Patents
and Intellectual Property - USEFUL LINKS
We are putting these links on our
home page just in case your query turned up our site but you
aren't interested in our consultancy or training and you were
specifically looking (say) to search patent records or to find
out about policies etc.
GENERAL
plus some PATENT OFFICES
UK Patent Office and Trade Mark Registry
A comprehensive explanation of UK
patents, trade marks, registered designs and copyright as well
as search facilities for trade marks.
The UK Government's Intellectual
Property Web site
A web site containing basic information
about intellectual property, includes resources and links to:
copyright, designs, patents, and trademarks sites.
European Patent Office
The Web site for the European Patent
Office
Quite wide ranging information about
policies, trends and also a good set of links to national patent
office sites.
The Community Patent
Will it ever come? At present, it seems difficult to reach a final agreement on the dossier. The main stumbling block appears to be the issue of the translation of the claims in the patent. The text does in fact stipulate that the claims in the patent - this being the shortest but most important section as it defines the limits of the protection - should be translated into all official EU languages. As things stand at present, the European ministers are unable to agree on a compromise regarding the issue of knowing who will decide on the legal validity of the translation and how to deal with the effects of a mistranslation.
A second bone of contention relates to determining the length of the period for filing translations. This is a key issue as, under the arrangements proposed, the Community patent shall be deemed not to have taken effect if the translations are not filed within the deadlines set.
US Patent Office
Provides a catalogue of patented
products and services as well as links to all types of relevant
resources. Many of our clients use the US Patent Office for the initial novelty search. You can draw your own conclusions.
Canadian Patent Office
The Canadian Patent Office Home Page. Canada seems to do lots of things well. Their Patent Office is no exception. Industry Canada is another amazing portal for research and statistical information not only about Canada but also elsewhere.
SEARCHING
The espace databases
Quite good at getting to the information. Not particularly fast. You'll need a copy of Acrobat Reader. Don't expect to be able to download full documents all the time! But there are a significant number of complete patents to view and more coming on line by the day.
The US Patent Office Databases
You'll need a Tiff format viewer
but there is a link to one on the site which you can download.
The whole document is accessible and therefore this is a little
more helpful than the espace route.
Free
Patents on Line
A pretty easy and comprehensive way
of searching US patents with a pdf viewer that shows complete
patents. Pity its not available
across the espace database yet.
The Canadian Patent Office Databases
A pretty good site for searching
Canadian Patents
Derwent (part of the Thomson Corporation)
Claims to be "the world's leading
supplier of value-added patent and scientific information". Expensive
it maybe but it is an invaluable source for professionals and
the on-line facilities are probably unrivalled for the serious
researcher.
Delphion
This is a subscription use site for
Intellectual Property searching – it would appear to be
what the old IBM intellectual Property Search became. Search engine
is allegedly said to have an expert system running in the background.
LICENSING
ISSUES
Trade Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
This is the Text of the Agreement
of Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. It's
becoming increasingly important to understand these provisions
if you are in the business of international licensing of intellectual
property.
COPYRIGHT
Copyright Licensing Agency
The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA)
Ltd is the UK's Reproduction Rights Organisation and a member
of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations
(IFRRO).
TRADE MARKS
The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA) was established in 1934 as the professional body representing those persons qualified to act for the owners of trade mark and allied intellectual property rights (in particular, registered designs) both nationally and internationally. It now represents the vast majority of UK registered trade mark agents and all UK Trade Mark & Design Litigators.
Currently ITMA has approximately 500 practising members; it also extends associate membership to professionals in related fields of law and overseas membership to foreign trade mark attorneys. Its total membership (all classes) is about 1600 members, primarily located in the United Kingdom and Europe, but also in more than 50 other countries.
ITMA is regularly consulted by UK government and by international bodies when questions affecting trade mark and allied intellectual property rights arise. It has regular meetings with the UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO), the Community Trade Marks Office (OHIM), the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and other sister organisations in Europe and beyond. For more information visit www.itma.org.uk.
PLANTS
etc.
UPOV
If you are into plant breeding, this
is for you. It is the International Union for the Protection of
New Varieties of Plants
Plant Breeders' Rights
A useful guide
INSTITUTES
The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents
This is the professional body for
patent agents in the UK.
Institute of Patentees and Inventors
The institute offers its members
advice and guidance on all aspects of inventing from idea conception
to innovation and development.
Software Patent Institute
The Software Patent Institute and
its Database of Software Technologies is a non-profit corporation
formed to provide courses and prior art about software technology
to help improve the patent process
World Intellectual Property Organisation
The Site for the World Intellectual
Property Organisation. It includes press room, resources on intellectual
property and the activities of the WIPO.
TRADING
Yet2.com
A relative newcomer to the field
of IP trading.
MANAGEMENT
MyIP
An interesting piece of Intellectual
Property Asset Management Software. Worth a trial if you want
to get a handle on your IP budget and to manage your IP resources!
IP workshop Selling intellectual property training
courses technology transfer business relationship selling sales
training IP courses IP workshops IP training knowledge management
valuation of intellectual property patent infringement searches
patent design right copyright trademark brand semiconductor
design plant breeder's right software patent database right
risk consulting training market research
