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Annual Technical Report on Industrial Design Information Activities in 2019 submitted by Poland

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

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

In 2019, the PPO actively participated in the development project of the new Electronic Services Platform (PUEUP). The project covers implementation of new electronic services and the improvement of existing ones. In total, 7 electronic services are expected to be implemented:

  • 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.).

The following modules of PUEUP platform were prepared:  e-Baza Wiedzy (knowledge database), e-Profil (user profile), e-Platności (payments), e-Powiadomienia (user message system), e-Wyszukiwarka (search system) and Infrastruktura (infrastructure). During the 2019, the contractor and managers together with their project teams from the Polish Patent Office carried out tasks to enable production launch of the system.

In 2019, the PPO maintained development to pass files with description of patents and  industrial designs from Publication Server to new folders of PUEUP e-Wyszukiwarka.

The PPO continued to pass files of descriptions of patents and  industrial designs in the format of XML.

In 2019, the PPO actively participated in the field of e-administration services taking part                in the development of functionalities related to the use of the governmental Electronic Platform of Public Administration Services (ePUAP). The PPO dealt with maintaining  existing forms in terms of their functionality and reliability and prepared to switch to new forms available on the upcoming Electronic Services Platform (PUEUP).

In 2019, the PPO was active in order to maintain the functionalities of the PPO Industrial Properties Search System and Publication Server. The existing mechanisms were supposed to be shifted on new e-Wyszukiwarka module od PUEUP platform. No additional functionalities were implemented.

In 2019, the PPO continued to maintain 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 data on the https://dane.gov.pl/ website concerning the protection of industrial property, publications provided by the Office as well as information on patent attorneys, etc.

In 2019, the BackOffice system for trademarks and industrial designs was maintained, implementing different changes requested only by end users.

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

The most advanced project in 2019 was the implementation of the new Electronic Services Platform (PUEUP) mentioned above.

In 2019, the BackOffice system for trademarks and industrial designs was maintained implementing changes requested by end users and new regulations. The process of handling new types of trademarks and the implementation of the solution in the BO system for the e-Notification module (user message system) of the PUEUP platform were continued.

The Search System in Document Libraries which was used previously to collect all documents published by Polish Patent Office in separate document libraries in PDF format will be replaced by PUEUP platform which will have the same functionality. Therefore in 2019 the maintenance of Search System in Document Libraries was finished and PPO stopped to import new data to that system.

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

The Register Plus software application for industrial designs was further developed and enhanced in 2019. The quality of data was improved and a wider range of presented data was introduced.

As a continuation of work on the main search engine of industrial property items in the year 2019, amendments requested by users were introduced and they aimed at improving the functionality of the search engine. It is linked to other search systems, which are in the portfolio of the Office (Search System of Industrial Properties, Publication Server, Register Plus, etc.). In the same time the new Search System was developed under the PUEUP project. This new system will replace existing ones eventually.

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

In 2019, the Polish Patent Office received 1014 industrial design applications under national procedure (out of which 1004 from domestic applicants and 10 from foreign applicants), as well as 19 applications under international procedure (community designs submitted to EUIPO).

In 2019, a decline of almost 6.4% was recorded in comparison with 2018 when the total number of industrial design applications under national procedure amounted to 1083 (out of which 1081 were filed by domestic applicants and 2 by foreign applicants).

The number of industrial design registration rights in force on 31 December 2019 was 8368 (on 31 December 2018 it was 8476).

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 (Statistics and Annual Reports)

Detailed statistics may be created on request

(Use the "Write to us" form at https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/centrum-informacji).

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

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN 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

The  PPO information and support options in 2019 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 utility model to protect? ");

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

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

Management of the contacts in 2019  (phone + mail) was performed  through a software:

1)         Personal contacts (CRM system);

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

-           4,038 emails were received

-           27,563 calls were answered and performed (including the call back)

-           1,585 meetings took place with examiners and at the center of information; 

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

4)         Carrying out customer satisfaction surveys (CRM system) - level of satisfaction 96 %;

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

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

The CRM system is shared between 15 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) 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 who use ePUAP have access to the application files which are sent electronically to the PPO.

The availability of application dossier in electronic form will be provided by the new Electronic Services Platform (PUEUP).

Classification and reclassification activities; classification system used, e.g., International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification), other classification

In 2019, the Polish Patent Office maintained the International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification).

III. SOURCES OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Main types of publications in the field of industrial design information, outline of the content (industrial design applications, design patents, registrations, etc.) and medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URLs)

In 2019, the following publications (periodicals) were issued:

- "Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego" (Communications of the Patent Office) – monthly, 12 numbers, i.e. 601 copies;

- 2018 Annual Report of the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland – 844 copies.

Most publications are available on the PPO's website at: https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp

The PPO provided publication in the field of industrial design information in the Communications of the Patent Office "Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego" (WUP)  available on the PPO’s website at https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp

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

The Polish Patent Office's "Wiadomości Urzędu Patentowego" (Communications of the Patent Office), where industrial design registrations are published, among others, was available free of charge in PDF format in 2019 on the Online Services Portal at http://portal.uprp.pl/wydawnictwa.html (from 2020 it will be available only at https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/publikacje/biuletyn-i-wiadomosci-uprp)

In 2019, there were 953 announcements published on registered industrial designs in the Communications of the Patent Office.

Announcements regarding non-procedural matters, but coupled with 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) which falls under the official PPO's website. Many non-regular, important announcements are immediately published within the content of the website.

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

In 2019 the following information products were available to examiners:

- Search System of Industrial Properties – industrial designs: https://grab.uprp.pl/PrzedmiotyChronione/Strony%20witryny/Wyszukiwanie%20proste.aspx (user interface in Polish and English languages);

- Search System in Document Libraries – industrial designs (since October 2018 till August 2019): https://grab.uprp.pl/sites/WzoryPrzemyslowe/OpisyPrzemyslowe/Wzory%20przemysowe/Forms/AllItems.aspx;

- Online Services Portal: IP information on industrial design, access to patent publications, classifications, e-fillings and patent attorneys’ lists: http://portal.uprp.gov.pl;

- Publication Server - Polish industrial design: http://pubserv.uprp.gov.pl (user interface in 3 languages - PL, EN and FR);

From 2020 the above information products are available at https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search?lng=pl.

- Industrial design data stored on specialized internal databases of the PPO in which image information and bibliographic details are stored.

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

Full-text specifications of industrial designs registered in PPO are organised in classified collections and displayed for users in the Office's Library. Copies of specifications are available upon payment (price list available on the PPO website or on the spot).

Online sources of information include:

- Online Services Portal (free of charge): IP information on industrial designs, access to classifications, e-fillings and catalogues of patent attorneys at http://portal.uprp.pl. Free of charge; from 2020 at www.uprp.gov.pl and https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search?lng=pl

- Search System of Industrial Properties – a search system that provides free, open access to patent information and texts of Polish end European Patents and Polish utility models. Documents are distributed in PDF format. Available at: https://grab.uprp.pl/PrzedmiotyChronione/Strony%20witryny/Wyszukiwanie%20proste.aspx. Free of charge; from 2020 at https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search?lng=pl

- Publication Server – a portal that provides free, open, and wide access to patent information. The server uses integrated devices to search full texts of Polish patent specifications, Polish utility models, Polish industrial designs and Polish translations of patents published by the European Patent Office, which are valid in Poland. Documents are distributed in PDF format. Available at: http://pubserv.uprp.pl/. Free of charge; from 2020 at https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search?lng=pl

- Register Plus for industrial designs available at:

http://regservds.uprp.gov.pl/register/regviewer. Free of charge, from 2020 at https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search?lng=pl

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, an industrial design 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.

Legal status information is available in Register Plus at: http://regservds.uprp.gov.pl/register/regviewer and from 2020 at https://ewyszukiwarka.pue.uprp.gov.pl/search/simple-search?lng=pl

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

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

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

Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office

The PPO uses workstations and notebooks with Microsoft Windows 10; multimedia tablets with Apple iOS, Google Android and Microsoft Windows 10 Pro; 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; hypervisor servers with VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2.

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

All network connections are based on Cisco, FortiNet and Extreme Networks equipment with 500 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 and Barracuda Load Balancer cluster. Security is also provided by McAfee 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

Industrial design data are stored on the specialized, regularly updated internal databases in which image information and bibliographic details are stored, for example:

  • BackOffice;
  • databases supporting the process of publication of industrial designs.

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

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

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 registry information and legal status via Register Plus system. Settlement Module (MR) is used as a supplementary system for managing fees and payments.

Other matters

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

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

The PPO launched the registers containing lists of requests about public information and public information provided.

The PPO prepared a new version of the list of patent attorneys.

The leading office software used for word processing and spreadsheet was: Microsoft Office 2013 Standard & Professional Plus, Microsoft Office 2016 Standard & Professional Plus and Apache OpenOffice 4.

In 2019, the PPO maintained a Data Protection System for protection and control of patent data to avoid uncontrolled outflow or unwanted access.

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

Office's library (if deals with industrial design information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries

Full-text specifications of industrial designs registered in the PPO and organized in classified collections are displayed for the users in the Office's reading room.

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

Within promotion of knowledge on industrial property the Patent Office issues various publications such as guides, informational-promotional brochures addressed to wide audience, among others to entrepreneurs, students, school youth. Those publications are available free of charge both in electronic version and PDF format as well as on paper on the premises of the Office. 

Publication titles are as follows: Your world of intellectual property, What is intellectual property, Inventor's guide, Inventions in SMEs activity, Industrial designs in MSEs activity. Use the past to create future, Industrial protection in a nutshell, Inventions in your house, Protection of industrial designs in Poland and in the European Union, to name a few.

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

The Patent Office collaborates with various institutions in the scope of promotion of knowledge on Intellectual Property (organisation of conferences, workshops, trainings, granting patronage of the PPO President over numerous initiatives etc.).

In 2019, the Office collaborated, among others, with the following entities:

- collaboration with universities (Jagiellonian University in Kraków, University of Warsaw, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, 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 Association of Polish Inventors and Rationalisers, Polish Federation of Engineering Associations (NOT), Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys; National Information Processing Institute, National Chamber of Commerce, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development,  Institute of Industrial Design, Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan, Kielce Technology Park, Agency for Industrial Development S.A., etc.

- collaboration with governmental administration institutions: Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, Ministry of National Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Development.

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

In 2019, the PPO organised 38 various events, including symposia, conferences, workshops, trainings, consultation and information meetings and competitions, which were attended by around 2,600 persons representing science, business, business environment institutions, school youth and university students, as well as government administration units. Online transmissions of some events also enjoyed huge popularity.

In 2019, the PPO organised or participated, among others, in the following events:

-          Seminar on “Image Protection in the Intellectual Property Law”, May 2019;

-           12th International Conference on Innovation and Creativity for Economy – “Corporate Image Design”;

-           International conference on the occasion of the World IP Day, “Whose is the genome? Biotechnology and intellectual property protection”, organised in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organisation;

-           Conference entitled “Key to Success. New Support Instruments for Enterprises in the Field of Industrial Property”, organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Technology and the Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys;

-          15th International Krakow Symposium – “Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property Protection”;

-          38th Seminar for Patent Attorneys of Schools of Higher Education organized in Cedzyna;

-          Trainings on industrial property protection for SMEs and business-related institutions;

-          Meeting with young inventors within the framework of Robert Bosch Academy of Inventors;

-          Ambassador of School Innovation Competition 2019;

-          9th edition of the annual competition “Student-Inventor”;

-          23rd Science Picnic of the Polish Radio and Copernicus Science Centre;

-          13th edition of the International Exhibition of Inventions (International Warsaw Invention Show - IWIS 2019);

-          “Patent by night 2019” – Night of Museums in the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland;

-          17th 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 7th edition of a short movie and press release competition organized by the Patent Office.

In 2019, the PPO maintained the Internet Educational Platform (http://ipe.uprp.gov.pl) which is a compendium of knowledge about intellectual property issues. The target group includes enterprises (especially MSEs) 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.
  • Training Zone includes an e-learning course divided into 10 modules on the protection of intellectual property. Each module ends up with a test verifying the acquired knowledge.

The PPO also maintained an e-learning platform, IPPanorama, dedicated to broadening and promoting the knowledge about the protection of intellectual property and it is available at http://ippanorama.uprp.pl. from 2020 https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/platforma-edukacyjna

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 2019, the PPO maintained a special Seventica service for non-verbal communication (using the service human language sounds are immediately translated into sign language on the screen of a computer or tablet). The purpose of the project was to remove communication barriers among people with hearing deficiency.

VI.INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN INFORMATION

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

N/A

Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to industrial design information

N/A



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