Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2015 submitted by
STATE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SERVICE OF UKRAINE
I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PATENT INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE STATE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SERVICE OF UKRAINE
Outline of main policies and plans aimed at development of patent information activities and expected time frames for their realization
The main documents that determined directions for the development of patent information activities in 2015 are the annual plans of activities of the State Intellectual Property Service of Ukraine (SIPS) and the State Enterprise "Ukrainian Intellectual Property Institute" (Ukrpatent) with taking into account the Priorities of the State Intellectual Property Service of Ukraine for 2015-2017. The plans contain strategic directions "Patent information support in the sphere of intellectual property and provision of wide public with access to the information related to intellectual property rights acquisition" and "Implementation of the modern information technology" which in particular include:
- comprehensive development of the main directions of information support in the sphere of intellectual property;
- improvement of information support of the examination procedure for industrial property rights applications in the part of forming of the electronic information resources of Ukrpatent for carrying out examination, providing access to the foreign commercial databases which contain PCT Minimum Documentation;
- implementation of new versions of the International Patent Classification in translation into Ukrainian, creating of information and reference systems that are in free access to the public via the Internet resources of SIPS and Ukrpatent;
- unification of the patent documentation international exchange procedure which is carried out with the purpose of acquisition of patent collections of the state system of intellectual property legal protection, taking into account the trends of transition of the intellectual property offices in many countries to the submission of patent information over the Internet only;
- implementation of series of actions aimed at ensuring the continued free of charge acquisition of patent information resources of Ukraine with the national patent documentation on electronic carriers;
- elaboration and implementation of series of actions aimed at development of the digital patent library;
- participation in the activities on unification and harmonization of the patent documentation of Ukraine with taking into account the world experience and in accordance with the international standards of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the current legislation of Ukraine.
Besides, development of patent information activities is stipulated by the Concept of the development of information and technical support of the main activities of Ukrpatent for the years 2013-2015 and by project schedules on expansion of the Inventions Automated System (AS).
The works planned for implementation within the 2015 were the following:
- expansion of the functional possibilities of the automated subsystems for quality control, processing of incoming and outgoing documents;
- reclassification of applications in the Inventions AS environment;
- improvement of the Inventions AS for maintenance of the electronic State register of patents of Ukraine for inventions and the State register of patents of Ukraine for utility models;
- modernization of the automated systems for pending international applications;
- integration of general and technological electronic document management systems.
New projects launched or resumed this year in the context of the policies and plans mentioned above, short description: aims, partners, tasks
The works on modernization of the Inventions AS were continued in 2015.
This modernization resulted in development of new software modules which provide additional possibilities for quality control system of the applications examination in the Inventions AS and carry out the following new functions:
- transfer of utility model applications to the quality control division for providing consultations to the examiners;
- viewing of the applications received from an examiner who requests consulting;
- keeping track of recommendations, comments and resolutions of the consultant in the Inventions AS;
- transfer of the application together with the recommendations, comments and resolution to the examiner who requested consulting;
- report generation for a given period, which reflects appeals of examiners, application numbers, provided recommendations, comments, resolutions and time spent on the consultation of examiners;
- approval of the reports and their storage in the Inventions AS.
The project of software modules modernization for maintenance of the state registers of patents of Ukraine for inventions and utility models in electronic form was also developed in 2015. In the framework of the project, automatization of the procedures and functional capabilities for maintenance of the state registers of patents for inventions and utility models in electronic form were carried out.
The design solutions in which functional detailing of the software was set out in the scope that conforms to the requirements of the PCT Receiving Office Guidelines were developed in 2015 in the framework of modernization of the automated system for international applications processing, the scope and requirements for the new functions as well as the need to make specific changes to a number of functioning software modules was defined. The requirements to the functions of communication of outgoing documents to the International Bureau of WIPO through the PCT-EDI electronic documents exchange system, requirements to the functions of registration of input documents and formation of their list, and requirements to the formation of statistical indicators on receipt and technological process of applications were also developed in the design solutions. According to the design solutions, the following new software modules for the automated processing systems of the Receiving Office record keeping were developed:
- module for creation of a new file including the international application filing type;
- bibliographic data input module that enables to enter all data of the international application (RO/101);
- calculation and fees registration module that provides information interaction with the Fees Accounting AS using appropriate server procedures;
- technological control module for time limits;
New software modules provide the following functions:
- forming of output documents (in particular, on the basis of those forms that are developed by the International Bureau of WIPO, i.e. the relevant RO-forms) in DOC format with further conversion and storage in PDF format;
- appending the electronic file with the application materials scanned after the Receiving Office processing and additional materials filed on paper;
- sending documents to the International Bureau of WIPO through the PCT-EDI secure electronic documents exchange system;
- registration of the received documents;
- forming of the statistic indicators on the receipt and technological processing of applications.
The new ePCT Version 3.1 which introduces new functions for applicants, the PCT Receiving Offices, Designated Offices and the PCT International Authorities (ISA/IPEA) was put into operation.
In relation with the appointment of Ukrpatent as an International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority under the PCT (ISA/IPEA), creation of the new automated system of record keeping under the ISA/IPEA procedures started in the second half of 2015. At the first stage, researches on business-processes record keeping were carried out and the project of automated record keeping system was developed. Implementation of the automated system is planned in 2016.
Development of the first stage of the general Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) (within the internal document flow) was completed and put into operation at the end of 2015. All workstations of employees were connected, directories of Ukrpatent divisions and employees as well as user accounts were formed, images of personal signatures were collected and uploaded into the database. The intersystem integration is performed to ensure documents transfer from the general EDMS to the technological automated systems.
The works on creation and implementation of series of actions aimed at the development of the Digital Patent Library (DPL) were continued in the state system of intellectual property legal protection within the subcomponent "Improvement of the Digital Patent Library" of the EU-funded TWINNING project "Strengthening the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in Ukraine" which was launched in April 2014. Therefore, separate directions of work were devoted to the optimization of functioning of the DPL as a part of the project, by the results of which the experts of the project provided a number of corresponding recommendations.
The DPL is available on the Internet at http://iii.ua/uk/cifrova-patentna-biblioteca.
Main areas of patent information activities and related information and communication technology (ICT) practices which were in the focus of attention last year
The main types of patent information activities in the field of inventions (utility models) include information support of examination of applications for patents (utility models), including formation of search databases for internal use in the examination body, publication of information about applications and registered patents (utility models) in the official bulletin, support of operation of the existing and creation of a new interactive databases and information and reference systems for information servicing of the wide range of users via the Internet. Publication of information on patents (utility models) is also performed on optical carriers.
Processing of applications for patents (utility models) is carried out by means of the Inventions AS which has full functionality of the text processing and record keeping at all stages, from filing of an application to completing examination and maintenance of the state registers of patents of Ukraine for inventions and utility models.
An automated workplace of the Editorial Department is used for formation of the information arrays, which are included to the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist".
A unified mechanism for automatic registration of incoming documents regardless of the way of their receipt: on paper, by email to the official address of Ukrpatent (office@ukrpatent.org), by fax or other telecommunication networks has been implemented at Ukrpatent in 2015.
A full cycle of works on creation of the Key Certification Center (KCC) was completed at the premises of Ukrpatent. The certificate of accreditation of the KCC was received. Operation of the own accredited KCC provides electronic digital signature services in the full scope to the employees of Ukrpatent, as well as other physical and legal persons who file applications for IPRs through the electronic filing system.
During 2015, a number of measures were implemented at Ukrpatent towards the IT infrastructure development. A new server, data storages (disk arrays), SAN switches for network storage, uninterruptible power supply units were purchased. Up-to-date computer and communication equipment was put into operation in the data processing center (DPC) which provided:
- additional volume of the primary HP 3PAR StoreServ 7200 disc storage to maintain a constant growth of databases;
- high-speed storage of information using HP MSA 2040 SAN;
- organizing of fault-tolerant network storage SAN with two independent factories on the basis of the HP SN3000B and HP SAN switch 8/24;
- additional protection and improvement of reliability of the power supply of critical systems built on clustered systems and data warehouses.
Testing of the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure technology was carried out, in which all elements of the user workstations are located on the server in the DPC. Further implementation of this technology will standardize and unify the users operational environment. Computers that are used as workstations will be gradually replaced with "thin clients" with long service life and high level of information security.
Testing of software from the System Center 2012R2 product family has been completed and put into operation – the Configuration Manager which enables central operating systems and software installation, establishing security policies, implementing technical inventory of computers and software, as well as monitoring the status of computers (workstations).
Standard software was put into operation that provided:
- upgrade of server operating systems to Windows Server 2012R2;
- upgrade of the database management system (DBMS) to Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise 2014 and achievement of a new level of functionality, in particular, the ability to break up large databases into separate parts to increase the capacity and safety of operation and reducing the time of the backup;
- using of the System Center Configuration Manager – IT infrastructure managing product based on Microsoft.
Statistics: changes in terms of application filings and grants with respect to previous year; trends or areas experiencing rapid changes
Inventions
Applications filed:
in 2014 – 4,813, in 2015 – 4,497, i.e. 6.57 % decrease with respect to the previous year.
Patents granted:
in 2014 – 3,319, in 2015 – 3,014, i.e. 9.19 % decrease with respect to the previous year.
From 01.01.2015 to 31.12.2015 within the framework of experimental tests of the electronic filing system for industrial property rights (IPRs) 221 applications for inventions were received (37.27 % more than in the previous year).
In 2015, the highest percentage of filed applications for inventions was in the following technical areas: "Medical or veterinary science; hygiene" – IPC Class A61 (14.0 %); "Organic chemistry" – IPC Class C07 (10.1 %); "Agriculture: Forestry; Animal husbandry…" – IPC Class A01 (7.0 %); "Measuring; Testing" – IPC Class G01 (4.0 %); "Biochemistry; Beer; Spirits; Wine; Vinegar; Microbiology; Enzymology; Mutation of Genetic Engineering" – IPC Class C12 (3.0%), "Conveying; packing; storing; handling thin or filamentary material" - IPC Class B65 (2.6%);"Foods or foodstuffs …" – IPC Class A23 (2.3 %).
Utility models
Applications filed:
in 2014 – 9,384, in 2015 – 8,616, i.e. 8.18 % decrease with respect to the previous year.
Patents granted:
in 2014 – 9,196, in 2015 – 8,153, i.e. 11.34 % decrease with respect to the previous year.
From 01.01.2015 to 31.12.2015 within the framework of experimental tests of electronic filing system for IPRs 168 applications for utility models were received (46.09 % increase with respect to the 2014 year).
In 2015, the highest percentage of the filed utility model applications was in the following technical areas: "Medical or veterinary science; Hygiene" – IPC Class A61 (15.7 %); "Measuring; Testing" – IPC Class G01 (8.1 %); "Agriculture; Forestry; Animal husbandry…" – IPC Class A01 (4.1 %); "Foods or foodstuffs …" – IPC Class A23 (3.6 %).
Other matters and useful links (URLs): annual report of the Office, news page, statistics, etc.
Annual Reports, statistical information, the Annual Technical Reports of the Office:
http://sips.gov.ua/ua/plans_reports.html
http://sips.gov.ua/en/plans_reports.html
News of the Office on the issues related to patents:
http://ukrpatent org/en/index.html
Information on patent legislation:
http://sips.gov.ua/ua/normative_acts.html
http://sips.gov.ua/en/normative_acts.html
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 for the users on the procedures and sources of data on inventions and utility models, in particular information on the legislation in the sphere of inventions and utility models, services and activities of the Office related to information in this sphere, statistics etc. is published at the SIPS web-portal (http://sips.gov.ua) and Ukrpatent web-site (http://ukrpatent.org).
Information on information services, including paid services, provided by Ukrpatent and its Innovations Department is published at the Ukrpatent and department's (http://iii.ua) web-sites.
Information for applicants on filing applications for inventions and utility models is available at the web-site of Ukrpatent (http://ukrpatent.org).
Information and means for filing electronic applications are posted at the web-page for electronic filing of applications (http://base. ukrpatent.org/efiling/).
A software product "Applicant Off-line Module" was developed and put into operation in Ukrpatent for drafting application materials on paper. It can be downloaded from the web-site of Ukrpatent (http://base.ukrpatent.org/off-line/).
Access to on-line publications containing information on inventions and utility models is provided through the web resources of SIPS (http://sips.gov.ua/ua/info_resurses.html) and Ukrpatent (http://ukrpatent.org/ua/bases.html).
Availability of the application dossier in electronic form
All application materials (both primary and secondary) for inventions and utility models, regardless of how they are filed to Ukrpatent (through the electronic filing system, on paper carriers, by email, Fax or other telecommunication networks), automatically or after scanning the paper carriers are entered and stored in the electronic archive of documents and used by technological systems within the pendency of applications.
Classification1, preclassification2 (if applicable), reclassification3 activities; classification systems used (e.g., International Patent Classification (IPC)); matters concerning indexing of patent information
The Ukrainian version of the International Patent Classification (IPC-2015.01) was used for classifying patent documents of Ukraine in 2015.
Within the Inventions AS the software system for checking the classification symbols is operative. It includes classification guides and specialized software for checking the allotted classification symbols and reclassifying.
In 2015 the whole retrospective file of national patent documents was reclassified according to the current Ukrainian version of the IPC-2015.01.
Abstracting, reviewing, and translation of the information contained in patent documents
Abstracts and bibliographic data are formed routinely in three languages (Ukrainian, Russian and English) for publication in the National CD-ROM "Inventions in Ukraine" and on the Internet in the specialized database "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine".
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)
Information of the Office concerning inventions (utility models) is provided in the following publications (official editions, patent information products on optical carriers, free electronic databases (DB) and information and reference systems (IRS)):
The Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" (Industrial Property) – printed periodical edition;
The analogue of the printed edition – the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" on CD-ROM with search system;
The National CD-ROM "Inventions in Ukraine";
DB "Electronic Version of the Cumulative Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" (http://base.ukrpatent.org/searchBul/);
Specialized DB "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine" (http://base. ukrpatent.org/searchINV/);
Shared DB "Information on Invention Applications Accepted for Examination" (http://base.ukrpatent.org/searchbul/search.php?dbname=appinvc);
IRS "Invention and Utility Model Applications Prosecution Status" (http://base.ukrpatent.org/searchInvStat/);
IRS "Information on Patents of Ukraine for Inventions (Utility Models) Deemed to be Invalid or Expired" (http://base.ukrpatent.org/searchInvRevoke/);
IRS "International Patent Classification. Ukrainian Version (2015.01)" (http://base.ukrpatent.org/mpk2009/index.html?level=c).
Information concerning inventions and utility models is published in Book 1 of the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" in the following sections: "Information on Invention Applications Accepted for Examination", "Information on the Grant of Patents of Ukraine for Inventions", "Information on the Grant of Patents of Ukraine for Utility Models", in the Indexes to each section and in the Notices section.
Publications of the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" contain:
- for section "Information on Invention Applications Accepted for Examination" – bibliographic data;
- for sections "Information on the Grant of Patents of Ukraine for Inventions", "Information on the Grant of Patents of Ukraine for Utility Models" – bibliographic data and claims.
The Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" was issued twice a month – 24 issues of the bulletin were issued during 2015. The Annual Index to the Official Bulletin for the previous, 2014, year was also published.
Ukrainian patent (utility model) specifications on electronic carrier were issued with the same frequency – the National CD-ROM "Invention in Ukraine".
Publications in electronic information resources contain:
- DB "Electronic Version of the Cumulative Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" – information concerning inventions and utility models in the same scope as in printed edition. Moreover, information concerning legal status of patents (as an extra operational element) is provided in the sections "Information on the Grant of Patents of Ukraine for Inventions", "Information on the Grant of Patents of Ukraine for Utility Models";
- Specialized DB "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine" – bibliographic data, claims, abstracts, specifications and information concerning legal status of patents.
Official Gazettes: main types of announcements, frequency of publication, medium (on paper, on CDs, online - URL), etc.
In the section "Notices" of the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" with the periodicity of its release announcements in respect of registered inventions (utility models) (to the extent provided by the respective applicable Law of Ukraine) are published including information:
- on renewal of patents of Ukraine for inventions, the object of which is drug, means of animals protection, means of plants protection, the use of which requires approval of the competent authority; changes in the information entered into the State register of patents of Ukraine for inventions, information on issue of the patents duplicates, information about correction of obvious errors in specifications to patents of Ukraine for inventions, modifications due to the correction of errors and other information relating to registration of patents of Ukraine for inventions;
- changes in the information entered into the State register of patents of Ukraine for utility models, information on issue of the patents duplicates, information about correction of obvious errors in the specifications to patents of Ukraine for utility models, modifications due to the correction of errors and other information relating to the registration of patents of Ukraine for utility models.
The said information is available at http://sips.gov.ua and http://ukrpatent.org.
Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to examiners, including external collections and databases
The search collection (Patent Information Base – PIB) for carrying out patent information searches for the state of the art in the course of the substantive examination of patent applications has been in operation since July 1, 1997.
The PIB contains national and foreign patent collections on electronic carriers (CD-ROM and DVD-ROM), first of all of international and regional intellectual property organizations (WIPO, the EPO and the EAPO), patent documents issued by the leading Offices falling within the PCT Minimum Documentation. Documentation available in the electronic search collection has sufficiently deep retrospective and is constantly updated by current acquisitions of foreign patent documentation.
The search collection of the national patent documentation, which is used in the local mode, includes Inventions AS database (bibliographic data) and the Central Electronic Documents Archive (CEDA).
Updating of the PIB was implemented by current acquisitions of patent documentation, in particular:
- updating of the Inventions AS database and the CEDA was implemented routinely by scanning incoming documents, converting them into electronic format and loading to the appropriate databases which are accessible from the web-portal of SIPS and the web-site of Ukrpatent;
- electronic documents filed through the electronic filing application system are loaded to the databases in the automation mode;
- foreign patent documents, which were received by Ukrpatent in the framework of international exchange (on optical carriers or through corresponding FTP-servers), were loaded into the electronic database of the Search Portal.
Over the course of 2015, the examination Reference and Information Collection was increased with encyclopedias, reference books, legal and instructional and methodological literature, periodicals (including on electronic carriers). The formation of electronic reference and search tool was provided.
As a search collection of non-patent literature, in addition to foreign commercial databases (the list is given in below), the following resources were also used in 2015:
- collection of the Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology (under the Agreement on receiving electronic copies of the necessary sources of information from its collection);
- free national and foreign Internet resources, in particular, electronic digital libraries, as well as accessible collections of more than 74 largest national and specialized libraries of Ukraine.
Moreover, to provide effective and qualitative search in the course of patent applications examination, 10 foreign commercial information resources were used in 2015 as a search collection which, under agreements, provided access to the PCT Minimum Documentation (patent documentation and non-patent literature). These include the following databases: the EPO EPOQUE Net search system; STN Files, Features and Services; Reaxys; Derwent World Patent Index; ScienceDirect® ArticleChoice™; web-portal of the WIPO ARDI Program; products of the American Chemical Society; IEEE Xplore digital library; Wiley Online Library, the database of the Russian Institute for Scientific and Technical Information of the Russian Academy of Sciences; as well as patent information product "Utility Models Specifications of the Russian Federation Titles of Protection" on DVD for the years 2000-2014.
The EPOQUE Net system proved to be the main search tool among foreign commercial Internet resources as it provided access of examiners to the patent documentation of the PCT Minimum Documentation to the full extent.
In 2015 activities on providing access of Ukrpatent examiners to foreign commercial databases that contain the PCT Minimum Documentation (patent documentation and non-patent literature) were given particular emphasis in the context of providing patent information support of Ukrpatent functions as ISA/IPEA.
Information products and patent document collections (coverage, medium, etc.) available to external users, conditions of access (e.g., free of charge, subscription, etc.)
For information support of the wide range of public free access to the information concerning patents is provided through the web-portal of SIPS and the web-site of Ukrapatent – see the List of DBs and IRSs above.
Annual reports of the Office (in Ukrainian and English), Annual Technical Reports of the Office in Ukrainian, quarterly review "Industrial Property in Figures" which includes basic indicators of the activities of SIPS and Ukrapatent are also accessible for free on the web-portal of SIPS and web-site of Ukrapatent.
External users could also purchase the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" on CD-ROM with a search system and the National CD-ROM "Inventions in Ukraine".
The Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" on CD-ROM is distributed for free in the framework of updating patent collections of certain organizations of Ukraine by national patent documentation according to the Registries of free-of-charge distribution approved by SIPS.
See also Part 1 of Section 5 concerning the PPDC.
Legal status information (kind of information, coverage, medium, etc.)
Information concerning legal status of the registered patents of Ukraine for inventions (utility models) to the extent prescribed by the applicable law of Ukraine is published in the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnit" in section "Notices" both on paper and in electronic form (CD-ROM "Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnit" and DB "Electronic Version of the Cumulative Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnit").
In addition, such information is provided in the IRS "Information on Patents of Ukraine for Inventions (Utility Models) Deemed to be Invalid or Expired" and (as an extra operational component) in the relevant sections of the DB "Electronic Version of the Cumulative Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnit" and specialized DB "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine".
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
Business procedures for processing of patent applications and maintenance of the State register of titles of protection for inventions are supported by the Invention AS. Invention AS software is designed on the Client-Server technology. The structure of the Invention AS database ensures storage of all bibliographic data and provides wide opportunities for search purposes.
All application materials filed on paper are converted into electronic format. Means of a single unified registrar are used for the registration of applications or individual documents (regardless of the form of its submission – on paper or in electronic form). All documents are entered into electronic dossier of applications stored in the CEDA.
The system provides for routing of documents. Software logic implements automation procedures and functions within the processing of applications and controls actions of the staff at all stages of documents creation and execution. All personnel actions are recorded in the system protocol. A document card contains complete information on an electronic document, including dates, resolutions, assigned persons and information on performed operations.
To import-export documents the Invention AS is integrated with other computerized systems, in particular, with the CEDA, the Fees Accounting AS, the general EDMS etc.
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
Hardware is integrated in the Local Area Network (LAN).
The network infrastructure consists of the WatchGuard XTM-520 device which contains the VPN and Firewall modules for connection with the Internet and the internal router (designed on the Unix server) to support the internal network. Having two firewalls enhance overall security.
The Cisco and HP equipment is used as network switches.
The internal network is divided into ten virtual networks (Vlan).
To provide Ukrpatent activities the network uses the following technical means:
- HP (DL380Gen8), DL380G7, DL380G5, Intel (SE7520JR2, SE7501WV2) servers;
- HP (3Par StoreServ 7200, MSA2040, P2000, MSA2324fc, MSA1000), IBM (ProFibre Storage Array) and Infortrend (EonStor A16F-G2430, EonStor S12F-R1420, EonStor S16F-R1430) information storages;
- equipment for the SAN network (Qlogic SANbox 5600, HP SAN Switch 8/24, HP SN3000B);
- equipment for the HP LAN (Procurve 2910aI-24G, Procurve 2510-48, Procurve 2530-48).
Operating systems and software:
- on physical servers – operating systems Windows Server 2012R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Unix;
- virtualized servers on Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 (Microsoft) and VMware ESXi;
- database management systems – MS SQL 2014, MS SQL 2008R2, MS SQL 2005.
Domain structure of the Active Directory (AD) was designed which allows for central managing of all the information resources, including users, computers, files, peripherals, access to the services, network resources, web-sites, databases etc.
Multiple domain controllers are used to organize the fault-tolerant domain structure.
The WSUS server provides updating of the servers and client computers operational systems.
The anti-virus server "Eset Endpoint Antivirus" provides centralized control of all anti-viruse programs on the users computers, anti-virus databases updates, report generation on database updates and existing threats.
The Microsoft software product – System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) –which provides continuous data protection for reliable recovery of Windows servers is used for data backup. The plan of all servers and services upgrading after a failure was adjusted.
Measures for the IT infrastructure improvement were aimed at building a fault-tolerant core of the computer network, increase of its capacity, security and manageability, replacement of obsolete hardware infrastructure components, consolidation and virtualization of servers. Virtualization servers are combined into clusters providing high availability of all systems.
Series of actions were introduced to ensure compliance of the IT infrastructure with requirements of the complex information security system. Security feature is enabled at the network switch ports, making it impossible to connect unauthorized devices to the corporate network. Changes are introduced to the password policy that meets safety requirements. Two-factor user authentication system was implemented and is based on hardware-software device for generation and verification of digital signatures. To manage network equipment, information storages and SAN switches a secure HTTPS protocol and the SSH application layer network protocol were introduced.
In general, the corporate network consists of 600 PCs, 30 physical and 40 virtual servers, 10 information storages and commutation equipment.
Connection to the Internet for search and view of information was implemented for information systems users.
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
To ensure business processes, the following databases are used in the Office:
- database of the CEDA which provides storage of documents and their attributes in electronic form;
- technological database which ensures execution of the examination procedures record-keeping and maintenance of the State registers of inventions and utility models;
- special database for ensuring the functions of electronic filing of applications for inventions and utility models;
- the Search Portal database which provides possibility for experts to carry out search in many collections of patent and non-patent literature.
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
The Search Portal was created to access and search the patent documentation sources and non-patent information in the process of examination of patent applications.
In 2015, in the framework of international exchange of patent documentation, Ukrpatent continued to receive optical discs with patent documents from foreign patent offices. Loading of data from 386 optical carriers to the active information storage and its accessibility for search through the Search Portal was provided.
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Functions of the administrative management were implemented in the environment of the Inventions AS by separate software subsystems and software modules.
The technological automated system which ensures execution of procedures on the examination of applications for inventions and utility models, as well as record-keeping procedures of the State registers, operates in Ukrpatent.
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
In order to satisfy public needs for patent information in Ukraine the Public Patent Documentation Collection (PPDC) functions within the structure of the Innovations Department of Ukrpatent (Innovations Department). The PPDC is the most comprehensive patent library in Ukraine available to the public (intellectual property office library).
International exchange with foreign patent offices has been the main source of foreign patent documentation over extended periods. Such international cooperation allowed accumulating a considerable amount of current and retrospective foreign patent documentation, first of all on optical carriers, in the state system of intellectual property rights protection.
During 2015 the PPDC was updated by current national and foreign patent documentation mainly on electronic carriers, in particular, about 500 optical discs. As of 31.12.2015, in general, the PPDC collection of patent documentation on optical discs exceeded 28 thousand items.
Free access to the PPDC materials for users to work in the reading room was provided. The work of the customers with the collections of patent documentation available in the PPDC on optical carriers in foreign languages was carried out jointly with the consultants of the Innovations Department.
In 2015 the PPDC was attended by 105 users, 10% of which were legal entities and 90% – individuals.
Promotion of the PPDC was carried out during the year through its presentations at the relevant public events, informative meetings with students.
Information concerning the contents of the PPDC and its quarterly updating was published in the "Information Resources" section on the web-portal of SIPS (http://sips.gov.ua), web-sites of Ukrpatent (http://ukrpatent.org) and the Innovations Department (http://iii.ua).
Proper storage of the PPDC documents meeting specified requirements and guaranteeing their safety was ensured during 2015.
The PPDC is located in the premises of the Innovations Department in the three specially adapted and equipped areas (two depositaries with the total area of 81 sq. m. and a reading room of 40 sq. m.). The PPDC is equipped with 12 up-to-date computers with appropriate licensed software, as well as scanners, printers and xerographic copying machines.
To enable users to make online access to the electronic patent information resources, such as the Digital Patent Library, the Internet access based on Wi-Fi technology was provided in addition to the traditional Internet access for users convenience.
Consultations were provided on a free-of-charge basis concerning better ways to carry out information search, qualified making retrieval schedule, search on CD-ROMs and in the remote free databases of patent documentation via the Internet and consultations on the most common issues: concerning the finding out of the object of invention or utility model in the materials presented by the applicant (in total for the year – about 70 consultations), detection and cessation of unlawful use of IPRs.
The total of 383 consultations was provided in 2015 concerning verification of correctness of compilation of application materials, including 96 for patents for invention/utility models.
Services on drawing up responses to the requests of the expert body on the applications for inventions and utility models were provided (eight in the reporting year).
Within the fulfillment of users requests the employees of the Innovations Department provided appropriate services, including carrying out different types of search of patent information and documentation.
In particular, 985 information searches were carried out during the 2015: 193 title searches were made by all IPRs on the requests of arbitration managers and liquidators of bankrupt enterprises; 24 title searches by all IPRs ordered under the contracts; two thematic searches ordered according IPRs in different countries; 61 information searches regarding inventions and 503 searches regarding utility models to conduct a preliminary evaluation of compliance of the declared object with conditions of legal protection; 151 searches within the specialized database "Inventions (Utility Models) in Ukraine" in sections A and C; three thematic information searches regarding inventions (utility models); 48 requests for monitoring of owners or customers were satisfied. In addition, upon the request of users 20 sets of materials for filing applications for inventions, 41 sets of materials for filing applications for utility models were composed.
Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
Information on inventions (utility models) is published in Annual Reports and Annual Technical Reports of the Office available at the SIPS web-portal. Statistics on inventions (utility models) is also published in quarterly issues of the Internet review "Industrial Property in Figures" which includes basic indicators of the activities of SIPS and Ukrapatent and is accessible for free at the SIPS web-portal and Ukrpatent web-site.
Methodological recommendations on certain matters relating to inventions (utility models) applications examination are available at the Ukrpatent web-site.
Periodicals, e.g. scientific and practical magazine "Intellectual Property in Ukraine", which is distributed as paper and electronic edition over the territory of Ukraine (by subscription), publish articles (including by the SIPS and Ukrpatent specialists) on various matters and in particular relating to legal protection of inventions (utility models).
Office's initiatives on providing foreign patent information in the local language(s) (e.g., machine translation tools, translation of abstracts)
Cooperation with universities, research centers, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
Over the reporting year with the purpose of updating patent collections of certain state and national libraries, bodies of national system of scientific and technical information and universities, departments of which are entrusted with the appropriate information functions, the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" on CD-ROM and the National CD-ROM "Inventions in Ukraine" which contains specifications to the patents of Ukraine for inventions and utility models was sent free of charge to the specified and some other organizations of Ukraine.
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
SIPS pays a lot of attention to the skills upgrading of experts involved in the state IP protection system.
During the past year, as the part of exchange of experience, training and skills upgrading, officials of the state IP rights protection system participated in numerous events arranged by international organizations, governments and foreign IP offices, studied at the higher educational institution – the Intellectual Property Institute of the National University "Odessa Law Academy" in Kyiv, and examiners also improved knowledge of English.
In 2015, within the TWINNING Project, SIPS hosted working meetings with European experts, as well as training sessions and courses for SIPS and Ukrpatent experts, patent attorneys, officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Office of General Prosecutor of Ukraine, customs authorities of Ukraine, judges of the economic and administrative courts, and local courts of general jurisdiction, attorneys, Internet providers and other professionals involved in IP.
In 2015, with the aim of spreading knowledge on intellectual property, SIPS together with Ukrpatent held seminars and roundtables on the topics: "Specifics of Examination of Applications for Inventions, Utility Models and Topographies of Integrated Circuits", "Practice of Forensic Examination: Problems and Solutions", "Practice of Disputes Settlement on Intellectual Property in Courts of Ukraine", "Practice of Handling Objections by the Chamber of Appeals of the State Intellectual Property Service of Ukraine", "Execution of Judgments: Practice and Problems".
Within the educational events under the title "Exercise and Enforcement of Human Rights in the Sphere of Intellectual Property" conducted in the framework of the All-Ukrainian Week of Law – "Intellectual Property and Pharmaceutics" – the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry held a special research-to-practice conference of the School of Young Scientists of the FARMAK PJSC covering a wide range of intellectual property issues, including inventions (utility models).
On July 20-26, the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) welcomed the Summer School on Intellectual Property. The work of this year's Summer School was supported by the Scientific and Research Institute of Intellectual Property of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine jointly with the Department of Intellectual Property of the KNU, along with SIPS.
During the course, the participants, among them the final-year students, teachers and young intellectual property specialists, mastered a theoretical course on intellectual property and had the opportunity to participate in thematic workshops.
The full list of events of the state system of intellectual property legal protection dedicated to intellectual property issues, held in 2015, is contained in the Annual Report.
In the reporting year, SIPS received 35 applications for certification of potential patent attorneys, the consideration of which resulted in 35 candidates admitted to pass qualifying examinations and certification by the Certification Commission.
Qualifying exams for potential patent attorneys were held in the higher educational institution, specified by SIPS – the Intellectual Property Institute of the National University "Odesa Law Academy" in Kyiv. This institution is licensed to conduct educational activities related to the preparation and training of specialists with a degree in "Intellectual Property", and has the relevant material and technical resources for such qualifying exams.
As a result of qualifying exams 28 persons were certified as professional intellectual property representatives (patent attorneys).
As of December 31, 2015 there were 467 registered patent attorneys in Ukraine, who render services in the field of intellectual property rights protection.
Other activities
In 2015 the Innovations Department ensured the functioning of the Industrial Property Internet Exchange (http://exchange.iii.ua.uk) the aim of which is to promote domestic inventions to the market, to encourage the development of inventive and innovative activities, to increase the level of public awareness on the intellectual property importance, to inform the wide range of interested public.
Contractual services provided to the customers of the Industrial Property Internet Exchange include:
- compilation, coordination, translation, posting on the web-site and follow-up of the information about their IPRs;
- work with individuals that have expressed an interest in the IPRs, represented on the Internet Exchange (over 1000 consultations on the matters of functional activity of the Industrial Property Internet Exchange and the Innovations Department);
- 28 contracts on placing the information about IPRs on the Internet Exchange were concluded.
In 2015, 21 projects relating to inventions and utility models were placed in the Internet Exchange.
To promote development of the talented and creative youth of Ukraine, the Innovations Department created a useful resource – the Factory of Ideas (http://fabrikaidei.kiev.ua) – that unites young people not indifferent to the science seeking to develop the scientific potential of our state, to promote inventive activity and to implement their own ideas and developments in life.
The purpose of its functioning is to identify, support and promote the development of the gifted pupils and students, young scientists, inventors, researchers and innovators.
The users of the resource placed their best practices and ideas on the pages of the Factory of Ideas free of charge.
In 2015 the Factory of Ideas had about 190 projects.
Detailed information on other activities of SIPS, Ukrpatent and the Innovations Department in 2015 is contained in the appropriate sections of the 2015 Annual Report (http://sips.gov.ua/en/year_reports.html).
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
The functions of patent documentation international exchange are performed by Ukrpatent, recognized in 2003 by the law as the Centre of International Exchange of Publications according to the Convention on International Exchange of Publications, adopted on December 3, 1958 by the UN General Conference on the matters of education, science and culture.
In 2015, in the framework of international exchange of patent documentation, Ukrpatent:
- received official bulletins from 9 (7) offices with information regarding inventions (utility models);
- sent the Official Bulletin "Promyslova Vlasnist" on CD-ROM to 15 foreign patent offices and organizations, the National CD-ROM "Inventions in Ukraine" – to 6 offices.
In 2015 Ukrpatent also stopped documentation exchange on material carriers with Japan Patent Office and mutual documentation exchange via FTP-servers of the Offices was started. During the year, the mutual exchange via FTP-servers with Rospatent, which had been started earlier, continued.
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information
In the framework of continuing cooperation with the EPO on data exchange aimed at providing representation of retrospective and current Ukrainian patent documentation in the EPO Internet resource Еsp@cenet and with the aim to fulfill the obligations of Ukrpatent under the relevant Agreements on access of Ukrpatent to the EPO EPOQUE Net search system, in the reporting year according to the defined procedure Ukrpatent loaded to the permanent EPO FTP-server data on patent documents of Ukraine (bibliographic data, abstracts in Ukrainian and English) which ensured a solid foundation for successful bilateral cooperation with the leading office.
During 2015 Ukrpatent loaded to the FTP-server the national patent documentation from the National CD-ROM "Inventions in Ukraine" №№ 1-21 for 2015 (temporarily, under agreement with EPO, without translations of abstracts into English). Each loading is accompanied with sending an appropriate message to the specified address at the EPO.
In 2015, the SIPS and Ukrpatent representatives took part in sessions and meetings of the WIPO Committees and Working Groups, as well as joined the EPO events. In the framework of international cooperation Ukrpatent experts participated in the work of the Committee on WIPO Standards Task Forces on carrying out the following tasks:
- revision of the WIPO Standard ST.10/C and ST.14;
- development of new WIPO Standards, in particular, for data exchange regarding legal status of patents and on presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings using XML.
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VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
One of the priority objectives of SIPS is to ensure effective functioning of the quality management system (QMS) of the examination procedure for industrial property rights applications introduced in 2012 at Ukrpatent (International Certificate № 321012076 of 17.10.2012).
In September 2015, an independent certification organization carried the audit (re-certification audit) of the QMS compliance with the ISO 9001:2008 standard requirements at Ukrpatent. On the results of the audit the QMS corresponds with the ISO 9001:2008 standard requirements.
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.