SCIT.ATR.PI.2006.AM

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

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

The average duration of the examination of applications on invention from filing date of applications to the conclusion date in 2006 was 6.36 months (in 2005-6.15 months).
The average duration of the examination of utility models from filing date of applications to the conclusion in 2006 was 1.14 months (in 2005-2.35 months).

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

As a whole there is a decrease in the number of applications for inventions and utility models, which is about 92.64 % as compared with 2005.
The breakdown of filed applications received in 2006 on inventions and utility models (applications received in 2005 are brought in brackets for comparison) are distributed by Sections of the International Patent Classification (IPC) as follows:

Section A. 59 (66)
Section B. 26 (43)
Section C. 46 (53)
Section D. 1 (1)
Section E. 18 (21)
Section F. 25 (27)
Section G. 28 (15)
Section H. 11 (5)

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

The statistical data on filed applications and granted patents on inventions are given on the following site http://www.aipa.am of the Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Armenia.

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

In 2006, four numbers of the Official Bulletin “Industrial Property” were published: No 1 (37), No 2 (38), No 3(39) and No 4 (40) on CD-ROM. The bulletins are published in two languages: Armenian and Russian and contain official data are published on patents for 213 inventions. The schemes of descriptions of 213 inventions and have been input, the electronic version of “First page”, “Full description” and formula has been made for their transfer to the patent owners and libraries, for their inner use in the computer network of the Agency and their insert on the Internet site and CISPATENT disk for public use.
Abstracts, formula and full descriptions of inventions and utility models have been published on paper and electronic formats.
The annual reports of 2004-2005 were prepared and published in Armenian, Russian and English. The electronic versions were worked out and inserted on the Internet site.
Twelve issues of Official Bulletin “Applications on Inventions” were published and have been also put on the Internet page for public inspection.
Technical and Statistic reports on inventions for the year of 2005 have been made to be presented to the World Intellectual Property Organization.

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

Abstracting, reviewing, translating

The Agency issues monthly Official Bulletin “Applications on Inventions” in which essays on inventions in Armenian for inspection by public are published, and quarterly official bulletins “Industrial Property” in which abstracts on inventions and utility models in Armenian and Russian are published.

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)

Classification and reclassification of applications on inventions or utility models filed with the Agency was realized with application of IPC 7th edition.

Coordinate indexing (domestic deep indexing systems, keyword indexing)

Coordinate 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.12/A (instructions for preparation of patent documents abstracts) ST.16 (standard codes for identification of various types of patent documents) and etc.

Hybrid system indexing

The Agency experts use hybrid system indexing during carrying out examination on certain objects.

Bibliographic data and full-text processing

The Agency uses electronic database on inventions and utility models, which contains bibliographic data, abstracts and sketches with reporting opportunity in three languages: Armenian, Russian, English, as well as with transmission opportunity of bibliographic data for publishing in Official Bulletins, issued by the 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.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

The Agency continued works on replenishment of the funds of Armenian Scientific and Technical Information Centre. Information received from foreign patent agencies was handled to the Centre.

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

In the reporting period automation and technical re-equipment of the Agency has been continued. The Agency has been re-equipped with computers of type Pentium 4 and computer supplementary devices and equipments. Shortcomings and omissions in the information system of the Agency revealed in the course of its exploitation have been eliminated.
A series of changes and supplements have been made with the aim of coping with the tasks having been raised as a result of improvement of works carried out in the Agency.
Works were carried out for improvement of the second version of subsystem “inventions and utility models”. The subsystem “inventions and utility models” designed for examination of inventions and record keeping work, provides:
- Collection of bibliographic data in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English)
- Collection and control of fees
- Automation of record keeping work
- Outlet of statistics
- Publication of bibliographic data
- Search of information.
“Windows 2000 XP” system and Microsoft Office have been installed, service of operation system, installation of software, diagnostics of infected computers and programs have been carried out, and operation failures have been removed, databases of inventions, utility models, trademarks, trade names have been installed.
Symantec Backup Exec 10d, Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition 10.1 programs have been installed as well as data archiving strategy has been developed.

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)

Official Bulletins “Industrial Property”, “Applications on Inventions” and annual reports of ARMPATENT for 2005 are inserted on the following Internet site http://www.aipa.am for public awareness.
Official Bulletins are sent free of charge to the Armenian Scientific-Technical Information Centre, Main Library of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Libraries of Yerevan State University, State Engineering University of RA, Armenian Agricultural Academy and National House of Books of Armenia and National Library of RA.

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

According to the preliminary arrangement in the frame of exchange of patent information, 21 copies of the Official Bulletin of Intellectual Property Agency were sent to the Patent Offices of foreign countries as well as to WIPO, EPO and EAPO.
For realization of the international agreement “On joint publication of the regional patent – informational product on optical discs CD – ROM”, members of which are 9 CIS countries, 12 compact discs “CISPATENT” are produced 4 issues of which contain bibliographical data in Armenian, Russian and English on 213 inventions and 27 utility models granted patent in the Republic of Armenia.
The Intellectual Property Agency receives patent information from European Patent Office as well as USA, Austrian, French and from Canadian patent offices within the framework of information exchange by “CISPATENT” compact discs.
In 2006 the IPA continued experiments of information search system, created in cooperation with the EAPO.
The Agency continues to receive the inventions search system “ESPACE World” from WIPO as well as inventions search system “BREF” and “COSMOS” from France.

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)

1. WIPO, Informal session of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents, Geneva, 10-12 April, 2006 (1 participant)
2. EPO, European Patent Academy, OS 12-2006, Munich, 8-12 May 2006 “Patenting in Biotechnology” (1 participant)
3. EPO, Seminar “Management of the Patent Documentation and Classification”,Haague, 04-08 July 2006 (1 participant).
4. EAPO, Raising the level of IP skill, April-May 2006, Moscow (2 participant)
5. Studies in Russian State Institute of Intellectual Property (1 participant).

IX. Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:

Patent information of the Agency is available to the wide public as well as via Internet (http://www.aipa.am). The page contains the following information sections:
- Statistic data
- Annual report
- Patent attorneys
- Contact information
- Links
- Laws
- Official Publications
- Information-search system.
- Trademarks Database
The information is available in three languages (Armenian, Russian, English).

X. Other relevant matters