...
- Established case handling efficience efficiency project (2015->) to improve internal process and tools
- Continue to improve, maintain and increase automation level and quality/efficience efficiency the SANT Automation System for IP Case Management and registry handling
- Upgrade infrastructure where further virtualization of servers and Oracle databases, Documentum, Microsoft servers and Citrix clients are central (2015)
- Reuse of national registers: Integration to national registries for citizen birth number and company ID (Master Customer database).
- Enhanced tech cooperation with WIPO to ensure 100% electronic exchange (2015 - 2017)
- Implement electronic gazette publication (2017)
- Improve online surveillance services, online search and create online payment for renewals (by 2016)
- Create national archive (separate) live from production according to national standard (By 2017)
- Create and host the national anti-piracy information site (by 2015)
...
- Participation in OHIM Convergence Programme for harmonisation
- New solution for handling divisional and merger of applicaitonsapplications/registrations
- Board of appeals is now a separate public institute with dislocated office, see link below.
- The modernization and porting of the IP case management system to MS.Net (4.n) completed, in the 10th year of full production for system. From 96 to 33 workflows for all IP-handling.
- Agreements with contractor for time-capsule archive for IP case handling was signed
- Scan production line replaced by Abbyy-recognition server and adaptations.
- New e-mail integration to create documents directly in IP case management system created.
...
- Direct National 3563 3382 3425 3591 4026 +12%
- Direct foreign applicant 2721 3052 2872 2957 2990 +1%
- Int.designations Madrid 7410 8715 8002 9155 8460 -7,6%
Total new 13 694 15 149 14 299 15 703 15 476 -1,5%
--------- - Registered TMs 10 855 12 118 12 804 13 207 14 516 +9,9%
- Refused 98 135 77 181 174
- Shelved/withdrawned withdrawn 1 822 1 837 2 011 2 211 2 014
Total decisions 12 775 14 090 14 892 15 599 16 704 +7,1%
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Matters concerning classifying
(i) Classification and reclassification activities; classification systems used, e.g., International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Classification), International Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (Vienna Classification), other classification
(ii) Use of electronic classification systems and pre-defined terms of the classification applied
(i)
- Nice classificaiton classification 10 edition for goods and services with Norwegian language.
- Code stored with version of NICE - reclassification not performed.
- Vienna classification of figurative elements
- Additional in-Office coding
- Assisted text coding of mark denominations for search purpose
- Automated image pattern recognition coding for ordering of hit list (avoid search filter)
...
NIPO accepts and register non-traditional marks, as
- sound, smell, colour, trethree-dimensional, holograms and moving marks.
Non traditional marks should be represented with a 2-dimentional image representation which can be a mosaique of smaller images as long as the defining element is cleary clearly visible, along with a description of the non traditional mark in a way it can be clearly distinctive.
...
Archive regulations in Norway is strict, and multimedia formats hence restricted to ISO standardized file formats: Only JPEG, PNG, and MPG-formats are valid. PDFs can not have active content. The multimedia format may be published in the dossier as incomiing incoming document (Journal record).
...
The gazette is by law published in one sectioned document per domain (a patent gazette, a trademark gazette and a design gazette).
The trademark regulations specifies a minimum content per record and it differs from type to type of record.
The document is merged from RTF via MS Office to PDF v.7 format trought through automated process from template).
Publication performed weekly.
...
Main source or examiner validation of distinctivess distinctiveness is NIPO own collections of rights, and archive of earlier case decisions.
- We utilize Acsepto v.10 for trademark, which is a classification, coding, search and image broswer browser system licensed by Sword SA, Paris.
- It is integrated to the SANT IP automation system from where selected hits in Acsepto search is auotmatically automatically imported in to internal search report.
- Acsepto contains all national applications and registrations (all since 1985, all historic in force by 1985), all 6TER-marks, and by 2016 all INNs.
- Acsepto includes an advanced image coding system for mark comparison and hit list ordering based on pattern and color recognitions, to be combined with text coding, phonetic, classificaitonclassification, and image coding search.
...
Our free of charge online search database is an image of our production database and give public online access to:
- Some historic registraiton registration not longer in force from past 1985.
- All bibliographic data for applications and registrations from 1985, including historic registration in force in 1985.
- All correspndence correspondence documents and certificates from 2010 up to date
...
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Other matters
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
Office's library (if deals with trademark information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries
Publications related to different business procedures and trademark information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
Other activities
VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to trademark information
Assistance to developing countries
Other activities
...
Database HW: HP Itanium, HP-U 11.31, Oracle 10.2.0.5
Virtual MS Servers 2008 on VMWare
Full virtualization of all servers to be completed in 2015.
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
Production database (SANTDB):
- SANTDB: Full bibliographic data/history since 1985, with complete records from all historic registration in force at database creation in 1985.
- EMC Documentum DB: Full electronic dossier (all images/records) since 2004. All records/documents/journal for all granted patents since 2004.
- Contempus historical Archive: All published patents and published OPI (front page) as result of historic scanning, all With automated OCR index, separated sections in TIFF and PDF format.
Acsepto v10 - classification, coding and search database: Oracle
- Licensed SW from Sword SA, Paris. An online integrated copy with additional text and image coding for search and examination, with same content as, and link to, production database.
- Contains in addition all published 6TER marks. Planned extension to INNs.
Online search service database:
- Daily (partly) and in full weekly updated database - full copy of production database, where all correspondence documents and publications are available when created since 2010 (via secure link to Document management system EMC Documentum)
- Structured according to WIPO ST.36 with additional schemas since search service has cross domain nature.
Export to TMView for full content.
Defined structured Export to commercial search databases
Integration towards cross domain search on company names and domain names (.no) via App developed by NIPO
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
- Acsepto v10 National search DB with all national publications references included in search file; several search files per application possible: contains result of search and the selected hits. *
- Results from other sources stored in dossier of the SANT Automation system.
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
Application handling and rights management is all performed within "single dossier" in SANT-application, from birth to death.
A copy of all public data that are published on the public search service is updated frequently to a separate online dossier.
Our IT sections performs technical support (first line).
A dedicated system management team of Production department handles all interventions and contact with suppliers/contractors.
- SANT/Ptolemy and Acsepto/SDU maintenance, development, upgrades and integrations by Sword SA, Paris
- Document management system EMC Documentum by Ciber AS, Oslo
- Template creation and management system PubMan, managed by Perspectives Consulting, France.
- Satellite systems: ERP system Agresso with bank transaction logic from Babelbank by Visual Banking.
- Oracle reports and BI available
Other matters
NA
V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
Office's library (if deals with trademark information): equipment, collection management, network of libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign libraries
- NIPO office located in capitol Oslo has a public library function, a visitor center with trained librarians.
- Our national collections are available for visitors, as well as the internet clients for supported use of international search.
- The library service will provide professional searches upon coverage of office cost, and we supply direct contact with examiners for novice inventors.
- Link to our public site is provided to the national network of libraries, along with links to searches in gazette, patenting information and guides
Publications related to different business procedures and trademark information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
- Dedicated information targeting IP novices on web site
- Dedicated information targeting IP professionals in separate section on NIPO web site www.patentstyret.no/en.
- Approximately 50% of content translated to English.
Cooperation with universities, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
2013: Creation of IPIN (http://www.ipin.no), center for research and teaching of IP, together with Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, and the Centre for Intellectual Property (CIP) in Gothenburg, SE. Aim to include IP awareness and knowledge in general for students and to give support for projects and studies. NIPO has role as lecturer.
As a result of increased political IP awareness, NIPO created and are hosting a national anti-piracy site in cooperation with the authority network of public bodies. www.velgekte.no (only in Norwegian)
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
NIPO training sessions are directed towards both professionals and novices within IP. 2014 saw a substantial increase in customer training, lectures and participation in external conferences, seminars and exhibitions during 2014. The data does not separate between the activity fields PT, DS, TM (and others) of the office.
In general:
- NIPO hosted in total 30 training courses, with in total 920 participants (10% increase), whereas
- 15 free "breakfast" Meetings
- 9 Theme courses
- 5 IP introduction courses
- World IP Day training and Conference
- Two courses was streamed live to NTNU-university, and over NIPO YouTube Channel.
- NIPO organized 88 external lectures for educational institutions, entrepreneurs, professionals and partners. Audience = 2400.
- NIPO was active contributor/participant in various exhibitions and trade shows.
Other activities
The most important information channel for customers is our web site http://www.patentstyret.no .
In 2014 we registered 260 000 visitors. Customer polls shows high satisfaction with information and training courses.
The innovation network of public offices team and cross link their information to innovators
VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF TRADEMARK INFORMATION
International exchange of trademark information in machine-readable form (e.g., Official Gazettes)
- Export of bibliographic data, legal status, mark/denomination to TMView of OHIM: Pending work for same extract to WIPO.
- Gazette only available in downloadable weekly PDF document on NIPO web site.
- Extract of data to commercial operators (by agreement).
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to trademark information
- NIPO contributed within the national delegations in EFTA meetings, together with our ministry, with special appendices regarding the protection of intellectual property.
- Participation in EFTA/EEA-meetings for Special Committee on Intellectual Property and Working Group on Intellectual Property.
- We participate within the Nordic council (Nordic governmental cooperation organization)
Assistance to developing countries
- WIPO-NIPO Training Course on Trademarks, one week course, September 2014, 16 participants from 15 developing countries.
Other activities
NA
VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
In 2014 the fist part of the programme for manager training was completed. The goal is to improve the office general performance. The IP-consil was funded in 2014: 7 by competence and interest selected persons shall give general advice to NIPO and the IP-field development in Norway.