Annual Technical Report on Trademark Information Activities in 2021 submitted by Poland

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

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

In 2021, the PPO continued to maintain the new electronic services platform (PUEUP).  The whole system includes the following modules that were fully implemented from the design phase to production and delivered with the infrastructure:

  • e-Baza-Wiedzy(e-Knowledge Base),
  • e-Profil(e-Profile),
  • e-Rejestry(e-Registers),
  • e-Wyszukiwarka(e-Search),
  • e-Powiadomienia(e-Notifications),
  • e-Płatności(e-Payments).

In 2021 the PPO launched a procedure of accelerated processing of applications (the so-called Fast Track mode). Therefore, a new form for trademarks was launched in the e-Profile module, namely, Application for a protection right for a trademark – fast track.

The following forms were available in the e-Profile module:

  • Application for a protection right for a trademark,
  • Application for granting the right in registration for an industrial design,
  • Application for granting a patent for an invention,
  • Application for a protection right for a utility model,
  • Application for a protection right for a trademark – fast track (new in 2021),
  • Application for granting the right in registration for an industrial design – fast track (new in 2021),
  • European patent validation,
  • Opposition to a trademark application,
  • Application for the publication of information on the invention / utility model at an earlier date,
  • Application for a priority document,
  • Response to the provision on the listing of goods and services,
  • Application for entry in the register (change of the authorized entity),
  • Indication of the goods for which the right of protection for a trademark is renewed,
  • Application for entry in the register (entry of information about the granted license),
  • Application for entry of a civil / registered pledge,
  • Application for an extract from the register,
  • Contact details form for notifications about the date of payment for the extension of the protection of exclusive rights,
  • General Correspondence form.

Customers of the PPO can submit applications on the forms available in the PUEUP e-Profile module, which is integrated with the Electronic Document Management System EZD.

In 2021, the PPO continued to maintain the Intranet system based on Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Enterprise software.

The PPO continued to maintain Patent Attorneys and Applicants List searchable. Only small adjustments in the data structure were introduced and the system was adopted to existing legislation.

The PPO continued to provide public data concerning the protection of industrial property, publications as well as information on patent attorneys, etc. The address of the website on which we publish the data has changed, currently it is https://dane.gov.pl/pl.

The PPO still maintained separate official publications of Bulletin of the Patent Office (BUP) for trademarks, inventions and utility models.

In 2021, the BackOffice system for trademarks and industrial designs was maintained, implementing various changes at the request of end users. In 2021, a new "fast track" procedure was implemented for trademarks and industrial designs.

In 2021, the PPO continues using Acsepto 11 for new trademarks - Acsepto contains bibliographic data and images regarding national, international and community trademarks.

In 2020, preparations for the production launch of API eSearch endpoints for PPO clients began. In 2021, a new endpoint was created in the e-Search API, which would enable the downloading of bibliographic data for trademarks published in Patent Office News(WUP). 

From 2022 the PPO will use the aforementioned channel to provide bibliographic data in XML files contained in the Bulletin of the Patent Office (BUP) and Communications of the Patent Office (WUP).

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

In 2021, the PPO trademark examiners participated in the working groups of the European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) concerning various aspects of trademarks. Polish trademark examiners participate in the working groups along with the representatives from other European national offices, EUIPO, and user associations and work on the following topics: 

CP11: New types of trade mark: Examination of formal requirements and grounds for refusal and invalidity

The main goal of the project is to deliver a set of principles and illustrative examples on the examination of formal requirements and grounds for refusal or invalidity of new types of trade mark, by taking into account the impact of the elimination of the graphical representation in the new TMD.

The Common Communication was published on 14 April 2021 and came into force on 14 July 2021.

CP12: Evidence in Trade Mark Appeal Proceedings: filing, structure and presentation of evidence, and the treatment of confidential evidence

The main goal of the project is to identify general principles regarding evidence in trade mark appeal proceedings, in particular its types, means, sources and identification of relevant dates, as well as its structure and presentation, and the treatment of confidential evidence.

The Common Communication was published in April 2021 and came into force in June 2021.

CP13: Trade Mark Applications Made in Bad Faith

The CP13 Common Practice aims to reach a common understanding of the general notion of bad faith and of other concepts, including terminology, related to its assessment; as well as to the factors that may prove relevant in the assessment.

CP14: Trade Marks Contrary to Public Policy or to Accepted Principles of Morality

This project is supposed to deliver common understandings of the notions of public policy and accepted principles of morality; a set of principles on the assessment of Article 4(1)(f) TMD and the applicable criteria for such assessment; and illustrative examples to demonstrate the applicable criteria.

Polish trademark examiners participate also in the ongoing projects ECP4 Maintenance of Common Practices & Convergence Analysis 2.0


In December 2021, the BackOffice system for trademarks and industrial designs was upgraded. The PPO did a fairly large extension of Backoffice with a new type of case - ICT - Integrated Circuit Topographies. Afterwards the functionality was tested and it appeared on production in June 2022.

In 2021, the project of a new ERP class system was launched. Thanks to the optimized processes implemented in the system, the settlement of fees and the extension of property rights would be improved.

In 2021, 7 electronic services were used as part of the new Electronic Services Platform (PUEUP):

  • e-Registry - viewing the entries entered in the registry and obtaining an excerpt from registry;
  • EP Validation - obtaining protection on the territory of Poland;
  • Expiration Date Notification - informing about the expiration date of protection;
  • Information Subscription - searching for information in defined sources maintained by UPRP (including automatic notifications based on user criteria);
  • e-Filing - applying for trademarks, patents, industrial designs registration to obtain an IP protection;
  • e-Submission - handling electronic correspondence during the whole IP lifecycle of trademarks, patents and industrial designs;
  • Changes in registry - management of records changes in registry (e.g. in case of extension of the protection, updating the owners, resignation from protection, changes in rights, pledges, licenses, etc.).

In 2021, as part of organizing the publishers of BUP and WUP and related documents (patent descriptions, descriptions of utility models, descriptions of industrial designs, descriptions of translations of European patents), a page of the PPO Bulletin and Communications was prepared on the PUEUP platform (under the Act on industrial property). The data was divided into years, months and publication numbers of BUP and WUP. For the WUP publication under the publication number, links to the descriptions lists in the e-Search were implemented.

Link to the website: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp

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

The PPO is continuously developing the functionalities of the above-mentioned PUEUP modules in accordance with the needs and expectations of customers and users of the platform.

For the purpose of the e-Search, the PPO provided the user with the functionality of configuring and saving his own set of attributes, thanks to which the search will be carried out, visible by default after logging in.

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

https://uprp.gov.pl/sites/default/files/inline-files/Annual%20Report%202021.pdf Trade Marks (pp. 45-46), Statistics (pp. 88-99)

In 2021, the Polish Patent Office received in total 15506 trademark applications under the national procedure (out of which 14680 by national and 826 by foreign entities). This marks an increase of 9% in comparison with 2020 when 14192 trademark applications were received under the national procedure (out of which 13541 by national and 651 by foreign entities).

Exclusive rights granted / entered into the register

2020

2021

Change (%) 2021:2020

Trademarks (national procedure)

7 150

15 040

110.35


Rights in force as of 31 December

2020

2021

Change (%)  2021:2020

Trademarks (national procedure)

155 275

170 675

9.92

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

Statistics are accessed at the following URLs: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/o-urzedzie/statystyki

This page consists of:

News page: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/aktualnosci

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TRADEMARK 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

https://uprp.gov.pl/sites/default/files/inline-files/Annual%20Report%202021.pdf Take advantage of examiners’ advice (pp. 50-51)

The  PPO information and support options in 2021 included:

1) Via website: https://uprp.gov.pl (all information about patents, trademarks, designs, etc. and instructions e.g. "How to patent an invention or protect a utility model?");

2) Via telephone: (+48 22 579 05 55);

3) Via e-mail: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/centrum-informacji

4) Via virtual information service window (Webex platform): https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/wirtualne-okno-obslugi-informacyjnej

5) Directly in the Front Office of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland at the Cambridge Innovation Centre - Warsaw: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/aktualnosci/informacje/front-office-urzedu-patentowego-rp-w-kampusie-innowacji##googtrans(pl|en)


Management of the contacts in 2021 (phone + mail) was performed through software:

1)      Personal contacts (CRM system):

- 473 meetings in PPO Front Office

- 29 meetings via virtual window

- 35 meetings in PPO Front Office in Cambridge Innovation Centre (2 hours a week)

(Patents and utility models: 149, Trademarks: 313, Industrial designs: 25)

2)      Within Register IP Info Center customer contacts (OSCC, CRM systems);

- 6 755 emails were received

- 23 488 calls were answered and performed (including the call back - 426) 

(Patents and utility models: 3 984, Trademarks: 15 917, Industrial designs: 802)

- 89 meetings took place with examiners and at the Center of information 

- 506 meetings via live-chat (only for logged PUEUP clients)

3)    Identification  and differentiation of customers (OSCC, CRM systems);

4)    Carrying out customer satisfaction surveys (CRM system) - level of satisfaction 95%;

5)    Analyses of  the contacts (analyses, statistics - CRM, OSCC systems);

6)    Keeping records and transferring customer requests (satisfaction, complaints, suggestions for improvement) (TRX system);

7)    Sending e-notifications about the expiry of the protection period of industrial property rights (PUEUP system):  14 403

The CRM system is shared between 14 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, virtual information service window and live-chat) to facilitate the customer relation management. Tool for measuring the customers’ satisfaction. IP Info Center has a non-verbal communication system to improve information service for deaf and hard hearing customers.

Availability of the application dossier in electronic form

Customers using PUEUP have access to application files which are sent electronically to the PPO. Customers may also use the forms available in the e-Profile module in order to submit applications in electronic form.

Matters concerning classifying

a) Classification and reclassification activities; classification systems used, e.g., International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification), International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (Vienna Classification), other classification

b) Use of electronic classification systems and pre-defined terms of the classification applied

The Polish Patent Office uses the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification) 11th 2020 edition (the Polish version of Nice Classification is downloaded from WIPO websites once a month) as well as International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (Vienna Classification) 8th edition.

During the procedure, the Office's staff amends the goods and services classes.

III. SOURCES OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Main types of publications in the field of trademark information, outline of the content and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)

In 2021, the following publications were issued:

- “Biuletyn Urzędu Patentowego. Znaki towarowe” (Bulletin of the Patent Office – Trademarks) – weekly (in electronic form on the Office’s website) (https://uprp.gov.pl/plpublikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp ) – 52 numbers; announcements on trademark applications;

- “Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego” (Communications of the Patent Office) – biweekly, and from July 2021 weekly (in electronic form on the Office’s website) (https://uprp.gov.pl/plpublikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp ) – announcements on granted protection rights for trademarks;

- 2020 Annual Report of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland – in electronic form on the Office’s website (https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/raport-roczny-uprp );

Information on trademarks is also available on the website of the Office:

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

Both official publications of the PPO concerning trademarks, i.e. "Bulletin of the Patent Office. Trademarks" (BUP) with applications for national trademarks and “Communications of the Patent Office” (WUP) with registered national trademarks and international registrations of trademarks approved in Poland are available free of charge in PDF format on the webpage: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp

In 2021, there were 13950 announcements on trademark applications published in “Bulletin of the Patent Office. Trademarks” and 14794 announcements on registered trademarks published in “Communications of the Patent Office”.

Announcements containing ordinances of the President of the Polish Patent Office, official Announcements containing ordinances of the President of the Polish Patent Office, official announcements and communications are published in the Official Journal of the Patent Office (https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/dziennik-urzedowy-uprp ). Announcements regarding non-procedural matters, but connected to 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" (Public Information Bulletin: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/bip ) on the official PPO's website.  Many non-regular, important announcements are immediately published on the website.

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

In 2021, the following information products were available to examiners:

  • e-Search provides simple (full-text) search, advanced(deterministic) search and searching in collections of documents (PDF). The e-Search module contains bibliographic data and a list of collections:
    • Trademarks,
    • Inventions,
    • European Patents,
    • Supplementary Protection Certificate,
    • Utility Models,
    • Industrial Designs,
    • Topographies of Integrated Circuits.

The data is published free of charge on the website https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search (user interface in Polish, English and French).

  • Trademarks data stored in specialized internal databases of the PPO called BackOffice in which image information and bibliographic details are stored.

The Polish Patent Office uses external databases, such as:

  • MedNet - INN database (International Nonproprietary Names) available on the pages http://mednet.who.int/inn, free of charge
  • E-Ambrosia (https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/food-safety-and-quality/certification/quality-labels/geographical-indications-register/ ) is a public database which gives easy access to information on all EU Geographical Indications (GI), including their status (applied, published or registered), their product specifications, and direct link to the legal basis when they are officially protected. By summer 2019, it included EU GI spirit drinks, by the end of 2019, all EU GI agri-food products were part of eAmbrosia. It was designed to replace the previous databases for wine (e-Bacchus), spirits (e-Spirit-Drinks) and food (Door), eAmbrosia includes an easily searchable and intuitive interface. This new system simplified the search for information about Geographical Indications and increased transparency for producers, national authorities and anyone curious about European GIs.
  • NATIONAL PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION - COBORU (coboru.pl), free of charge
  • COMMUNITY PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION - CPVO (cpvo.europa.eu), free of charge

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

Online sources of trademarks information include:

- e-Search provides simple (full-text) search, advanced (deterministic) search and searching in collections of documents (PDF):  https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search

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, the trademark register is held.  The register includes information necessary to establish the subject and scope of protection (e.g. date of filing, title), entity (or entities) entitled to rights concerning a given subject of protection (e.g. holders, licensees, securities, seizure) and other useful information (e.g. applications for revocation). Everyone who submits a relevant application and pays a fee to the account of the Office can obtain excerpts from the register.

Information on the legal status is available in e-Search at: https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search

The examiners at the Polish Patent Office use external legal databases, like:

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

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

ACSEPTO is a primary system of searching and examining trademarks, a tool that integrates many types of IT resources in order to enable searching for registered trademarks through the national route, international registrations, Community Trademarks, appellations of origin, pharmaceutical names, materials under Art. 6th of the Paris Convention.

The BackOffice is the main system for managing the procedures for granting and maintaining rights to trademarks and industrial designs in the PPO. BackOffice is the source system for many databases (search engines) and it is interconnected with other systems in   the PPO.

Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office

The PPO uses workstations and notebooks with Microsoft Windows 10/11 Pro; multimedia tablets with Apple iOS and Android system; physical servers with Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard and virtual servers using Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Datacenter with Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 installed, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10/11/12, CentOS Linux 5/6/7/8, Oracle Linux 5/6/7, Debian GNU/Linux 6/7/8 and Ubuntu Server LTS, RedHat Enterprise Linux 7.x/8.x; hypervisor servers with VMware vSphere.

All of workstations, notebooks and servers are secured by Symantec antivirus.

All network connections are based on Cisco, FortiNet and Extreme Networks equipment with up to 700 Mb/s redundant access to the Internet (two separate Internet connections). The availability of services published on the Internet is supported by the FortiNet WAF cluster. Security is also provided by Forcepoint IPS and Fidelis Cybersecurity and Forcepoint antispam systems.

The server infrastructure is supported by local UPSs and secured by the main power supply unit for the PPO. The main IT infrastructure units are located in a secure server room equipped with a fire alarm, CCTV system, redundant air-conditioning and a technical floor.

Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources

Trademark data is stored in specialized, regularly updated internal databases in which image information and bibliographic details are stored, for example:

  • The BackOffice system,
  • Databases supporting the process of publishing trademarks.

Most production databases are hosted by Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise, Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Enterprise and MySQL Server 4/5, PostgreSQL 9.

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

EUTM, IR (designated to EM and PL) and 6ter data are stored and accessed via Acsepto search system, IR (designated to PL) are stored and accessed via BackOffice system.

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

The BackOffice is a workflow-based system for dealing with 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 adopted to work together with Electronic Document Management System (EZD) which facilitates the processing of incoming and outgoing correspondence. External users have access to registers and information on legal status via the e-Search module. Settlement Module (MR) is used as a supplementary system for managing fees and payments.

Other matters

The PPO maintained a professional call centre service based on Unify OpenScape Contact Centre Enterprise software and a new system of customer relationship management based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 365 software.

The EZD system was integrated with The BackOffice in the field of exchanging correspondence and information about entities.

The public information request lists are stored in the EZD system.

The leading office software used for word processing and spreadsheet was: Microsoft Office 2016 Standard & Professional Plus and Apache OpenOffice 4.

In 2021, the PPO maintained the Data Protection System in order to protect and control trademark data to avoid uncontrolled outflow or unwanted access.

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

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

As part of promotion of knowledge on industrial property, the Patent Office issues various publications such as guides, information and promotion brochures addressed to wide audience, among others to entrepreneurs, students, school youth.  Those publications are available free of charge in an electronic version and PDF format at: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/pozostale-publikacje-uprp . Their printed versions are available at the premises of the Office and distributed during various events organised by the PPO or in which the PPO participates.

Publication titles are as follows: Your world of intellectual property, What is intellectual property, Inventor's guide, Trademarks in MSEs activity, Use the past to create future, Industrial protection in a nutshell, to name a few. In 2021, a number of publications on convergence of practces were issued, including Classification of goods and services, Protection of black and white trademarks, New types of trademarks.

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

https://uprp.gov.pl/sites/default/files/inline-files/Annual%20Report%202021.pdf See who we cooperate with (pp. 21-27)

The Patent Office collaborates with various institutions in promoting knowledge on intellectual property (organisation of conferences, workshops, trainings, patronage of the PPO President over numerous initiatives etc.).

In 2021, the Office collaborated with the following entities, to name a few:

- collaboration with universities (Jagiellonian University in Kraków, University of Warsaw, Warsaw School of Economics, 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 The National Centre for Research and Development, Łukasiewicz Research Network, Association of Polish Inventors and Rationalisers, Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys; Polish Investment and Trade Agency; National Information Processing Institute, Polish Development Fund, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Polish Craft Association, Institute of Industrial Design, Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan, Agency for Industrial Development S.A., etc.;

- collaboration with governmental administration institutions, including Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Ministry of Finance, as well as local government authorities.

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

In 2021, the PPO organised and co-organised, among others, the following events:

  • IPforYou seminar in cooperation with the EUIPO (17 February)
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Disputes (23 February)
  • Ideas Powered for Business seminar in cooperation with the EUIPO (18 February)
  • Conference on the occasion of the World IP Day “Protection of innovation in the enterprise – commercialisation in times of a pandemic” (26 April);
  • Webinar “We support Polish innovators (28 April);
  • Webinar “Tax solutions for research, development and innovation – IP Box preference” in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance (18 May)
  • Webinars „IP Protection at your fingertips” organised in cooperation with the Rural Housewives’ Association (27 May and 21 October);
  • 14th International Conference in the series of “Innovation and Creativity in Economy” dedicated to the topic “Business Reinforced by Design – in the COVID and post-COVID Era” (23 June);
  • Workshop “Implementation of adopted common practices: designation of inventor and examination of unity of invention” in cooperation with the European Patent Organisation (21 September);
  • Online training course organised in cooperation with the National Chamber of Patent Attorneys “Legal counsel as a representative before the PPO” (26-27 October);
  • Webinar „Protect and use – industrial property as part of the company's development” in cooperation with the Polish Craft Association (8 November);
  • Consultation and information online meeting “Global disputes on conditions of access to standard essential patents” (9 November);
  • Exhibition „Creative by nature” in the Poland Pavilion as EXPO 2020 Dubai (18 November – 1 December);
  • 19th 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 9th edition of a short movie and press release competition.

https://uprp.gov.pl/sites/default/files/inline-files/Annual%20Report%202021.pdf Annual Report 2021, pp. 16-19

In 2021, the PPO maintained information in the e-Knowledge Base module on a specially prepared Educational Platform (Educational Platform, current address https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/platforma-edukacyjna) which was a compendium of knowledge about intellectual property issues. The target group includes enterprises (especially MSEs) and businesses related to public institutions (including schools of higher education) and other entities.

  • The Knowledge Zone includes information, publications and other materials addressed both to entities with advanced knowledge on IP issues as well as those ones looking for basic information on IP protection, procedures and management.
  • The training zone consists of 2 parts: beginner user and advanced user. For these users, training in intellectual property protection is available, which ends with a test verifying the acquired knowledge.

The Patent Information Centre Forum was prepared, a platform for exchanging experiences, knowledge, comments and opinions between Patent Information Centres and the Office.

Other activities

In 2021, the PPO maintained a special Seventica service for non-verbal communication (using the service, the sounds of human language are immediately translated into sign language on a computer or tablet). The aim of the project was to remove communication barriers among people with hearing deficiency.

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION

International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)

Information on Community Trademarks was downloaded using XML data, which was then transferred to the search systems of the PPO.

The XML trademark files were downloaded from WIPO and were also transferred to the search systems of the PPO.

The PPO maintained its own service for collecting Nice classification data from the WIPO website. All changes to the Polish version of the Nice classification were implemented in the WIPO system and then copied to a special dedicated application that would be presented to Polish users.