Annual Technical Report 2002 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Armenia (SCIT/ATR/PI/2002/AM)
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The term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Industrial Design Information Activities.
I. Evolution of patent activities
Changes experienced in terms of application filings and grants with respect to the previous year
The average duration of the examination of applications on invention from filing date of applications to the conclusion date in 2002 was 6.61 months (in 2001-6.3 months).
The average duration of the examination of utility models from filing date of applications to the conclusion in 2002 was 1.8 months (in 2001-1.3 months).
Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year
As a whole there is a rise in the number of applications for inventions and utility models, which is over 32 % as compared with 2001.
The breakdown of filed applications received in 2002 (and in 2001) is done in Sections of the International Patent Classification (IPC) by following:
Section A. 67 (60)
Section B. 22 (11)
Section C. 56 (31)
Section D. 2 (6)
Section E. 11 (8)
Section F. 19 (12)
Section G. 16 (23)
Section H. 29 (17)
Faster changes are visible in Sections A, B, C, F and H as compared with 2001.
II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, distribution and use of primary and secondary sources of patent information
In 2002, four numbers of the Official Bulletin “Industrial Property” were published: No 1 (21), No 2 (22), No 3(23) and No 4 (24), the last issue is in the form of CD-ROM. The bulletins were published in two languages: Armenian and Russian. In these Bulletins, official data were published on patents for 150 inventions, 19 utility models. In the bulletins, the following legislative and normative documents were also published:
- Order to carry substantive examinations of inventions
- Rules for execution, filing and examination of industrial design
- Rules for execution, filing and examination of utility models
- Rules for filing and examination of protests and applications to Appeal Council under the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Armenia
- Rules for infliction and registration of penalties of state customs, connected with the legal protection of industrial design subject matters and integral micro diagrams topologies.
For the purpose of laying out to the public acknowledgement of the applications with reference to article 24 of the “Law on Patents” of the Republic of Armenia, 12 issues on “Applications for Inventions” of the Official Bulletins were published.
The Annual Report for 2002 of the Intellectual Property Agency is published in Armenian, English and Russian.
III. Matters concerning abstracting, classifying, reclassifying and indexing of technical information contained in patent documents
From 2002, an electronic database on inventions and utility models is used in the Agency. The database contains bibliographical data, abstracts and sketches with reporting options in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English) as well as with transmission options of bibliographic data for publishing in the Official Bulletins, issued by agency, and transmission of information for optical CD-ROMs production under series CISPATENT (CISPATENT CD-ROM series), which contain full description of patent documents, including bibliography and abstracts in national language, Russian and English in well-known “MIMOSA” environment. The "Invention Applications" Official Gazette is published each month by the agency where abstractions of inventions are produced for the purpose of public consideration. The agency also publishes the "Industrial Property" Official Gazette in Armenian and Russian every quarter where abstracts on inventions and utility models is published.
Received applications for inventions and utility models are classified and reclassified using the 7-th edition of IPC.
Coordinated indexing is carried out under the standards of WIPO. ST.9 (Annex 1. INID codes), ST.3 (two-letter codes for indication of country). ST.16 (instructions for preparation of patent documents abstract) ST.16 (standard codes for identification of various types of patent documents).
Agency experts use hybrid system indexing when performing the examination of certain objects.
IV. Search file establishment and upkeep
The Agency continued works on replenishment of the funds of Armenian Scientific-Technical Information Centre. The information received from foreign patent agencies and 2 computers Pentium-200, one of which is equipped with DVD-ROM and the other with CD-ROM, were handled by the Centre.
V. Activities in the field of computerized and other mechanized search systems
In 2002, the works on automation and technical re-equipment of the Office were continued.
In 2002, the Agency carried out the modernization of computers and programming devices used for examination of industrial property objects. Computers Pentium P 4 1.8 was acquired on exchange base of computers Pentium 200.
The information system of the Agency is completed with the first version of subsystem “invention and utility models”. The subsystem “invention and utility models” is used under the regime CLIENT/SERVER. The subsystem dedicated for examination of trade and record keeping, provides:
- Collection of bibliographic data in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English)
- Collection and control of taxes
- Automation of record keeping
- Outlet of statistics
- Publication of bibliographic data
- Search of information
VI. Administration of the industrial property office library and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, for assisting clients on searching procedures, for obtaining official publications and registry extracts)
Patent information of the agency is available to the wide public via Internet (http//www.armpatent.org). The page contains the following information sections:
- Statistics
- Annual report
- Published patent applications
- Bank requisites
- Patent attorneys
- Contact information
- Laws
The information is available in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English).
VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information
The Official Bulletins were sent to the Armenian Research Institute of Scientific and Technical Information, the Fundamental Library of the National Academy of Sciences of RA, the libraries of the Armenian State University, Armenian Academy of Agriculture, the State Public Library and to the National Book Palace of Armenia free of charge.
Within the limits of exchange of Patent information, the Armenian Patent Office distributed 21 copies of official bulletins, and 23 copies of annual reports to Patent Offices of foreign countries as well as to WIPO, European Patent Office (EPO) and Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO).
For realization of the international agreement “On joint publication of the regional patent – informational product on optical discs CD - ROM” the participant of which is the Republic of Armenia, “CISPATENT” compact discs were produced in which there are bibliographical notifications on 150 inventions in Armenian, Russian and English. The participants of this Agreement from CIS countries are the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Eurasian Patent Agency. The annual collections of discs are sent to patent offices of countries of the PCT minimum.
VIII. Other relevant matters concerning education and training in, and promotion of, the use of patent information, including technical assistance to developing countries
WIPO
1. Interregional intermediate seminar on industrial property (1 participant)
2. WIPO Training Course on Patent Documentation and Information (1 participant)
EPO
3. Seminar 8/2002 “Search and Examination in biotechnology” (1 participant)
4. Seminar 9/2002 “Patents in electronics, computer technology&telecommunications” (2 participants)
5. Seminar 10/2002 “International forum on protection of computer – related and business model inventions” (2 participants)
Others
6. Studies in Russian State Institute of Intellectual Property (2 participants)
IX. Other relevant matters
| 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. |