Annual Technical Report on Industrial Design Information Activities in 2017 submitted by the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland
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Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.
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.
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of industrial design information activities and expected time frames for their realization
A number of projects were established within the Cooperation Fund, many of them have already been implemented but on some of them the work is still carried out. The Cooperation Fund covers work in collaboration between EUIPO and national offices. Main goals of this project are: harmonization of practices, adaptation to the digital environment, barrier removal, improvement of technical system. Such objectives create a good strategy especially in order to adapt to the competitive internal European and digital market. That’s why here in Poland, the Office decided to participate in all of the 20 CF projects. In 2016, EUIPO launched European Cooperation Programme (ECP) aiming at enhancing cooperation between national IP offices. In 2017 activities related to the ECP project continued.
In 2017 Polish Patent Office continued to use new databases as follows:
- Quality Standard for Trade Marks and Designs - transparent and harmonized information about services and quality standards provided by participating offices;
- Common User Satisfaction Survey - Harmonized User Satisfaction Survey -
a Cooperation Fund project, the Common User Satisfaction Survey allows for a common approach to carrying out surveys across participating IP offices. The project also allows for the cross-linkage of other CF projects, like Quality. An analysis of the completed survey will allow the participating office to: measure customer satisfaction, draw attention to areas for improvement, plan future work of the office; - eLearning – a tool providing online training for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the importance of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). This e-Learning tool is divided into two main sections: "Why is Intellectual Property important", where you can find information about Intellectual Property throughout the different stages of production, and "What and How to protect" where you can find information targeted towards Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), covering the different types of Intellectual Property rights;
- Enforcement Database - an up-to-date database to help enforcement agencies to better identify counterfeit goods. The tool holds data on registered IP rights, contact information, supplementary product information and logistics. This information can be used by enforcement authorities in order to detect counterfeit products;
- Anti–Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool - with this tool enforcement, authorities can see how counterfeited goods are moving within the internal market so that they can use their resources more efficiently. The system enables end users (enforcement authorities, the EUIPO Observatory, etc.) to upload the relevant data via a user friendly interface.
In 2017, PPO actively developed the project of the new electronic services platform (PUEUP). The main aim of the project is to provide a new platform for providing electronic services to customers. In 2017, basic requirements for a new project were prepared to determine the scope of future work and requirements of end users.
In 2017, PPO was active in the field of e-administration services, taking part in the development of functionalities related to the use of the governmental Electronic Platform of Public Administration Services (ePUAP). PPO has dealt with maintaining of the existing forms in terms of their functionality and reliability and has redefined the process of exchanging documents between ePUAP and Electronic Document Management system (EZD). The most important activity was the preparation of new formularies allowing for faster data collection and elimination of access errors.
In 2017, PPO took actions in order to improve and extend the functionalities of the PPO Industrial Properties Search System. The mechanisms for collecting patent data from the main processing systems were improved and new analysis mechanisms were prepared, including the collection of data search queries and the possibility of exporting data for PPO employees to make a different analysis.
PPO has maintained the searchable Patent Attorneys and Applicants List. Adjustments to the data structure and adaptation of the system to the current legislation were made.
Due to the requirements of the Patent Attorneys Act, patent attorneys and applicants' data for the public courts have been made available in the system-to-system mode. For this purpose a comprehensive requirement analysis was carried out and a “list of patent attorneys and applicants” web service was implemented.
PPO continued to provide data at DanePubliczne.gov.pl website concerning the protection of industrial property, publications provided by the Office, as well as information on patent attorneys, etc.
In 2017, BackOffice system for trademarks and industrial designs was maintained, implementing only minor changes requested by end users. In the second half of the year, according to new Polish regulations, new samples of BackOffice documents were added to the system. Moreover, Madrid Monitor, a new database received from WIPO, was also implemented to replace the old Romarin trademarks database.
The Register Plus software application for industrial designs was further developed and enhanced in 2017. The quality of data was improved and a wider range of presented data was introduced.
Updating of the search system for industrial designs – DesignView with Polish data was performed.
As a continuation of work on the main search engine of industrial property items in the year 2017, amendments requested by users were introduced to improve the functionality of the search engine. It is linked to other search systems, which are in the portfolio of the Office (Search System of Industrial Properties, Publication Server, Register Plus, etc.).
New versions of BackOffice were prepared in order to cover the examiners’ requirements.
PUEUP – a new IT project started by PPO in 2016. In 2017 the project activities were at the initiatory phase, mainly focused on planning, gathering requirements, project documentation. The aim of the project is to facilitate communication between customers and PPO.
In 2017, Polish Patent Office received 979 industrial design applications under national procedure and 60 applications under international procedure.
Polish applicants made 971 applications and foreign applicants made 8 applications under national procedure.
1,032 decisions were issued, including 876 positive ones. The Patent Office received from domestic applicants 10 applications for Community Industrial Designs, which were transmitted to EUIPO.
The number of industrial design registration rights in force on 31 December 2017 was 9,062.
Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
Statistics are accessed at the following URLs:
http://www.uprp.pl (Annual Reports' box)
Detailed statistics may be bespoke provided (write to http://www.uprp.gov.pl/Text01,205,161,1,index,pl,text).
News page: http://www.uprp.pl/aktualnosci/Menu01,16,7,index,pl/
II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
The PPO information and support options in 2017 included:
1) Via website: http://www.uprp.pl/przedmioty-wlasnosci-przemyslowej/Menu02,12,4,index,pl/ (all information about patents, trademarks, designs, etc. and instructions e.g. "How to patent an invention or utility model to protect? ");
2) Via telephone: (+48 22 579 05 55);
3) Via e-mail: http://www.uprp.pl/Text01,205,161,1,index,pl,text/.
Management of the contacts in 2017 (phone + mail) was performed through a software:
1) Personal contacts (CRM system);
2) Within the IP Protection Information Center customer contacts (OSCC, CRM systems);
- over 2,700 emails were received
- over 28,000 calls were answered and performed (as well as 800 call backs)
- approx. 300 meetings took place with examiners and the Point of Meetings received 2466 customers;
3) Identification and differentiation of customers (OSCC, CRM systems);
4) Carrying out customer satisfaction surveys (CRM system) - level of satisfaction 96%;
5) Analyses of the contacts (analyses, statistics - CRM, OSCC systems);
6) Keeping records and transferring customer requests (satisfaction, complaints, suggestions for improvement) (TRX system).
The CRM system is shared between 11 departments in contact with the public. A change of version was introduced for :
- independent work with the contact, regardless of the fact who established the contact and possibility to change/edit the contact data;
- interfacing with other applications (Computer Telephony Integration, callback, meetings time and visits) to facilitate the customer relation management. Tool for measuring the customers’ satisfaction.
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
Customers who use ePUAP have access to the application files sent by them electronically to PPO.
In 2017, Polish Patent Office maintained the International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification).
PPO uses 10th edition of Locarno Classification. The existing files are not reclassified. Application documents are scanned and indexed.
III. SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE
In 2017, the following publications (periodicals) were issued:
- "Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego" (Communications of the Patent Office) – monthly, 12 numbers, i.e. 903 copies;
- 2016 Annual Report of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland – 1,052 copies.
Most publications are available on the PPO's website: http://uprp.pl - and continue at http://portal.uprp.pl/wydawnictwa.html (Online Services Portal)
The Polish Patent Office's "Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego" (Communications of the Patent Office) - where industrial design registrations are published, among others) is forthwith available free of charge in PDF format on the Online Services Portal (http://portal.uprp.gov.pl/wydawnictwa.html).
In 2017, there were 779 announcements published on registered industrial designs.
Announcements regarding non-procedural matters, but coupled with the Office's activity like: general information on the PPO's tasks, references, organizational structure, HR matters are published on the Internet version of "Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej" which falls under the official PPO's website. Many non-regular, important announcements are immediately published within the content of the website.
- Search System of Industrial Properties – industrial designs: https://grab.uprp.pl/PrzedmiotyChronione/Strony%20witryny/Wyszukiwanie%20proste.aspx (user interface in Polish and English)
- Online Services Portal: IP information on industrial design, access to patent gazettes, classifications, e-filings and patent attorneys’ lists: http://portal.uprp.pl;
- Publication Server - Polish industrial design: http://pubserv.uprp.pl (user interface in 3 languages - PL, EN and FR);
- Industrial design data stored on specialized internal databases of PPO in which image information and bibliographic details are stored.
In addition to manual search facilities, PPO's and the Online Services Portal websites provide information relating to design registrations, including forms and fees, legal decisions, guides for applicants. Information is also available from the Office's Information Unit.
Full-text specifications of industrial designs registered in PPO are organised in classified collections and displayed for users in the Office's Library. Copies of specifications are available upon payment (price list available on the PPO website or on the spot).
Online sources of industrial design information include:
- Online Services Portal (free of charge) with: IP information on industrial designs, access to classifications, e-filings and patent attorneys’ directory: http://portal.uprp.gov.pl. Free of charge;
- Search System of Industrial Properties – a search system giving free, open access to patent information and texts of Polish and European Patents and Polish utility models. Documents are distributed in PDF format. Available at: https://grab.uprp.pl/PrzedmiotyChronione/Strony%20witryny/Wyszukiwanie%20proste.aspx; Free of charge;
- Publication Server – a portal giving free, open, and wide access to patent information, with integrated facilities to search full texts of Polish patent specifications, Polish utility models, Polish industrial designs and translations into Polish language published by the European Patent Office patents which are valid in the territory of the Republic of Poland. Documents are disseminated in PDF format. Available at: http://pubserv.uprp.gov.pl/. Free of charge;
- Register Plus for industrial designs available at: http://regservds.uprp.gov.pl/register/regviewer. Free of charge.
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
In order to make entries on the legal status of exclusive rights protected on the territory of Poland, industrial design register is held. The register includes information necessary to establish the subject and scope of protection (f. ex. date of filing, title), entity (or entities) entitled to rights concerning a given subject of protection (f. ex. holders, licensees, securities, seizure) and other useful information (f. ex. applications for revocation). Every person who submits a relevant application and pays a fee to the account of the Office can obtain excerpts from the register.
Legal status information is available in Register Plus at:
http://regservds.uprp.gov.pl/register/regviewer
IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
PPO uses thin clients, workstations and notebooks with Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, Microsoft Windows 10; multimedia tablets with Apple iOS, Google Android and Microsoft Windows 10 Pro; physical and virtual servers with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard & Enterprise, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard & Enterprise, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Standard & Enterprise, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard & Enterprise, Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10/11/12, CentOS Linux 5/6/7, Oracle Linux 5/6/7, Debian GNU/Linux 6/7/8 and Ubuntu Server LTS; hypervisor servers with VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2.
All of thin clients, workstations, notebooks and servers are secured by Symantec antivirus and Forcepoint antispam system.
All network connections are based on Cisco, Forcepoint and Extreme Networks equipment with 300 Mb/s access to the Internet. The availability of services published to the Internet is supported by the Barracuda Load Balancer cluster.
Server infrastructure for the Online Portal includes 9 application servers; 5 database servers; 15 storage spaces. TB build-up array; back-ups for HP Data Protector, Fujitsu FI-5900C scanner, 125 packages for the purposes of qualified signatures. On-Line Portal servers are supported by local UPSs and they are also hooked to the main power supply unit for PPO.
Main IT infrastructure units are located in a secure server room equipped with fire alarm, CCTV system, redundant air-conditioning and a technical floor.
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
Industrial design data are stored on the specialized, regularly updated internal databases in which image information and bibliographic details are stored, for example:
- BackOffice;
- databases supporting the process of publication of industrial designs.
Most production databases are hosted by Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise and MySQL Server 4/5/, PostgreSQL 9.
BackOffice is a workflow-based system for handling trademarks and designs throughout the entire lifecycle of the process, from application to registration and publication. It also streamlines the working process by enabling users to create and monitor correspondence with clients. It is adapted to work together with Electronic Document Management System (EZD) which facilitates the processing of incoming and outgoing correspondence. External users have access to register and legal status information via Register Plus system. Settlement Module (MR) is used as a supplementary system for managing fees and payments.
In 2017 PPO was invited to take part in the project entitled “EZD RP – electronic document management in public administration” implemented under Measure 2.2. of the Operational Programme Digital Poland 2014-2020. The PPO representative participates in the Council of EZD RP users. The system is to improve the functioning of the public administration and facilitate the communication between public administration offices. PPO will take part in the pilot launch of the system.
PPO has continued the implementation of the Intranet site based on Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Enterprise software.
PPO has maintained a professional call center service based on Unify OpenScape Contact Center Enterprise software and a new system of customer relationship management based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 365 software.
EZD system has been integrated with BackOffice in the field of exchanging correspondence and information about entities.
PPO has launched the registers containing lists of requests about public information and public information provided.
PPO has prepared a new version of the list of patent attorneys.
The leading office software used for word processing and spreadsheet is Microsoft Office 2007 Standard, Microsoft Office 2010 Standard & Professional Plus, Microsoft Office 2013 Standard & Professional Plus, Microsoft Office 2016 Standard & Professional Plus and Apache OpenOffice 4.
In 2017, in PPO a new project was initiated to migrate all Microsoft Office licenses to a new Microsoft Office 2016 standard. The new licenses are to be implemented at all computers and laptops. The new standardizations will allow automatic mechanisms for maintenance of all work stations working in the Office to be implemented.
In 2017, PPO purchased a new Data Protection System for further protection and control of patent data to avoid non-controlled outflow or unwanted access. The upgrade of anti-virus system Symantec End Point Protection to the level 14 MP2 was also performed.
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
Within promotion of knowledge on industrial property the Patent Office issues various publications such as guides, informational-promotional brochures addressed to wide audience, among others to entrepreneurs, students, school youth. Those publications are available free of charge both in electronic version and PDF format as well as on paper on the premises of the Office.
Publication titles are as follows: Your world of intellectual property, What is intellectual property, Inventor's guide, Inventions in SMEs activity, Industrial designs in MSEs activity. Use the past to create future, Industrial protection in a nutshell, Inventions in your house, to name a few.
In 2017, the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland published also among others a brochure entitled “Protection of industrial designs in Poland and in the European Union”.
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
The Patent Office collaborates with various institutions in the scope of promotion of knowledge on Intellectual Property (organisation of conferences, workshops, trainings, granting patronage of the PPO President over numerous initiatives etc.).
In 2017, the Office collaborated with the following entities, to name a few:
- collaboration with universities (Jagiellonian University in Kraków, University of Warsaw, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, University of Łódź, Łódź University of Technology, Kielce University of Technology, Kraków University of Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Wrocław University of Technology, AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, etc.);
- collaboration with science and business related institutions, including Association of Polish Inventors and Rationalisers, Polish Federation of Engineering Associations (NOT), Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys; National Information Processing Institute, National Chamber of Commerce, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Institute of Industrial Design, Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan, Kielce Technology Park, Agency for Industrial Development S.A., etc.
- collaboration with governmental administration institutions: Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Development.
Education and training: training courses, e learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
In 2017, within industrial property protection PPO organised or participated in the following events:
- 10th International Conference “Innovation and Creativity for Economy” – “Design in Good Form”
- Seminar on the protection of intellectual property – China – Visegrád Group in Chengdu (PRC)
- Science Symposium on the “Protection of Trademarks and Industrial Designs in the European Union”
- 13th International Krakow Symposium – “Intellectual Property in Innovative Economy – Start-ups and What Next?”
- 36th Seminar for Patent Attorneys of Schools of Higher Education organized in Cedzyna
- Nationwide conference on ”Protection of the image of Fryderyk Chopin” on the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day
- 6th edition of the seminars of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland: ”Infringements of intellectual property rights in theory and practice” at Warsaw University of Technology
- Trainings on industrial property protection for SMEs and business-related institutions;
- ”You can become an inventor” – workshops for students run by young inventors as part of the cooperation of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland with the Educational Foundation ”Perspektywy”
- Meeting with young inventors within the framework of Robert Bosch Academy of Inventors
- Ambassador of School Innovation Competition 2017
- 7th edition of the annual competition “Student-Inventor”
- 21st Science Picnic of the Polish Radio and Copernicus Science Centre;
- 21st Festival of Science in Warsaw
- “Patent by night 2017” – Night of Museums in the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland
- 15th edition of the annual competition for the best artistic poster as well postdoctoral, doctoral, master’s and student’s theses on the subject of industrial property protection and the 5th edition of a short movie and press release competition organized by the Patent Office.
In 2017, PPO maintained the Internet Educational Platform (http://ipe.uprp.gov.pl/login/index.php) which constitutes the compendium of knowledge on intellectual property issues. The target group includes enterprises (especially MSEs) businesses related to public institutions (including schools of higher education) and other entities.
- Knowledge Zone includes information, publications and other materials addressed both to entities with advanced knowledge on IP issues and those ones looking for basic information on IP protection, procedures and management.
- Training Zone includes an e-learning course divided into 10 modules on intellectual property protection. Each module ends up with a test to verify the acquired knowledge.
PPO has also maintained e-learning platform, IPPanorama, dedicated to broadening and promoting the knowledge about the protection of intellectual property. It is available at http://ippanorama.uprp.pl.
The Patent Information Centre Forum has been prepared, a platform for exchanging experiences, knowledge, comments and opinions between Patent Information Centers and the Office.
A non-verbal communication system was maintained in the form of online sign language translation service. The purpose of the project was to remove communication barriers in communication with people with hearing impairment.
VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION
See point I above.
Assistance to developing countries