Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:59:53 +0100 (CET) Message-ID: <1399386901.21477.1711627193228@ip-10-44-162-181.eu-central-1.compute.internal> Subject: Exported From Confluence MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_Part_21476_379980126.1711627193226" ------=_Part_21476_379980126.1711627193226 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: file:///C:/exported.html
Where URLs are requested below, it is preferred that either URLs which a= re 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 acce= ss the corresponding information.
The term "patent" covers utility models and Supplementary Protection Cer= tificates (SPCs). Offices which issue design patents should report their de= sign patent information activities in their Annual Technical Reports on Ind= ustrial Design Information Activities.
Inventions can be protected by patents or utility models under the Paten=
t Act and Utility Model Act, which entered into force on 23 May 1994.
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In 2005 38 patent applications were filed, including 9 PCT applications, 5=
10 decisions on patent applications were issued and 126 patents were grante=
d, 87 utility model registration applications submitted and 83 decisions on=
utility models were issued and 81 utility models registered. Estonian appl=
icants filed 23 patent applications and74 applications for registration of =
a utility model. Estonian applicants filed 10 international patent applicat=
ions for forwarding to WIPO.
The number of pending applications on 31 December 2005 was 1,843 patent an=
d 57 utility model registration applications.
Since 1 July 2002 the Republic of Estonia is a full member of the European=
Patent Organisation. Since that time it is possible to obtain patent prote=
ction in all member states to the Convention by filing a single application=
under the European Patent Convention. Estonian citizens and residents can =
file a European patent application via the Estonian Patent Office or direct=
ly with the European Patent Organisation. From 2002 to 2005 Estonian applic=
ants did not file any European patent applications.
Patent protection is granted to all fields of science and technology, incl=
uding medicinal products. Patent protection is not granted to plant or anim=
al varieties and to methods for treatment of the human or animal body and d=
iagnostic methods practiced on the human or animal body.
The distribution of patent applications filed in 2005 by country of origin=
was as follows: 24% of the applications came from the member states of the=
European Union (excluding Estonia), 5% from the US and 61% from Estonia. <=
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The number of patent applications has fallen due to Estonia=E2=80=99s acce=
ssion to the EPO. In 2003 the number dropped by 15 %, in 1004 by 80% and in=
2005 by 95 compared with 2001 and 2002.
In 2004 the first 37 translations of European patent specifications were f=
iled with the Estonian Patent Office. In 2005 183 translations of European =
patent specifications and 11 translations of patent claims.
The distribution of patent applications in 2005 according to the Internati=
onal Patent Classification:
SECTION A.Human Necessities 16%;
SECTION B. Performing Operations;Transport 24%;
SECTION C. Chemistry; Metallurgy 8%;
SECTION D.Textiles; Paper 0%;
SECTION E. Fixed Constructions 5%;
SECTION F. Mechanical Engineering/Lighting/Heating/
Weapons/Blasting 3%;
SECTION G. Physics 10%;
SECTION H.Electricity 21%.
The Estonian Patent Office examines the compliance of filed patent applica=
tions with the formal requirements and carries out substantive examination =
of the invention, examining the novelty of the invention worldwide, the inv=
entive step and industrial applicability.
Last year two most reasons for rejection or withdrawal of patent applicati=
ons were the non-payment of patent application processing fees (88%) and th=
e non-compliancy of the invention with the patentability criteria (7,8%). <=
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The average duration of the examination of a patent application is 4,5 yea=
rs.
The patent application is published after 18 months from the filing date o=
r priority date. The registration of the invention in the state register of=
patents is deemed the grant of a patent. Traditional letters patent is iss=
ued to the patentee.
The term of the patent is 20 years from the filing date of the patent appl=
ication; a renewal fee must be paid for each year of validity.
Since 1 January 2000 medical products and plant protection prroducts enjoy=
supplementary protection that is valid for 5 years after the end of the te=
rm of the patent. In 2005 6 applications for supplementary protection of me=
dical and plant protection products were filed; that makes 12 applications =
altogether since 2000.
Disputes concerning patents are resolved in the Industrial Property Board =
of Appeal and in court. In 2005 no decisions made by the Estonian Patent Of=
fice on patent applications were appealed to the Board of Appeal. Last year=
one decision on rejection of an application for supplementary protection o=
f medical and plant protection was appealed to the Board of Appeal.
The amendment to the Utility Models Act that entered into force on 1 May 2=
004 specified the processing of utility model applications and the provisio=
ns concerning the transfer of rights.
Appications for the registration of a utility model can be filed for equip=
ment, and for method and substance.
Only new inventions involving an inventive step and capable of industrial =
application may be protected by utility model. In the course of processing =
a utility model registration application, the Estonian Patent Office solely=
examines the compliance of the application with the formal requirements. T=
he applicant for a utility model registration is responsible for the novelt=
y and industrial applicability of the invention. If the invention is not ne=
w or industrially applicable, any interested person may file an action in c=
ourt for cancelling the registration.
Where the registration application complies with the requirements, the inv=
ention is registered in the state register of utility models and the Estoni=
an Patent Office issues a utility model certificate. The average duration o=
f the processing of a utility model registration application is 3 months. <=
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The term of legal protection of a utility model is 4 years from the filing=
date. After that the term ofprotection may be renewed for up to 10 years b=
y paying the renewal fee: initially for four years and after that for anoth=
er 2 years.
In 2005 applicants from the member states (excl. Estonia) of the European =
Union filed 10% and 85% of the applications were by Estonian applicants.
The distribution of utility model registration applications in 2005 accord=
ing to the International Patent Classification:
SECTION A. Human Necessities 25%;
SECTION B. Performing Operations; Transport 14%;
SECTION C. Chemistry; Metallurgy 6%;
SECTION D. Textiles; Paper 1%;
SECTION E.Fixed Constructions 12%;
SECTION F. Mechanical Engineering/Lighting/
Heating/Weapons/Blasting 3%;
SECTION G. Physics 12%;
SECTION H.Electricity 4%;
Unclassified applications 23%.
Official Gazettes
The Estonian Utility Model Gazette =E2=80=93 a quarterly, published since =
October 1994;
The Estonian Patent Gazette =E2=80=93 6 issues annually, published since D=
ecember 1995;
Since 1 January 2003 the official gazettes of the Estonian Patent Office a=
re available also electronically (in pdf-format, http://www.epa.ee/default.=
asp?id=3D512 and http://www.epa.ee/default.asp?id=3D513 ):
Techniques as recording, microfilming and photocomposing are not in use.=
p>
The abstracts of the inventions are not published separately. In the Pat=
ent Gazette there are published the most important bibliographic data (incl=
uding patent classification, excluding abstracts and figurative accessories=
) of the patent applications laid open to public inspection after the lapse=
of 18 months from the filing date and bibliographic data (including patent=
classification, abstracts and figurative accessories) of the granted paten=
ts. The first pages of patent specifications contain the abstracts in Eston=
ian and in English.
Applications are classified in accordance with the International Patent Cl=
assification.
The Estonian Patent Office has used the Common Software in examination pro=
cedures already since 1996. The volume of databases is growing every year. =
Since 2002 the abstracts and drawings have been computerised in the databas=
es of patents and utility models in addition to the input of bibliographica=
l data. Two additional modules have been created =E2=80=93 the module of th=
e supplementary protection of patents and the module for registering the da=
ta of PCT/EE applications filed with the receiving office. 5005. the Patent=
Office took into use the new version 3.2.4. of Common Software.
The collection of patent documents comprises over 48,15 million document=
s from 26 different countries and 2 organisations (on paper carrier (about =
2,1 million), in microfilm or microfiche form (about 6 million) and increas=
ingly also on CD-ROM/DVD-ROM (about 40,05 million) and official patent gaze=
ttes from 34 countries and 2 organizations. During 2005 about 3,6 million n=
ew documents, the majority of them being on CD-ROM/DVD-ROM, were added to t=
he collections.
The search files are arranged partly according to the IPC and partly accor=
ding to the number of patent document. Usually it depends on the data arran=
gement on data carrier (are the data sorted by the document number or IPC).=
The library collection includes also monographs and reference literature o=
n industrial property protection as well as non-patent literature.
The stock of the legal, scientific and reference literature is arranged ac=
cording to the common principles employed in the libraries when dealing wit=
h book or journal files.
Incomplete patent data for internal use are available in CS.
The Estonian Patent Library is an independent library financed from the =
state budget. It is housed in a building from 1903 originally not meant for=
library use. During non-business hours it remains locked and is controlled=
by guards. In addition to that an alarm system was installed in 1996.
The Estonian Patent Library provides services to the general public. As th=
e library works in close cooperation with the Estonian Patent Office its ma=
in task is to serve the examining and professional staff of the Estonian Pa=
tent Office. The library acquires, processes and maintains patent documents=
, patent gazettes and other patent and non-patent literature. The older par=
t of the collections is on paper, microfilm or microfiche. Now the majority=
of patent documents are on CD/DVD-ROMs. The library collections are acquir=
ed by purchases (the financial resources for it are allocated from the stat=
e budget) and by exchange of publications with other industrial property of=
fices under international agreements.
The Estonian Patent Library is the only library that collects and processe=
s patent literature in Estonia. Library participates in the interlibrary le=
nding at the national or the international level. Lending requests are sati=
sfied by e-mail, ordinary mail or by fax.
The patent and trademark gazettes as well as reference literature are kept=
in the public reading rooms; other materials, i.e. patent documents, are s=
tored in the stock-rooms and are lend at the request of the users. The libr=
ary also stores the collection of the official gazettes and specifications =
of the Estonian Patent Office.
The users can carry out searches using CD/DVD-ROMs at 9 workstations.
The following CD/DVD-ROM collections are available:
IPC: CLASS
ESPACE ACCESS A and B
ESPACE-ACCESS-EPC
ESPACE FIRST
ESPACE BULLETIN
ESPACE LEGAL
ESPACE ACCESS-PRECES
ESPACE EP
ESPACE WORLD
ESPACE AT
ESPACE CH
ESPACE DK (1990-1998)
ESPACE FI
ESPACE PRECES
ESPACE UK
GLOBALPAT (1971-1998)
German databases:
DEPAROM KOMPAKT
DEPAROM ACT
DEPAROM U
US databases:
US Patent Search (1975-2004)
US Patents BIB
US Patents Class
US Patents Assist
US Patents & TM Assign
USA App
USA Pat
Other countries:
PAJ Patent Abstracts of Japan
PAJ/INDEX
COSMOS FR
Patents of Russia (Full specifications)
ESPACE-ACCESS-RFD
Utility models of Russia (1994-2004, first pages)
The inventions protected in the Republic of Moldova 1993 - 2004
The library has the direct Internet access to the INPADOC databases throug=
h Open Patent Services interface. In-house online access is established to =
the commercial databases Derwent Innovations Index and Questel-Orbit via th=
e Internet connection. These databases are charged on the bases of annual f=
ees, Questel-Orbit is also charged on the bases of usage.
The library offers copying services from paper or microforms . The users c=
an also order printouts of the documents on CD/DVD-ROMs. These services are=
offered for a moderate price. Library also offers more advanced services =
=E2=80=93 patent information researches. User can claim for an advanced res=
earch in his favourite technical field, results will be printed and analyse=
d and added to research report dossier.
Other services are free of charge: in the reading rooms the readers can us=
e reference materials, monographs, other books and periodicals and carry ou=
t searches in patent documents on paper.
The Estonian Patent Library maintains patent document and patent bulleti=
n exchanges with 32 patent issuing authorities mainly from Europe, but also=
from USA and Japan. In 2005 the Estonian Patent Library received 55 titles=
of patent journals, 21 titles were acquired by purchase and 34 titles by e=
xchange.
We provide the official publications of the Estonian Patent Office [=E2=80=
=9EEesti Patendileht=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=9EEstonian Patent Gazette=E2=80=9D), =
=E2=80=9EEesti Kaubam=C3=A4rgileht=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=9EEstonian Trade Mark G=
azette=E2=80=9D), =E2=80=9EEesti Kasuliku Mudeli Leht=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=9EEs=
tonian Utility Model Gazette=E2=80=9D), =E2=80=9EEesti T=C3=B6=C3=B6stusdis=
aini Leht=E2=80=9D (=E2=80=9EEstonian Industrial Design Gazette=E2=80=9D)] =
in paper form to all our exchange partners.
In 2005, we purchased 8 titles of CD/DVD-ROM and obtained 22 titles CD/DVD=
-ROM by means of exchange.
EPO:
Seminar on Intellectual Property Munich, EPO, 6-7.04 (2 participants)
PATLIB 2005 (3 participants) : library (3 participants)
EPIDOS/PATINNOVA 2005 Annual Conference (3 participants): library (3 parti=
cipants)
ESPACE/MIMOSA seminar, Vienna, EPO, 16.-17.06 (1 participant)
M25-2005 Patent classification and documentation techniques and tools, The=
Hague, EPO, 27.-29.09 (1 participant)
M22-2005 Regional seminar: supplementary protection certificates including=
protection of biotechnological inventions, Warsaw, EPO, 6.-7.10 (1 partici=
pant)
Finantsaruannete koostamine rahvuslike ametite raamatupidajatele, Munich, =
EPO, 10.-11.10 (2 participants)
M24-2005 Design of Innovation Support Campaigns, Newport, EPO, 19.-21.10, =
(1 participant)
Developing the patent attorney profession in the EPO new member states, Pr=
ague, EPO, 6.-7.12 (2 participants)
OHIM
Classification and search according to the Vienna Classification, Tallinn,=
26.-27.05 (20 participants)
A seminar =E2=80=9CIndustrial property protection in EU=E2=80=9D in Estoni=
an Chamber of Commerce and Industry: library (3 participants)
TAIEX
Seminar on Arbitration, Athens 14-18.03 (2 participants)
Other:
Language courses
1. Advanced English language learning courses (27 participants)
2. French language learning courses (7 participants)
3. Finnish language learning cources (2 participants)
4. Advanced computer courses (3 participants)
Libraries related:
1. IV Nordic-Baltic Library Meeting =E2=80=9CResearch and Innovation: Nord=
ic=E2=80=93Baltic Strategies for Library development=E2=80=9D (1 participan=
t)
2. Seminar on Information sciences 07.10.2005, Tallinn (1 participant)
3. Seminar =E2=80=9CDigital library and it=E2=80=99s user=E2=80=9D 20.10.2=
005, Tartu (1 participant)
4. In-house training =E2=80=9EQuality Customer Service=E2=80=9D (12 partic=
ipant)
Customer training activities of the Estonian Patent Library in 2005.
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In 2002, the Estonian Patent Library opened a special computerized public =
room for industrial property information training courses. Also IP informat=
ion users can work online here individually.
In 2002 the Estonian Patent Library began with special training courses fo=
r entrepreneurs, named =E2=80=9CUse of the industrial property information =
in the product development=E2=80=9D, in 2004 the Estonian Patent Library st=
arted a training course on industrial design.
In 2005 2 training courses concerning IP information were carried out amon=
g Estonian Inventors Association, 12 training courses among entrepreneurs, =
specialists, teachers, representatives of pupil companies, librarians, 3 tr=
aining courses among unemployed, 4 training courses among students. The sub=
ject matter of these courses is constantly revised and modified.
The aim of these training courses is to highlight the impact of the use of=
information concerning patents, trademarks and industrial designs and they=
are arranged in the library or in centres of enterpreneurship.
1. | Classification is=
allotting one or more classification symbols (e.g., IPC symbols) to a pate=
nt application, either before or during search and examination, which symbo=
ls are then published with the patent application.
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2. | Preclassification=
is allotting an initial broad classification symbol (e.g., IPC class or su=
bclass, or administrative unit) to a patent application, using human or aut=
omated means for internal administrative purposes (e.g., routing an applica=
tion to the appropriate examiner). Usually preclassification is appli=
ed by the administration of an office.
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3. | Reclassification =
is the reconsideration and usually the replacement of one or more previousl=
y allotted classification symbols to a patent document, following a revisio=
n 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. &= nbsp; |