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The RIO programme is a body of work currently being undertaken by IP Australia in an effort to build a system to manage workflow and IP right cases based on user centred centered design methodology. The RIO programme will see IPA harmonise its IP Rights through process reengineering, simplification of technology and processes and legislative requirements.
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Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
File building
The Designs Office maintains and updates a search file system using the above mentioned IDC subdivision of current applications, previously registered designs in Australia and maintains a store of current local and international publications.
Updating
Search files are regularly updated as appropriate.
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Other matters
See "In-house Systems" and "Information products…"
Other matters
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
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Office's library (if deals with industrial design information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries
Publications related to different business procedures and industrial design information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
Education and training: training courses, e learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
Other activities
VI.INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
International exchange of industrial design information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information
Assistance to developing countries
Other activities
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Collection management, preservation
All Australian Designs records/documents are handled in accordance with Office procedures set down under Australian Law and archiving practices.
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)
Information services are available on the IP Australia website.
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/
Publications related to different business procedures and industrial design information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
IP Australia provides lots of useful links and topics on a wide range of business procedures and patent information external to IPA through navigation of our website.
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
Education and training: training courses, e learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
Exporters:
Our partnership with the Export Council of Australia is designed to equip our stakeholders and customers with the tools and information they need when trading, or preparing to trade overseas to ensure they’re protecting their ideas, inventions, services or products.
Accountants:
IP Australia has teamed up with CPA Australia, an accounting body with more than 150 000 members, to deliver a long-term, tailored information campaign to help accountants understand the benefits of identifying and protecting IP assets. With an increased understanding of IP and its role in building business value, accountants will be better equipped to ensure their client’s IP is properly recognised, protected and managed.
Engineers:
IP Australia has been engaged with Engineers Australia since 2014 to promote IP messages to its members via a range of channels. With more than 100 000 members embracing all disciplines of engineering, Engineers Australia is the largest and most diverse professional body for engineers in Australia.
SMEs:
A pilot program, IP for Start-ups, was run in March 2015 to help start-ups and small business understand the basics of IP before starting a business. Focussing on patents and trade marks, ten sessions were hosted around Australia. Future program enhancements will include refinements to the content, industry specific case studies and a workshop for creative business.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
Future managers and leaders look set to be more IP-savvy following IP Australia’s successful bid to have IP included in core units in a new Diploma of Leadership and Management in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector.
Universities
IP Australia delivers an annual presentation to students enrolled in the WIPO-Queensland University of Technology Master of Laws in Intellectual Property.
Stakeholder engagement
Different types of engagement currently occur across the agency and include formal consultation activity required as part of regulatory or procedural reviews, structured activities such as the IP Forum and the Executive Visits Program and more informal engagement by staff attending conferences and trade shows and giving presentations.
IP Stakeholders Forum (IPSHF)
This is the principal forum for consultation, discussion and information exchange on IP matters with the attorney profession and industry.
IP Forum (IPF)
The IPF is a bi-annual event which draws together attendees from industry, academia, and government to discuss and share information on IP issues of strategic importance.
Executive Visits Program (EVP)
The EVP was established to provide engagement opportunities between IP Australia’s executive and senior representatives from industry associations and private enterprise IP rights filers. By engaging proactively with these stakeholders, through IP Australia initiated consultations, the agency can demonstrate its commitment to seek out views and opinions on IP matters of strategic importance.
Indigenous Stakeholder Engagement
IP Australia continues to promote Dream Shield, a suite of information that helps to raise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business owners’ awareness and understanding of IP. In 2014-15, IP Australia delivered a series of IP Master-classes in collaboration with National Museum of Australia’s Warakurna travelling indigenous Art Expo.
State -based Events
State-based events targeted a diverse range of business and industry sectors including SMEs, students, researchers and exporters.
Other activities
eServices and B2B
B2B (business-to-business) is a software product IP Australia provides high volume customers to use that enables the direct transmission of large numbers of service requests directly into IP Australia internal systems.
eServices is IP Australia’s web-based self-service portal that is widely used by individuals and attorney firms. There are currently over 90,000 registered eServices users.
Customer responses from annuity firms, attorney firms and self-filers have been very positive. The B2B system has been adopted by the four major annuity firms (by volume) resulting in the majority of renewal transactions being processed automatically. As at December 2013, two Australian-based attorney firms had fully adopted B2B to file the transactions available. A further two are transacting with us via B2B however do not use the B2B system for all IP right submissions.
The first significant release across both channels was in October 2012 when all new applications for all IP right types were implemented in both channels. IP Australia envisaged a gradual take-up of the new eServices/B2B. The aim was to reach about 80 per cent take-up two years after the release. These aims have been well exceeded.
Subsequent releases have seen improvements to the channels based on customer feedback, as well as improvements to support Raising the Bar legislative changes.
In late 2013, IP Australia introduced the “General eService” functionality and “Make a Payment”. These latest enhancements allow users to submit the remaining transaction/service request types including amendments, assignments, extensions of time, opposition matters, international services, invoice payments, and responses to examination reports.
Electronic Correspondence
In September 2014, IP Australia introduced electronic patent correspondence for eServices and B2B customers. This major release represented a first for the agency and assisted us to further streamline our processes and reduce our reliance on physical resources such as paper. We are currently working hard on our capability to deliver Trade Marks and Designs correspondence electronically and we anticipate the initial staged delivery of electronic Trade Mark correspondence will be introduced by late September 2015. Designs electronic correspondence will then follow in early 2016.
VI.INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
International exchange of industrial design information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
International or regional cooperation in the exchange of industrial design information, e.g., in the form of official gazettes
Largely restricted to the Official Journal which is available on-line.
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information
IP Australia presented at the following seminars and workshops in 2014
- 28th Annual Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ) Conference (September 2014). IPSANZ is an independent society whose principal object is to provide a forum for the dissemination of information and discussions about IP issues among a wide range of stakeholder groups.
- WIPO National Workshop on the Financial and Human Resource Management of an IP Office (November 2014), the objectives of the workshop were to provide the designated staff of the Ministry of Science and Technology in Myanmar on financial and human resource aspects of managing an IP office.
- IP Statistics for Decision Makers (Tokyo, November 2014), this annual event is the peak conference on the use of data, statistics and economic evidence in IP policy.
- OECD conference on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Enterprise Dynamics and Working Party on industry Analysis (December 2014). IP Australia was invited to present its work on the IP Government Open Data project and related economic work.
Assistance to developing countries
Through the WIPO Funds-in-Trust theme of developing the IP system, IP Australia has supported the following activities in 2014:
- Sub-regional Workshop on Copyright, Creativity and Development for Decision Makers of South Pacific Countries (March 2014)
- National Training on Successful Technology Licensing (STL) (Philippines) (May 2104)
- National Training on Successful Technology Licensing (Indonesia) (June 2014)
- Training Program on Financial and Human Resource Management of a National IP Office (Myanmar) (November 2014)
- WIPO / FIT Australia National Training Program on Advanced Successful Technology Licensing (STL) (Philippines) (September 2014)
- WIPO / FIT Australia National Workshop on Successful Technology Licensing (STL) (Vietnam) (December 2014)
- Development of national IP Strategies – Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga
Other activities
VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:
Provide information on legislation related to industrial designs
Designs Act: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200401901?OpenDocument
Designs Regulations: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Management.nsf/current/bytitle/5654A5E61547B81BCA256F710006C911?OpenDocument&mostrecent=1
Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012
http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2012A00035
Contain the Annual Report of the Office
Annual Report
http://www.industry.gov.au/AboutUs/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/Pages/default.aspx
(Refer part B for information on IP Australia: )
Contain industrial design-related news regarding the Office
Latest news:
Latest news is featured on the home page of IP Australia's website:
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/
Subscription-based mailing lists
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about-us/news-media-and-events/
Other relevant matters
The Australian Design IP system provides for 2 types of applications:
- Application for registration to obtain rights in the design
- Application for publication which provides no rights except to exclude others from obtaining a valid registration as subsequent designs would not be new.
All applications are assessed against a Formality check prior to Registration or Publication.
Once registered, the owner has a range of rights including the right to use, license and assign the design. However, the right to enforce and prevent others from using, selling or importing the design can only be commenced once the design has been examined and a certificate of examination has issued.
- The expression "industrial designs" covers industrial designs and models.
- Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in this series of Annual Technical Reports.