Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2023 submitted by Norwegian Industrial 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:

The Norwegian Industrial Property Office, NIPO, has a strategy which is annually revised. The strategy embraces all activities in IPR, cross the three main domains Patent, Trademark and designs, as well as related IPR-services, IPR-awareness and IPR-training. The office are also involved in broad cooperation against anti-counterfeit in Norway. NIPO are also partner of the Nordic Patent Institute, which is a PCT ISA using joint resources of DK, IS and NO, and in addition limited patent professional services. In short: https://www.patentstyret.no/en/about-us/strategy 

• Our society mission:
  Be a copilot for good management of the immaterial values, to increase profits and value creation for companies and general within Norway:
  More valuable rights, and better use of immaterial rights.
• Our values: Credibility, customer focus, engaged and solution oriented.
• Our goals are to create value for our customers, for the society and for our staff.

4 major trends impacts our society mission: Increase in expectations, digitization, export and green transition.

NIPO maintains a ICT strategy for periods of 5 years, with annual revision, reflecting the office strategies, and the current period is 2020-2024. A new ICT Strategy is under development.

Across the domains our proceedings are ISO 9001:2015 certified, with annual revision. Our goal is to have no defects in 96% of all proceedings. This goal was achieved in the yearly assessments.
There where 3 revisions to improved quality and increase efficiency in internal processes and services. The 3 findings and 27 observations in total was maintained by proper measures.

NIPO introduces a new vulnerability and risk assessment method in February 2023, with two subsequent evaluations. The 2 red alerts where handled properly.

The goals of 2023 for patent Information activities where the following:

• Increase IPR knowledge and competence, with focus on SME's, start-ups and founders.
• Decrease of time from filing to grant
  • First flings decisions takes normally 7 months, but accelerated handling was offered during 4 months of 2023, where 22% of the applicants requested accelerated handling.
• Increase number of patent application decisions 
  • In average 35 applications are decided per man-year, up from 32 in 2022.
• Harmonization of practice with EPO
  
  • Selected outcomes from NPI by NIPO examiners are controlled by redoing same by a NIPO and by EPO examination of same PCT applications. The 8 study was concluded in 2023, with the conclusion of harmonized practice. Deviations result in update in training and practices.
• Evaluation of decisions from the Board of appeals (KFIR.no) and the courts
  • KFIR made 9 patent related decisions, where 4 had identical decision, one was opposite and one was maintained with change in claims. 3 patents where invalidated.

The annual customer satisfaction survey for IPR rights procedures gave the following results:  TMs, 3,9/5, PT = 3,7/5 and DS=4/5, where 5 is very satisfied. The customers is overall satisfied with small variations between customer types, and stable from year to year.
For the specialized commercial services the office provided, the customer ratings are: TM = 3,8/4, PT = 3,9/4 and DS = 4/4, where 4 is very satisfied. 

The patent statistics:

 Annual report only in Norwegian: https://www.patentstyret.no/en/media/documents/Annual%20reports/aarsrapport-2023.pdf

 Digitization activities concerning patent: 

• New CMS system and organisation profile implemented
  (internet pages, forms, customer dialogue), EnonixXP, by Seeds, with usability assistance by Netlife Bergen.
• New CRM system (Hubspot) at end of year
• First open data extract (all three domains PT, DS, TM) in ST.97 format (JSON)
• New gazette in pilot phase for PT, DS, TM, with aim to launch full production in March 2024
• Pending legal status event extract database, with aim for open API by 2024.
• First new filings and correspondence form in national platform, correspondence to existing cases all domains. All dialog forms inbound and outbound to be ported/improved by 2025. Project continues.
• New workflow for EP-patents granting implemented in Ptolemy by Coexya
• Started project for new workflow on all post grant procedures (OP-procedures), all domains PT, TM, DS
• All paper archives handled for long term preservation, short term off site access and/or termination
• WIPO DAS 

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

Digital services by office: https://services.patentstyret.no/#/ Dual language English / Norwegian

• Dossier access for registered customers

Web page for static information:  https://www.patentstyret.no/en Some information is available in dual languages English and Norwegian: 

III. SOURCES OF PATENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

Search with full dossier after patent application where opened for public inspection: https://search.patentstyret.no/advanced/#/ 
Other related services: https://services.patentstyret.no/#/

Patent gazette: https://tidende.patentstyret.no/ (all three gazette portal, dual language English and Norwegian). Digital version from week 10/2024

Currently testing, launch 2024: Open data API for patent register in ST.97 with incremental update based on legal status events.

IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

All infrastructure off prem (data center) 100%,  without network capabilities and work stations.
200+ local servers (virtual included). Redundancy, off site backup.

Some main technologies: VMWare, MS.Net, Oracle, Documentum, MS.Azure, Citrix Workspace

Standard workstation is laptop, docking, 49" widescreen monitor or dual monitors. Providing up to dual monitor home office.

IPR field system "SANT" covers all three domains with national, international and regional filings, all pre- and post procedures, including invoicing and payments:

• Ptolemy by Coexya, MS.net, Azure extension 2024, Documentum, Acsepto DS, Acsepto TM,  
• Integrations among other with
  • EP-patents, EPO, Authority file, classification
  • WIPO Madrid and Hague
  • Altinn national digital message portal
  • ERP-system Unit4 (Cloud)
  • CRM-system (Hubspot)
  • Office365
  • EUIPO HDB (goods and services)
  • Digital gazette online
  • NIPO digital services (Self service, payments, dossier, ++
• Ansera Search for patent
• Acsetpo Trademark and Design with image search

Digital service portfolio (By NIPO developers):

• Register search on updated copy database, with user selected alerts
• Legal status event export, 
• Digital gazette publication
• Open data management (under test)
• Customer portfolio /dossiers with self service (require secure authentication)
• Altinn service owner (Management of forms, correspondence, outgoing messages to correspondence party)
• Real time statistics
• Customer message inbox (all incoming and outgoing forms)
• Product finder (TM)
• Guided application filing (for non-professionals)
• Online payment (annual fees, renewal, partial renewals) calculation, due dates, CC or bank transfer.

Digital department with 23 man years, including 5-6 developers.

V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF PATENT INFORMATION

Information on the following topics is desired:

• In Norway: Best public sector customer service desk 2023 (by SeeYou)
• New web pages with improved availability and usability.
• Extensive annual program  cooperation with national universities, catapults and incubators (siva.no), IPR-attorney and agents.
• Building IPR knowledge by offering free of charge physical and online courses for different customer types. https://www.patentstyret.no/kurs/
• Increase in activity both in traditional and social media.
• Extensive cooperation with information and activities on anti-counterfeit with customs. 

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF PATENT INFORMATION

Information on the following topics is desired:

• Broad representation in WIPO committees, from GA to CWS, active in WIPO Conversations
• Active supporter of ICT Road Map Meeting
• Initiatives for a Nordic ICT forum for cooperation
• Various projects with EUIPO on TMView and Designview
• Active members in many EPO projects
• Observator in several projects for distributed register, digital wallets, digital national currencies.

VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS

Please include any other relevant information here.

https://www.patentstyret.no/en

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.

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.

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.