Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2024 submitted by Italian Patent and Trademark Office

Please provide links to your website where the requested information can be found in English, French, or Spanish.  Alternately, you may provide text responses instead of URLs if desired.  If the information is not available on your website in an ATR language, then please provide text.

URLs in responses should meet the following requirements:

I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PATENT INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

New IT Platform

Work began in November 2023. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, with production go-live scheduled for early 2026.

The main improvements expected after go-live include:

• Improving the reliability and completeness of data. Currently, not all’information is easily accessible, and data must be previously analyzed, retrieved, and enhanced to become useful and understandable.
• Simplifying platform usability for both internal and external users, making information easier to use.
• Enhancing existing services (filing and archiving system, examination system, databases, data/document/bulletin publication), including the introduction of new functionalities.
• Providing new services to external partners (companies, researchers, development agencies, attorneys, etc.), even beyond the institution’s traditional scope.

Development Drivers:

• Human-centric
• Services that support citizens throughout the entire lifecycle of industrial property rights
• Compliance with AGID guidelines for website design and digital public services
• Compliance with WIPO standards
• Interoperability with external systems
• 24/7 service continuity
• Benchmark analysis of international best practices

Digital Archive of the Case Law Digest of the Appeals Commission

A new application has been implemented for the Digital Archive of the Case Law Digest of the Appeals Commission.

Link: https://www.uibm.gov.it/massima/

Statistics:

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

Link: https://servizionline.uibm.gov.it/deposito-online-new/pubblica/index.html (On_line filing -in Italian)

Link: https://uibm.mise.gov.it/index.php/it/deposito-titoli/modulistica-per-il-deposito-cartaceo  (Paper-filing - In Italian)

Link: https://uibm.mise.gov.it/index.php/it/brevetti ("How to Get an Italian Patent”- in Italian)

III. SOURCES OF PATENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Patent applications are filed in Italian. The dossier submitted to the EPO for the novelty search, consists of all patent documents, both in English and Italian, (description, claims, abstract, if any). Only the Italian version is published. The abstract is not mandatory according to the Italian patent law.

The application dossier is available at: https://www.uibm.gov.it/bancadati/Advanced_search/type_url?type=pt&cl=1 (in Italian)

Our main types of publication on patent are:

• bibliographic data,
• filing documentation,
• grant documentation.

Patent information are available on-line:

https://www.uibm.gov.it/bancadati/Advanced_search/type_url?type=pt&cl=1 (in Italian)

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

An on-site tool called NSARA is used that consists of the back-end for patent examination and the front-end for online filing.

IT infrastructure:

• Cluster on-site Qemu (KVM-based)
• Galera MariaDB Cluster
• ElasticSearch and Solr
• SNMP-Based (Nagios, Observium), NetBox

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

Information on the following topics is desired:

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF PATENT INFORMATION

The Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM) maintains a constant and active commitment to international cooperation, consistently participating in initiatives promoted by leading global organizations. This involvement is crucial for updating, developing, and harmonizing intellectual property practices.

In particular, UIBM boasts close working relationships with two of the most significant entities in the sector: the European Patent Office (EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

Collaboration with these organizations unfolds on multiple levels:

• Participation in Technical Working Groups: UIBM staff actively contribute to the technical working groups of both EPO and WIPO. This participation allows for the sharing of expertise, discussion of best practices, and influence on the development of new regulations and procedures at an international level. It is a vital opportunity for aligning with global standards and adopting innovative solutions.
• Bilateral Projects for IT Service Modernization: Beyond collaborating in working groups, UIBM pursues specific bilateral projects with EPO and WIPO focused on modernizing its own IT services. These projects are essential for improving the efficiency, security, and accessibility of the Office's IT systems, ensuring increasingly cutting-edge services for its users. The goal is to integrate the latest technologies and methodologies developed internationally to optimize the management of patent and trademark applications and to facilitate access to intellectual property information.

UIBM's commitment to these international cooperation activities underscores its dedication to excellence and modernization in the field of intellectual property, benefiting not only the Office itself but also the entire Italian and international industrial property system.

VII. ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WIPO STANDARDS CONCERNING PATENT INFORMATION

Note: For each Standard listed below, please enter one of the following values: 

• "Implemented";
• "On implementation phase";
• "Planning to implement";  and
• "No plan to implement"

WIPO Standard ST.3: Two-letter codes for the representation of states, other entities and organizations

Planning to implement

In the new IT Platform, this Standard is planned to be implemented.

WIPO Standard ST.6: Numbering of published patent documents

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.9: Bibliographic data on and relating to patents and SPCs

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.10/C: Presentation of bibliographic data components

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.13: Numbering of applications for IPRs

Implemented

WIPO Standard ST.14: References cited in patent documents

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.16: Identification of different kinds of patent documents 

Planning to implement

In the new IT Platform, this Standard is planned to be implemented.

WIPO Standard ST.18: Patent gazettes and other patent announcement journals

We are evaluating the possibility of implementing it.

WIPO Standard ST.26: Presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings using XML

Implemented

WIPO Standard ST.27: Recommendation for the Exchange of Patent Legal Status Data

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.36: Processing of patent information using XML

Implemented

WIPO Standard ST.37: Recommendation for an Authority File of Published Patent Documents

Implemented

WIPO Standard ST.50: Corrections, alterations and supplements relating to patent information

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.90: Recommendation for processing and communicating Intellectual Property data using Web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.91: Recommendations on digital three-dimensional (3D) models and 3D images

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.92: Recommendations on the Data Package Format for the Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents

No plan to implement

WIPO Standard ST.96: Processing of Industrial Property information using XML

On implementation phase

This Standard will be implemented in the new IT Platform.

VIII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS

Please include any other relevant information here.

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.