SCIT.ATR.PI.2004.GE

Annual Technical Report 2004 on Patent Information Activities submitted by Georgia (SCIT/ATR/PI/2004/GE)

Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which are likely to remain stable over time (three years or more) are provided, or home (main) page URLs are provided with a short explanation of how to access the corresponding information.

The term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Certificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Industrial Design Information Activities.

I. Evolution of patent activities

573 applications were filed in 2004 in total.
- 457 applications were for inventions; and
- 116 applications were for utility models.
As compared with the previous years, the number of the applications for inventions filed by domestic applicants slightly increased, which equals 248.
The number of applications filed by foreign applicants is substantially the same, which equals 209, of which:
- 199 applications were filed under the PCT
- 8 applications were filed under the Paris Convention
- 2 applications were filed for obtaining the imported patent.
- Among the applications filed by domestic applicants, dominating fields pertain to the IPC classes: A, B, C and F.
The majority of the applications filed under the PCT still are related to the IPC classes A and C.

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

All patent documents are published in the Official Bulletin of Industrial Property which is issued monthly. Documents are initially prepared on personal workstations of examiners, whereafter they are forwarded via Local Area Network to the Publication division for final processing and printing. Official Bulletins are printed and copied using Rhysograph and powerful Xerox copiers.
The Bulletins are published also on CD disks and on the Office Website.
Patent documents are prepared with MS Office software products and the Office Patent Database management system. All workstations are equipped with Pentium III or Pentium IV PC computers, personal scanners and printers.

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

Documents are classified using IPC classification. Other classifications are not in use.
It is possible to conduct searches in patent bibliographic data with the Office patent database.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

All documents are maintained in the Office library on paper. They are kept as numerical and classified collections which are regularly updated.
Various Official Bulletins from other International Property Offices of the world are also kept in the library.
The library is also equipped with two workstations having access to the Office patent database and the Internet.

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

In 2003-2004 local Area Network of SAKPATENTI underwent upgrading. The obsolete Pentium I-II-III type PC-s were replaced with Pentium IV type SIEMNSFUJITSU and HP COMPAQ personal computers (40 and 35 items respectively). 24 new network nodes were implemented (every examiner was provided with a personal computer), some of the key network devices were upgraded. The server room was equipped with an autonomous power supply.
The servers complex comprises:
1.Citrix dual Xeon double CPO (Intel 2,60 Ghz) computer with Windows 2000 operating system which generally acts as Application server, i.e. Meta Frame XP was installed along with the Windows terminal services, that enabling:
to put the updated software package in the server and thus enable users, i.e. clients, to launch the program from their workstation and mainly use the server resources. This means that the user is capable of working much faster depending on the performance of the server. Moreover, management of clients became possible from the server at the processes and sessions level.
2.Sun server, which operates with SOLARIS 9.0 and where ORACLE 9.0 has been installed, the bases of which are located on five 36 GB hard discs of Sun storage 3310 type. This equipment guarantees reliable operation of bases which is conditioned by utilization of RAID technology, in particular, RAID 5. This means that, in case one of the five hard discs collapses, the data will not be destroyed.
3.Sun server, similar with technical data to the first one, operating by the same SOLARIS 9.0, storing Paradox type bases temporarily until the old software package is out of use.
Like the preceding sun server, here also RAID 5 technology is utilized. As a rule, it is impossible to apply directly to these bases from the Windows environment because Solaris 9.0 has been installed thereon. In order to make it possible, the software package Samba was installed on the machine, thereby enabling to direct to the bases from the Windows in the manner as in the case of a connected disc. After the old software has been removed the machine will act as Oracle database backup server. This will guarantee even more reliable operation of the bases. The bases stored on this second machine will be mirror analogues of those stored in the first server and will be capable of acting as complete standby in case the first server has been destroyed.
4.Firewall server, operating with Windows on which Win Route Kerio Firewall has been installed. The server eliminates the access hazards from outsiders during use of the Internet and enables to monitor each clients connection speed to the Internet and, thereby, to provide correct and purposeful usage of the Internet.
5.PDC, i.e. PRIMARY DOAMIN CONTROLLER, also operating with the Windows. Being primary domain, it serves all client computers which are in possession of the Office, resources being shared among the clients, each client given his relevant rights.

VI. Administration of the industrial property office library and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, for assisting clients on searching procedures, for obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

The Office industrial property library is located in separate premises and is equipped with every nececary documentation as well as computers for assisting public on searching procedures, for obtaining official publications, for providing consultations as concerns applications drafting, novelty searches, etc.

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of patent documentation and information

All Official Bulletins stored on CD discs (trilingual versions) are exchanged with various Intellectual Property Offices worldwide. These bulletins are stored in MS Word format. Priority documents are received on paper, however, it is planned to receive them on CDROMs

VIII. Other relevant matters concerning education and training in, and promotion of, the use of patent information, including technical assistance to developing countries

The Office is well equipped with audiovisual means for conducting seminars and training courses. Power Point presentations were mainly used as visual means for training purposes.
Several members of the examination staff members attended seminars abroad.
The Office continues to publish journal "Intellectual Property" containing papers on all spheres of intellectual property. It is published on paper and on the Website in PDF format (full texts). The authors of the papers are mainly the Office staff members. The new journal provides great aid to the public, among which are patent professionals, in obtaining useful educational materials.
Apart from publishing, the Office permanently provides consultations to applicants as concerns applications drafting, novelty searches, etc. To those willing to submit PCT applications in electronic format technical means are available free of charge in the Receiving Office.

IX. Other relevant matters