Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2015 submitted by Hungary, Hungarian Intellectual Property Organization

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

Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of patent information activities and expected time frames for their realization

VISEGRAD PATENT INSTITUTE

A Central European regional international patent authority, namely the Visegrad Patent Institute (VPI) was established in 2015 with a seat in Budapest, which allows the inventors and enterprises of the Visegrad countries and certain neighbouring countries to join the global patent system under more advantageous conditions.

New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks

The initiative of the four Visegrad countries was confirmed in October 2013 when the presidents of the IP offices concerned concluded a declaration of intent for the establishment of the VPI. After intensive preparatory works, the heads of these IP offices signed the international agreement on the establishment of VPI in Bratislava on 26 February 2015.

The experts of the IP offices of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary had meetings as part of the preparatory work several times in 2015. HIPO prepared the wording of the request for appointment to be filed with WIPO, and also represented the four IP offices of the Visegrad group at the meeting of the Committee for Technical Cooperation of the Patent Cooperation Treaty, as well as at the Assembly of the PCT Union.

In October 2015, at the 55^th series of the WIPO Assemblies a decision was made on the appointment of VPI as International Searching and Preliminary Examining Authority.

The Hungarian Parliament ratified and promulgated the agreement on VPI by the Act LXIX of 2015 on the promulgation of the agreement on the Visegrad Patent Institute, which entered into force on 13 December 2015 after the ratification by the four states.

Main areas of patent information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year

The IT system has provided the necessary background for the Office’s official and service activity, and supported its tasks related to e-administration. The system supports 135 different services or service families altogether. Out of those, 69 service families provide direct support for the performance of the Office’s official and central tasks, and an additional 66 systems support the operational, service management, information security and ISO certification objectives of the previously mentioned functions. Clients can make use of the following services online: e-search, e-file inspection, e-filing, e-register, TM e-Filing, TMView, and DesignView.

It is of great help in the performance of the Office’s activities that two of its three ISO certifications – the ISO/IEC 27001:2005 Information Security Management and the ISO/IEC 20000-1:2013 IT Services Management standards – relate to the IT field.

In 2015, HIPO successfully performed the tasks related to the controls of information security: an internal vulnerability test was conducted and the Office also carried out the tasks laid down in the action plan for achieving compliance with Act L of 2013 on the Information Security of State and Local Government Organs.

Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes

The international patent activity of the Hungarian applicants is low, in 2015 they filed 148 PCT applications. Since the accession by Hungary to the EPC in 2003 the foreign patent applicants have been choosing rather the European way to file requests for the validation of their European patents in Hungary in increasing number. Out of nearly 61 thousand European patents designating HU and granted per year, the number of requests for validation in Hungary was 3,582 in 2015, which is an increase of nearly 8% compared to the previous year. The Hungarian applicants filed 176 European patent applications in 2015 (including the applications filed under PCT).

Main figures of patent cases aimed at Hungary and filed following the national route – from Hungary and from abroad – under international cooperation (2011–2015)

Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.

Home-page of the Office: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/mivel-fordulhatok-a-hivatalhoz/tajekoztatas/kiadvanyok/a-hivatal-eves-jelentesei-0

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

Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) - URLs

Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing (instructions, seminars, etc.) – URLs

Detailed information and support is accessible on the website of HIPO, eg.:

e-Filing: https://ugyintezes.sztnh.gov.hu/eBej2/step1

Forms and fees: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/urlapok-dijak

How can I protect my intellectual property?: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/hogyan-vedjem-a-szellemi-tulajdonomat/hogyan-vedjem-a-talalmanyomat

HIPO and WIPO co-organized a seminar on the electronic patent filing system (ePCT) of WIPO in HIPO in June.

Availability of the application dossier in electronic form

The e-dossier gives inspection and communication platform providing online administration.

 E-dossier: http://epub.hpo.hu/e-aktabetekintes/?lang=HU

Classification¹, preclassification² (if applicable), reclassification³ activities; classification systems used (e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC)); matters concerning indexing of patent information

The Adavanced level of IPC is used by HIPO. In addition CPC classification system was introduced on 1st January 2015, which replaced the ECLA system. Thus, both IPC and CPC systems are used in the HU Administration System and in data export to the EPO (Espacenet).

IPC: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/nemzetkozi-szabadalmi-osztalyozas-nszo-international-patent-classification-ipc

Abstracting, reviewing, and translation of the information contained in patent documents

Patent abstracts of Hungarian patent applications (that have no family members) are translated into English.

Other activities

III. SOURCES OF PATENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Main types of publications of the Office (patent applications, full text, first pages, abstracts, bibliographic data, granted patents, etc.), medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)

The IP-search is an electronic searchable database, available also on the website of the HIPO. All industrial property rights are accessible in this database. Full text of published patent applications and granted patent documents are also accessible in the IP-search in searchable format. http://epub.hpo.hu/e-kutatas/?lang=HU

Searchable granted HU patents are accessible in electronic format from 1896.

Searchable published patent applications are accessible in electronic format from 1992.

Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.

Gazette of Patents and Trademarks has been published electronically, and accessible on the website of the Office free of charge, in searchable pdf-format, published twice a month. https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak/szabadalmi-kozlony-es-vedjegyertesito

Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external collections and databases

The Unified Administrative System of the Office covers the bibliographic and image data, the documents and the official letters belonging to the different intellectual property rights (with the additional data that are not accessible for the public). The public electronic-databases GAZETTE, IP-SEARCH, E-REGISTER, E-DOSSIER are also used by the Examiners. The IP-SEARCH database has an internal version covering public and non-public data.

Searches are performed mainly in the EPOQUENET system. Examiners regularly use EP-REG, Espacenet and other web-based patent databases. Commercial databases are also used in special technical fields, such as Thomson Reuters, STN and Elsevier both for patent and non-patent information.

Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to external users, conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)

Intellectual property databases suc as IP-search, Gazette, e-Register and e-Dossier are accessible on the webpage of HIPO free of charge: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak

Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)

Lagal status information (not certified)  can be accessed in e-Ddossier: https://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/szakmai-oldalak

Certified statements on the validity of protection can be available on payment of a fee.

Other sources

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

Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements

The IT system has provided the necessary background for the Office’s official and service activity, and supported its tasks related to e-administration. The system supports 135 different services or service families altogether. Out of those, 69 service families provide direct support for the performance of the Office’s official and central tasks, and an additional 66 systems support the operational, service management, information security and ISO certification objectives of the previously mentioned functions. Clients can make use of the following services online: e-search, e-file inspection, e-filing, e-register, TM e-Filing, TMView, and DesignView.

Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office

Unix Tru64 server

Linux server

Netware server

MS Windows server

VMware ESX

Oracle VM/RAC

ASA VPN

ZORP

Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources

The Unified Administrative System of the Office comprise the bibliographic and image data, the documents and the official letters that belong to the different intellectual property rights. 

The public electronic-databases GAZETTE, IP-SEARCH, E-REGISTER, E-DOSSIER are also used by the Examiners. The IP-SEARCH database has an internal version for internal use only with the additional data that are not accessible for the public.

Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file

The Unified Administrative System of the Office is used for file building covering all industrial property titles of protection. It is updated real-time and has a daily backup storage. All incoming documents are scanned since 2012.

Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)

The Unified Administrative System of the Office is used for file building, which covers all industrial property titles of protection. It has a real-time update system and has a daily backup storage. This system is the source of the public electronic-databases, such as GAZETTE, IP-SEARCH, E-REGISTER, E-DOSSIER.

Other matters

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

Patent library: equipment, collection management, network of patent libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign patent libraries

See: Industrial Property Special Library: http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/en/services/industrial-property-special-library

Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.

The partners and customers of HIPO, who are interested in intellectual property, can choose from a variety of services or programs of customer service, information provision and education, e.g.: AIDA, IP-Panorama, Start-up guide, Partner Search, Tenders, IP-Valuation, etc.: http://www.sztnh.gov.hu/hu/vallalkozoknak/hogyan-kezdjek-hozza

Office's initiatives on providing foreign patent information in the local language(s) (e.g., machine translation tools, translation of abstracts)

The Hungarian version of IPC is accessible on the home-page. http://classifications.mszh.hu/ipc/

Cooperation with universities, research centers, technology and innovation support centers, etc.

The enlargement of knowledge on industrial property and copyright, the improvement of awareness on intellectual property of small and medium sized enterprises are objectives of high importance. In case of these parties it is essential that they can have personal consultation not only at the headquarters in Budapest but they also can find information points or events close to them, in their regions, where they can receive information. In this spirit, the relations with partners strengthened in 2015. HIPO cooperated with 16 chambers of commerce and industry in counties and towns, 7 regional innovation agencies, one professional organisation (SEED Foundation for Small Enterprise Economic Development) 6 PATLIB centres linked to institutions of higher education in the countryside in programs related to awareness raising.

The information points on IP operated nationwide received 1,418 enquiries from the customers. One-third of the enquiries related to general information on industrial property, a quarter of them related to information on trade marks, one-sixth to patents. In 173 cases the customers obtained information from public industrial property databases.

14 events providing information on industrial property were organised by the cooperating partners, in the framework of the VIVACE program improving the knowledge on industrial property of enterprises HIPO participated in the organisation of six events on awareness raising in and outside Budapest. They were financed mainly by the bilateral programs of OHIM and EPO.

The so-called “Industrial Property” tender looking back to nearly two decades serves for the acquisition and maintenance of industrial property protection of Hungarian intellectual works in Hungary and abroad. The tender was announced again in August 2015 in two announcements complementing each other in geographical sense: on the one hand from the funds of the European Union, within the framework of the Innovation Operative Program for Economic Development, on the other hand from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund. The support, similarly to the previous tenders, is available under simplified procedure.

As separate subject, lectures on intellectual property were held in 10 institutions of higher education. Knowledge on intellectual property was taught at 11 universities, connected to subjects including knowledge on business/technology/law/social and/or natural science.

Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.

The courses on industrial property and the education on intellectual property in institutions of higher education are important fora of education and awareness raising in Hungary. They significantly contributed to the improvement of the culture of industrial property, to the education of future IP experts.

The number of classes of IP education was 763, the participants thereof was 2,162 in 2015, which is higher by 8% compared to the previous year.

In 2015 17 persons participated in the basic level industrial property course, 39 persons finished the intermediate level industrial property course and passed the final exam, moreover, 34 participants of the advanced level industrial property course passed the exams successfully. In September 2015 a new advanced level industrial property course was launched. Besides the employees of HIPO, the representatives of law and patent attorney offices, institutions of higher education, pharmaceutical companies and other enterprises participated in the courses.

There was a high interest in the first basic level copyright courses, they were launched in September and October 2015 with 56 participants. Most of the participants were employees of city and university libraries, publishing companies, editorial offices, theatres. HIPO plans to launch the first intermediate level copyright course in the second half of 2016.

Knowledge on intellectual property was taught at 11 universities. 

Intellectual property was taught in the form of e-learning at Budapest University of Technology and Economics, University of Debrecen, Károly Róbert University College, Óbuda University, University of Pannonia, College of Szolnok.

The comprehensive education project attached to the curricula framework for the students of the primary and secondary schools and their teachers was continued. As part of the project, a contest called “Is it your business? It is!” promoting knowledge on intellectual property was launched for students of teacher education.

Other activities

HIPO has established professional, educational and other cooperation with several institutions. Besides the governmental circle, the boards and councils (the National Intellectual Property Council, the Hungarian Design Council and the National Board Against Counterfeiting) the most significant ones are as follows:

Professional cooperation

Museum of Applied Arts, Hungarian State Opera, Hungarian Association for Innovation, Hungarian Association for the Protection of Industrial Property and Copyright, Hungarian Trademark Association, Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Technical and Scientific Societies, Novofer Foundation, PATLIB centres, regional innovation agencies, Idea Club 13 Association, SEED Foundation.

Cooperation with institutions of higher education

Corvinus University of Budapest, Budapest Metropolitan College, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, University of Debrecen, Eötvös Loránd University of Science, University of Kaposvár, Károly Róbert University College, University of Miskolc, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, National University of Public Service, University of West Hungary, College of Nyíregyháza, Óbuda University, University of Pannonia, University of Pécs, Semmelweis University, University of Szeged, Széchenyi István University, Szent István University, College of Szolnok.

Cooperation in communication

Program „Novum” by Solart Film in Duna Television, Gazdasági Rádió (Radio Economics), Innotéka magazine, Legal Gazette, Hungarian News Agency and its Press Service, Media Monitoring, Mérnökkapu (website on engineering), Napi Gazdaság – Magyar Idők (newspaper), board of trustees of Novofer Foundation and Gábor Dénes Award, Origo (Internet newspaper), Világgazdaság (newspaper), Technika Műszaki Szemle (Technology Review), Természet-Tudomány Alapítvány (Nature-Science Foundation), Scientific Educational Association and its publications, Club of Hungarian Science Journalists.

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF PATENT INFORMATION

International exchange and sharing of patent information in machine-readable form, e.g., priority documents, bibliographic data, abstracts, search reports, full text information

Bibliographic data including CPC, abstracts and titles in English and published and granted patent documents are sent to the EPO databases.

Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information

Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH)

Visegrad Patent Institut

SIPO and HIPO signed a bilateral agreement on the acceleration of the patent granting in 2015.

Assistance to developing countries

Other activities

VII. OTHER RELATED 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.