably also in order to keep distance during the epidemic.
More than half of the requests submitted by domestic applicants were so-called individual applications from natural persons, and the other half were so-called institutional applications from entities.
European patents
The number of requests for the validation of European patents in Hungary peaked in 2019. Since then, their number has decreased, presumably due to the introduction of the system of European patents with unitary effect in the near future. The 4 567 requests for validation received in 2021 are 10.5% down on the previous year, with 535 requests.
In 2021, the number of European patents granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) with the designation HU was 108 364.
Under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which is the basic framework of international patent cooperation, patent (or utility model) applications may be filed – by way of one single application – with effect for 193 countries in the world. The number of international patent applications (PCT applications) has been rising year on year, slowed somewhat by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recorded 276.8 thousand such applications, up 0.7% on 2020. Only a small proportion of applications result in protection extending also to the territory of Hungary at a later phase of the proceedings. In 2021, 6 PCT applications entered the national phase in Hungary. And 114 proceedings were initiated by Hungarian applicants under the PCT system, compared to 140 in the previous year.
Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs) are used to extend the term of protection of medicinal products or plant protection products protected by patents. During 2021, the Office received 57 SPC applications, the same number as in the previous year. During the year, 94 proceedings were completed, resulting in 78 SPCs being granted. The number of proceedings pending at the end of the year was 76.
Of the 400 SPCs granted, 83 had expired basic patents at the end of the year, meaning that in these cases the invention was already protected by the SPC. However, for 317 SPCs granted, the basic patents were still in force, so the term of protection of the SPCs had not yet started.
In 2021, 798 utility models and 209 nationally granted plant variety protections were in force.
- Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
Annual Reports:
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Information on the following topics is desired:
- Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs
Detailed information and support is accessible on the website of HIPO, eg.:
e-Filing: https://ugyintezes.sztnh.gov.hu/eBej2/step1
Forms and fees: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/mivel-fordulhatok-a-hivatalhoz/folyamatban-levo-es-lezart-ugyeim-kezelese/urlapok-dijak
How can I protect my intellectual property?: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/hogyan-vedjem-a-szellemi-tulajdonomat/hogyan-vedjem-a-talalmanyomat
- Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
The e-dossier gives inspection and communication platform providing online administration.
E-dossier: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-aktabetekintes/?lang=HU
- Classification1, preclassification2 (if applicable), reclassification3 activities; classification systems used (e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC)); matters concerning indexing of patent information
Both IPC and CPC classification systems are used by HIPO.
Both classification systems are used in the HU Administration System and are sent to the EPO (Espacenet). IPC classification symbols are available on the HIPO website in Hungarian and English.
IPC: http://classifications.mszh.hu/ipc/
- Abstracting, reviewing, and translation of the information contained in patent documents
- Other activities
III. SOURCES OF PATENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
Information on the following topics is desired:
- 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 IP search Hungarian intellectual property database is the basic tool of research of patents and designs valid in Hungary, and applications being processed.
Full-text of published patent applications and granted patent documents are also accessible in the IP-search in searchable format.
http://epub.hpo.hu/e-kutatas/?lang=HU
Full-text granted HU patents are accessible in electronic format from 1896.
Full-text published patent applications are accessible in electronic format from 1992.
Utility models are accessible in the IP-Search. http://epub.hpo.hu/e-kutatas/?lang=HU
- Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.
Gazette of Patents and Trademarks has been published electronically, and accessible on the website of the Office free of charge, in searchable pdf-format, published twice a month. https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/szabadalmi-kozlony-es-vedjegyertesito
- Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external collections and databases
The Unified Administrative System of the Office covers the bibliographic and image data, the documents and the official letters belonging to the different intellectual property rights (with the additional data that are not accessible for the public). The public electronic-databases GAZETTE, IP-SEARCH, E-REGISTER, E-DOSSIER are also used by the Examiners. The IP-SEARCH database has an internal version covering public and non-public data.
Searches are performed mainly in the EPOQUENET system. Examiners regularly use EP-REG, Espacenet and other web-based patent databases. Commercial databases are also used in special technical fields, such as Clarivate Analytics: Thomson Reuters, STN and Elsevier both for patent and non-patent information.
- Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to external users, conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
Intellectual property databases such as IP-search, Gazette, e-Register and e-Dossier are accessible on the webpage of HIPO free of charge: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak
- Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
Legal status information (not certified) can be accessed in e-Ddossier: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-aktabetekintes/?lang=HU
Certified statements on the validity of protection can be received against payment.
- Other sources
IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Information on the following topics is desired:
- Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements
- Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
- Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
In 2021, HIPO’s IT system effectively and seamlessly provided the information technology background necessary for the official and service activities, it successfully performed the tasks related to the increased use of e-administration. The IT department took part in the systematic planning of the analytic, integration and data migration tasks of the Back Office project, which aims to renew the internal case management system of HIPO. The IT team also participated in the discussions with the project organization and the experts of the EUIPO.
The development of digitalisation, the gaining ground of e-administration generate surplus tasks, as the ratio of official documents filed electronically increased to 54 %, which means a monthly average of 1200 documents.
The ratio of applications filed electronically also increased considerably for every title of protection.
The most important IT development tasks performed in 2021 by the IT department were the following:
Árfor (Nice Class Hun-English translator application)
eSignature (HIPO electronic signature microservice integration with BO)
ELO_Numbering (ELO Application number service)
Acsepto (HIPO Similarity search system)
CTI – Former TM/DS View (Former TM DS View service to be replaced by CTI)
WIPO IF (WIPO International TM interface for bilateral communication)
EPUB (HIPO Publication database and search services)
SAP (HIPO Accounting system for payment integration)
Authentication (Authentication infra service integration)
User-Roles-Groups (User roles and groups management)
Audit (Log management)
Kibana (Reporting tool)
Software Package (Overall architecture document)
Alfresco (EUIPO Document Management System)
ELO Correspondence ELO eFiling,
Decision Desktop (EUIPO Letter management tool)
HIPO’s information security is stable. The Office fulfilled the information security obligations prescribed for public administration organs. As a result of the staff’s awareness and the operation of a multi-level information security system, no serious information security incident occurred in the Office.
- Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
- Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
- Other matters
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF PATENT INFORMATION
Information on the following topics is desired:
- Patent library: equipment, collection management, network of patent libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign patent libraries
See: Industrial Property Special Library: http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/en/services/industrial-property-special-library
The Frecskay János Special Library is a nation-wide public special library, which has a unique collection in the field of intellectual property; most of its reference books and periodicals cannot be found in other libraries in Hungary.
25 292 documents were taken stock of at the end of 2021 – printed, audio-visual and electronic publications. In order for user-friendly accessibility and searchability of this unique public collection content by the broader public, 400 thousand pages have already been digitalised.
The digitalised, text searchable pdf files were published on the Hungaricana Hungarian Cultural Heritage Portal.
In 2021 the Office’s central customer service received 18 072 queries, which was 15% higher than the previous year’s number. Among the forms of information request, the queries made by phone were the most popular. 71.8% of the queries were made by phone. About 13 thousand such queries were received by the Office. As a consequence of the pandemic, the number of queries made in person further decreased by one-third (1,543), its proportion fell to 8.5% from 15% in the previous year. Also, as a consequence of the pandemic, the number of queries received in an electronic way increased considerably – by 32% – (2,823).
The number of queries received by fax or post decreased (620).
- Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
In line with the expectations of a quality service Office, HIPO offers, in addition to the cost-free customer service information, advanced level intellectual property services for its clients subject to payment.
HIPO thus offers two trade mark and seven patent search services, the patentability report related to the IPARJOG call for applications, as well as the free of charge IP Diagnosis service.
Office’s initiatives on providing foreign patent information in the local language(s) (e.g., machine translation tools, translation of abstracts)
The official journal of HIPO, the Gazette for Patents and Trade Marks, containing our official publications, is published with free of charge access on the website of HIPO in pdf format, in electronic form and certified by electronic signature, in line with Act CXXX of 2010 on legislation.
The publication continues to be widely read by interested professionals.
In 2021 more than 254 thousand pdf documents were downloaded, the number of html visits surpassed 208 thousand.
The website of HIPO – www.sztnh.gov.hu – can offer professional information both to potential clients who are less well-informed and to professional users. The high interest in the portal is shown in the fact that in 2021 493 thousand individually identifiable visitors visited the portal on 1.39 million occasions and downloaded 13.5 million pages. The amount of the downloaded data was 4,658 gigabyte (turnover without robots).
Users can access useful e-administration and information services on the website such as e-administration, e-search and e-register. In addition to these, they can use the TM e-Filing system to file trade mark applications, the TMView system for electronic trade mark search, the DesignView database, which contains designs protected in the European Union, as well as the GIView database containing geographical indications.
In the field of press and communication it was an important goal to make more and more layers of society and economic actors aware of the Office’s work and activities, and to educate enterprises, researchers and interested circles so as to enable them to achieve a greater economic advantage through intellectual property protection. Thus, news about the Office were published ever more intensively both in the print media and in the radio or television.
HIPO’s presence in the social media further intensified, the number of followers increased. This is demonstrated by the 1019 followers on LinkedIn, the 4,200 followers on Facebook, the 330 followers on Instagram and the 234 subscribers of Youtube. With its posts HIPO could reach up to 15-20 thousand persons. The most popular posts were those describing inventors, well-known personalities or interesting inventions.
- Office's initiatives on providing foreign patent information in the local language(s) (e.g., machine translation tools, translation of abstracts)
- Cooperation with universities, research centers, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
The professional partners and the customers of HIPO, interested in issues of intellectual property protection, were able to choose from a variety of services and programs of awareness raising, information provision and education also in 2021.
Among enterprises – especially among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups – and among the professors and students of higher education institutions, HIPO raises awareness of the importance of enhancing knowledge of industrial property and copyright protection, of the fact that obtaining IP rights ensures a competitive edge for them on the market.
In the field of enhancing the IP knowledge of enterprises, HIPO found an important partner in Piac és Profit business magazine, which regularly organises conferences for SMEs, in co-operation with the local chambers of commerce and industry. In 2021, by joining the virtual events, HIPO could reach as many as 1,900 SMEs by 20 awareness-raising presentations.
HIPO has contracts for an indefinite period with 16 County Chambers of Commerce and Industry and 6 PATLIB centres (University of Debrecen, University of Miskolc, University of Sopron,
University of Pécs, University of Győr and University of Szeged) to operate an IP info point.
In the second half of 2021, the EPO launched a programme for PATLIB centres, called Patlib 2.0, with the aim of renewing the centres and their service portfolio. Currently, the assessment of the level of the centres’ services is taking place in order for HIPO to get a picture where it can count on them or where they expect assistance from the Office.
In the framework of examining the service opportunities for supporting the Hungarian SMEs,
in 2021 HIPO prepared the concept of domestic certification of the ISO 56005:2020 IP management standard.
At the November event of FIVOSZ, called Week of Enterprises, one of the participants of the IP rights round table was the President of HIPO.
The Office participated, among others, in the Digital Startup Safari event with a presentation on IP, a trade mark and design workshop and with dedicated customer service hours.
- Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
The Office operates the education system on IP, organises the industrial property and copyright exams, as well as the patent attorney exams. With regard to the pandemic, similarly to the previous year, HIPO organised its trainings in an online format also in 2021.
HIPO can look back on a long history of cooperation with the Hungarian higher education institutions.
In this framework in 2021 IP protection as an independent subject of a semester was announced in 12 faculties of 9 higher education institutions.
In a further 4 higher education institutions the teaching of IP knowledge was integrated into a subject offering entrepreneurial/ technical/ legal/ social and/or scientific knowledge. The teaching of the subjects ”Intellectual property protection” and ”Innovation management and industrial property” was realised in E-learning format in 6 higher education institutions, with the participation of a total of 758 persons.
The basic, intermediate and advanced level industrial property courses, the basic and intermediate level copyright courses as well as the specially targeted courses organised by HIPO play an important role in IP knowledge sharing.
Basic level industrial property course took place on 5 occasions with 172 participants, basic level copyright course took place on 3 occasions with 86 participants.
26 participants concluded successfully an intermediate level industrial property course, while intermediate level copyright course started with 32 participants.
The fourth semester of the advanced level industrial property course took place in 2021.
In September a new advanced level industrial property course commenced with the participation of the officials of the Office.
On 25 occasions, HIPO organised specially targeted courses, further education on IP and search practice for various institutions and target groups. In addition, HIPO participated in exhibitions, international fairs with counselling and presentations.
E-learning modules:
http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/sztnh/szellemitulajdon-vedelmi-kepzes/tavoktatas
- Other activities
VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF PATENT INFORMATION
Information on the following topics is desired:
- International exchange and sharing of patent information in machine-readable form, e.g., priority documents, bibliographic data, abstracts, search reports, full text information
The Hungarian version of IPC is accessible on the home-page. http://classifications.mszh.hu/ipc/
The Hungarian interface of ESPACENET is accessible: https://hu.espacenet.com/advancedSearch?locale=hu_HU
- Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information
The Budapest-based Visegrad Patent Institute (hereinafter “VPI”) was established as an intergovernmental organisation in the field of patent cooperation by the four Visegrad countries, the Czech Republic, the Polish Republic, Hungary and the Slovak Republic. It acts as an International Search Authority (ISA) and an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA). As of 1 June 2017, the VPI receives search requests relating to international patent applications from nationals, enterprises and other organisations established in Lithuania, and as of 1 September 2020, it receives such requests also from users in Serbia. In 2021, the VPI received 116 requests for international search reports and 3 requests for international preliminary examination reports. Approximately two-thirds – 68% – of the requests were submitted in a national language (Hungarian, Czech, Polish or Slovak), and 32% were submitted in English.
The VPI celebrated its 5th anniversary on 1 July 2021.
To mark this occasion, an online conference was organised by the VPI, under the auspices of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology, with the support of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office and in cooperation with the national intellectual property offices of the VPI’s contracting states, including HIPO, on 7 July 2021.
On 6 January 2022, the Minister for Innovation and Technology appointed Péter Lábody, Vice-President for Legal Affairs of HIPO, as the person authorised to represent Hungary, and confirmed the appointment of Dóra Gyetvainé Virág, Vice-President for Technical Affairs of HIPO, as substitute representative in the Administrative Board of the VPI.
Hungary will chair the Administrative Board in 2022.
- Assistance to developing countries
- Other activities
VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
Please include any other relevant information here.
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