SCIT.ATR.PI.2006.AU

Annual Technical Report 2006 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Australia (SCIT/ATR/PI/2006/AU)

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 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

For 2005

Patent applications filed 14272
Patents granted = 11166
PCT designations = N/A (note all states were automatically designated for PCT filings from 01/01/2004).

For 2006

Patent applications filed 14011
Patents granted = 12543
PCT designations = N/A (note all states were automatically designated for PCT filings from 01/01/2004).

Note: The above figures include Standard, Innovation & Provisional patents filed and granted.

Trends or areas experiencing rapid changes with respect to the previous year

PCT designations, international searches and preliminary examinations and Article 15(5) searches show a steady increase over the previous year.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide statistics related to patents

Patent statistics are available at:

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about/statistics.shtml

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, distribution and use of primary and secondary sources of patent information

Publishing, printing, copying (main types of publications of the office in the field of patent information, etc.)

The number of patent documents published in 2006 in the Australian Official Journal of Patents was:

* patent applications open to public inspection (AU-A) = 6889
* patent applications advertised accepted (AU-B) = 9712

Note: the AU-A figure includes standard patent, and innovation patents made OPI either pre-grant or at grant. The AU-B figure includes standard patent and innovation patent certifications.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of patent information

Official notices and changes to office procedures are done through the Australian Official Journal of Patents (AOJP).

These Official notices, and many other patent related notices, are also put directly on the IP Australia Internet site under the Patent notices section.

Mass storage media used (paper, microforms, optical storage, etc.)

Australian patent specifications are published on CD-ROM and on IP Australia's web site. Patent specifications of Australian designated PCT applications are no longer being republished by IP Australia at the open for public inspection stage following their original publication by WIPO.

The Office continues to receive foreign patent specifications on CD-ROM and DVD. The following databases and information are available through the IP Australia internet site:

Patsearch

This database contains bibliographic information about innovation patent applications filed from 24 May 2001 and all new standard complete, provisional and innovation patent applications filed after the implementation of Patent Administration and Management System (PAMS) Release 2.1 on 5 July 2002. These applications have the number format CCYYNNNNNN where C=Century, Y=Year and N=application number. The 5th character also denotes application type i.e. 1 = Innovation, 9 = Provisional and any other number 2,3 etc = Standard Complete e.g. 2003100001 is an Innovation Patent filed in 2003. It also contains information about PCT applications which have designated Australia but which had not yet entered the National Phase when data migration from Patadmin into PAMS occurred in August 2002 and any subsequent designations up to 31 December 2003.

Patent Mainframe Databases

• Patent Administration System (PatAdmin)
contains bibliographic data in relation to existing patent applications that have been filed in Australia between January 1979 and the implementation of NPS Release 2.1 on 5 July 2002. In some cases, details of patents filed before January 1979 are also available. Note that a limited number of the data fields can be used for searches. This database does not contain details of any innovation patents and all new standard complete and provisional applications filed from 5 July 2002.

• Patent Indexing System (PatIndex)
contains Australian patent applications and patents contained within PatAdmin linked to one or more International Patent Classification marks.

AU Published Patent Data Searching

Abstracts of all published Australian patent applications filed since 1st January 1975 appear on APPS, except for patent applications and patents published by the New Patent Solution (NPS) system between 11 July 2002 and 31 July 2003 inclusive. Of these, the earlier applications will generally have an abstract prepared by Derwent Information Ltd.

Pre-1975 Australian applications going back to 1920 have some bibliographic data on APPS. Usually this is only the application number and IPC classification marks, and hence, this data is generally searchable only on these fields. IP Australia's State Offices in Australian capital cities have full copies of earlier specifications in paper/microfiche/rollfilm format which can be viewed without charge.

Using the Simple Search option, only the Application Number, Patent Number and words in the Title can be searched. Any number of Application Numbers or Patent Numbers separated by commas, can be retrieved at a time.
Data fields listed in the table below can be searched using the Advanced Search option. The data fields can be used either individually or in a logical combination, to retrieve the abstracts of relevant AU published patent data.

- Data Field -
Application Number
Patent Number
Title (supplied by applicant)
International Patent Classification (IPC)
Application Date
Publication Date
Publication Journal Date
Accepted Journal Date
Granted Journal Date
Certified Journal Date
Amended Journal Date
Corrigenda Journal Date
Applicant Name
Inventor Name
Attorney Name
WIPO Number
Document Kind

Published patent data on APPS will get updated weekly, one week after publication of the Australian Official Journal of Patents (AOJP). Note that there is no weekly publication during the Easter and Christmas period.

Patent specifications
AU-A, AU-B and AU-C information.
This site hosts Australian OPI (Open for Public Inspection), accepted and amended patent specifications in PDF format. This database contains:

• AU non-convention non-PCT available from 1975
• AU-A available from 17 December 1998 to present
• AU-B available from 17 December 1998 to present

Word processing and office automation

The Canberra Office has an ethernet-based LAN providing high speed bandwidth for each user desktop connection. A frame relay-based WAN provides connections from Canberra to each State Capital. A DMZ-based, DSD approved firewall using IAN ports (Internet IEFT Assigned Numbers) provides the secure means to allow access from internal systems/users to external entities such as the Internet or public/private organisations.

Current standard desktop software includes Windows XP with Office SE 2003, IE 6.0 SP1, and Lotus Notes.

(New) techniques used for the generation of patent information (printing, recording, photocomposing, etc.)

The Office's publication system is partially mainframe based. The mainframe provides the following functions using "XICS" typesetting software:

• production of camera ready copy of the Australian Official Journal of Patents;
• production of patent certificates and original register entries; and
• production of notices for patent applicants or their agents.

The other part of the Office's publication system is based on our strategic server infrastructure environment. This environment includes Sun Solaris, Oracle RDBMS, J2EE, BEA Weblogic, and Objective EDMS. The publication system provides the following functions:

• production of the Australian Official Journal of Patents as a pdf file. The journal is published on the web;
• production of patent certificates and original register entries; and
• production of notices for patent applicants or their agents.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide access to online publication of patent documents and gazettes, and other primary and secondary sources of patent information, including patent publication servers and download of bulk patent data

The supplement to the Australian Official Journal of Patents may be found at:

http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/ols/epublish/content/olsEpublications.jsp#

III. Matters concerning abstracting, classifying, reclassifying and indexing of technical information contained in patent documents

Abstracting, reviewing, translating

Examiners redraft applicant prepared abstracts of non-PCT national phase applications when they are found to be deficient to an extent that they are unable to fulfil their function. The abstracts of PCT national phase applications are not reviewed as these have been thoroughly evaluated in the international phase.

Classification and reclassification activities; Classification system used, e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC), other classification (please indicate whether or not patent documents are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification is used)

Patent applications are classified into the latest edition of the International Patent Classification. As of 1 January 2006, IP Australia implemented the use of IPC 8 (reformed).

IP Australia no longer reclassifies Australian designated PCT applications at the open for public inspection stage.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

File building

Full specifications of all non-PCT designated AU-A and AU-B patent specifications are available on CD-ROM and on the Internet, and are updated on a weekly basis. Complete sets of pre-1999 AU specifications are available in microfiche form. Further detail of the search material available to the public is provided above and the documentation available at the State Offices is detailed below.

Updating

See “File building” above.

Storage, including mass storage media

See “File building” above.

V. Activities in the field of computerized and other mechanized search systems

In-house systems (online/offline)

IP Australia has on-line filing facilities for patent applications which allows all new standard patent applications as well as innovation patent applications to be filed on-line. These on-line filings interface directly to IP Australia's electronic case file management system which allows these applications to be processed electronically. This system is referred to as 'PAMS'(Patent Administrative and Management System). Patsearch provides access to the bibliographic data held in PAMS.

IP Australia is currently finalising the design of a system to support business-to-business data exchange of patents, industrial designs and trade marks transactions with its high volume clients (Patents and Trade Mark Attorneys). This system will be consistent with WIPO electronic filing and National e-commerce standards.

External databases

IP Australia uses commercial databases on patents and technical literature through, for example, Questel-Orbit, STN and DIALOG, as well as general databases available over the Internet.

We are also investigating use of the EPOQUE system, which is currently being tested by a small group of examiners.

Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics, administrative support, etc.)

See “In house systems” and “Mass storage media used” above.

VI. Administration of the industrial property office library and information products 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)

The Customer Service Network (CSN) provides an easy central contact for customers to obtain information to support their decisions about a wide range of Intellectual Property issues. Customers contact the CSN via telephone, fax and email with around 90% of matters of a general nature solved at the first point of contact. The CSN provides face-to-face, phone, email and web-based assistance through State-based and Canberra Offices as well as general financial receipting and front end processing of attorney and private applicants' lodgements.

The State Offices:
• provide information about patents, trade marks and designs processes;
• maintain search facilities so customers can research Australian patents, trade marks and designs;
• receipt application forms and fees, providing a filing facility for IP documents in each state capital except Darwin;
• raise IP awareness and promote IP Australia’s corporate image in their respective communities by providing general IP presentations, information sessions and tours of their facilities to interested groups, including tertiary students from designs, business and legal studies, engineering and library studies courses. They also liaise with other government agencies sharing the same customer base to promote our services and publications; and
• act as a referral point for enquiries on other IP areas eg copyright

The state Offices maintain the following facilities:
• a IP library of documents on paper, fiche, CD-roms, microfilms and online information for conducting intellectual property searches. Those customers otherwise without Internet access can use the Public Access Work Stations in our State Offices.
• the holdings vary between State Offices, but generally, all offices have a common set of search material as follows:

Patents
• Australian full text granted specifications in numeric order 1926-1978 (Roll film)
• Australian full text specifications (AU-A, AU-B, AU-C) 1975-1999 (Fiche)
• Patents concordance 5-6 figure (last edition 1999)

Official Journals

The complete set of Australian Official Journals for Patents (1905 to date) is also available in hard copy.

Production of the “hard copy” Official Journals ceased in January 2005 and is now only available in electronic form, via the IP Australia web site.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide information on business procedures such as: filing, publication, examination and grant procedures related to patents; opposition and appeal procedures related to patents; etc.

General patent information, guides for applicants, and information for specific circumstances are available at:

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/resources/forms_patents.shtml

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide a description of information products and services offered by the Office (e.g., patent search service(s), patent databases, etc.), as well as information on how to access and utilize them

All journals and official notices & online services

https://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/ols/ecentre/content/olsHome.jsp

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

Medium used for exchange of priority documents

Certified copies of Australian patent applications for use as priority documents in foreign applications are provided in paper form. Priority documents on which Australian applications are based are required in paper form.

Medium allowed for filing applications

Although filing is mainly in paper form, IP Australia has on-line filing facilities for patent applications which allows all new standard patent applications as well as innovation patent applications to be filed on-line.

VIII. Other relevant matters concerning education and training in, and promotion of, the use of patent information, including technical assistance to developing countries (please indicate URLs of web pages of the Office’s website wherever appropriate)

Training courses for national and foreign participants, use of audiovisual means

From 24 – 29 April 2006, IP Australia delivered a patent examiner training course in Islamabad to patent examiners of the IP office of Pakistan. The project activities also included undertaking quality exercises and assessment of future training needs. This project was coordinated by WIPO.

Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)

From 26 - 30 June 2006, IP Australia’s officials visited the National Office of Industrial Property (NOIP) in Viet Nam under the auspice of the APEC TILF Public Education and Awareness program. This project provided resources and training to assist Viet Nam to undertake their own public education and awareness programs.

The Registrar and the Copyright Officer from the PNG IP Office visited IP Australia from 17 - 19 July 2006. Discussions focused on the development of public education and awareness programs, the development of supporting resources and to undertake training to support the management of web sites.

From 28 August – 1 September, a senior MyIPO delegation visited IP Australia to learn from Australia’s experience in acceding to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT).

On 6 – 7 September, a group of MyIPO officials visited IP Australia to understand implementation of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure.

IP Australia, in conjunction with the IP Office of Singapore and the Hong Kong IP Department, delivered an APEC IPR Public Education and Awareness Platform project in 2006. The project equipped developing APEC Member Economies with the skills, tools and resources to implement public education and awareness campaigns which promote the protection and enforcement of IPR in the region. The principal activities of the project were:
• A workshop on Effective Strategies for IPR Public Education to share experiences and knowledge on IPR campaigns with developing economies – November 2006 in Hong Kong, China.
• An online communications platform of IPR public education and awareness resources, which can be tailored to meet the needs of developing economies –delivered just prior to the workshop in November 2006

IP Australia hosted a workshop on the Development of a Regional Approach to the Management of Intellectual Property, Suva, Fiji, 6 – 10 March 2006 for Pacific Island Countries.

Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)

Education Products
Smart Start, IP Australia’s small business education product was updated, with a new web site and email newsletter launched to make information widely available. Smart Start continued to be IP Australia’s most popular public information product, and was selected as a case study for the European Commission’s Benchmarking IP Support Services for SMEs project. The development of an online version of IP Australia’s commercialisation education product, IP Toolbox, was launched in late 2006.

Home-Based Business Seminars Initiative
IP Australia supported the Home-Based Business seminar initiative of the Office of Small Business by hosting presentations on intellectual property issues for small business. The seminars were delivered in more than 70 locations across regional Australia enabling home-based businesses to learn how intellectual property affects them.

World IP Day 2006
A public relations campaign was undertaken for World IP Day, which is celebrated each year on April 26, to increase public awareness of intellectual property and its role in supporting Australian innovation. In support of this campaign, a series of events were held in capital cities in cooperation with the Australian Innovation Festival, which was officially aligned with World IP Day for the first time. The campaign was highly successful and resulted in broad media coverage and strong participation rates for World IP Day events.

New IP Media Centre web site and Journalists’ Guide
IP Australia launched a new Journalists’ Guide to Intellectual Property supported by a new IP Media centre web site to promote better understanding and reporting of intellectual property issues in the media. There was a noticeable increase in the number of media enquiries received by IP Australia since the launch of the Journalists’ Guide and IP Media Centre.

Plant Breeder’s Rights web site
A new web site on plant breeder’s rights was launched by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. The web site is hosted by the Australian Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture and is aimed at improving the understanding of all aspects of the Australian PBR systems, and includes comprehensive information on case law, commercialisation, enforcement and the relationship of PBR to other intellectual property rights.

Main patent and industrial property information magazines/journals published in the country or region of the Office