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Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements
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 PATENT INFORMATION
Patent library: equipment, collection management, network of patent libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign patent libraries
Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
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.
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
Other activities
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
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information
Assistance to developing countries
Other activities
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EPOQUE Net is a professional patent information retrieval tool which supports the processes of searching and granting patents. The tool consists of a bundle of searching applications and tools and is accessible for Patent Offices via the Patent secure network. EPOQUE Net is continuously improved by the European Patent Office and distributed to National Offices.
In 2020, a new version of Espacenet was further developed. Currently, training in the functionality of the new version is carried out.
Hardware used to supporting business processes of the Office
The PPO uses workstations and notebooks with Microsoft Windows 10; multimedia tablets with Apple iOS, Google Android and Microsoft Windows 10 Pro; physical servers with Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard and virtual servers using Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Datacenter with Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016 and Windows Server 2019 installed, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10/11/12, CentOS Linux 5/6/7/8, Oracle Linux 5/6/7, Debian GNU/Linux 6/7/8 and Ubuntu Server LTS, RedHat Enterprise Linux 7.x/8.x; hypervisor servers with VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V.
All of workstations, notebooks and servers are secured by Symantec antivirus.
All network connections are based on Cisco, FortiNet and Extreme Networks equipment with 500 Mb/s redundant access to the Internet (two separate Internet connections). The availability of services published on the Internet is supported by the FortiNet WAF cluster and Barracuda Load Balancer cluster. Security is also provided by McAfee IPS and Fidelis Cybersecurity and Forcepoint antispam systems.
The server infrastructure is supported by local UPSs and secured by the main power supply unit for the PPO. The main IT infrastructure units are located in a secure server room equipped with a fire alarm, CCTV system, redundant air-conditioning and a technical floor.
Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources
Patent data is stored in specialized, regularly updated internal databases in which image information and bibliographic details are stored, for example:
- Soprano – a system supporting the process of granting rights of protection for patents and utility models (national procedure, the SPC and the European patent validation procedure);
- Databases supporting the process of publishing patents and utility models.
Most production databases are hosted by Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Enterprise, Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Enterprise and MySQL Server 4/5, PostgreSQL 9.
Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file
EP data is stored and accessed via Soprano system.
Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support)
The main electronic administrative system Soprano (work-flow) supports the process of granting protection rights to patents and utility models (national procedure, SPC and the European patent validation procedure). The system is adopted to work together with ePhoenix which stores electronic files and Electronic Document Management System (EZD), which facilitates the processing of incoming and outgoing correspondence. External users have access to registry information and legal status via e-Search module. The Settlement Module (MR) is used as a supplementary system for managing fees and payments.
Other matters
The PPO maintained a professional call centre service based on Unify OpenScape Contact Centre Enterprise software and a new system of customer relationship management based on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 365 software.
The public information request lists are stored in the EZD system.
The leading office software used for word processing and spreadsheet was: Microsoft Office 2016 Standard & Professional Plus and Apache OpenOffice 4.
In 2020, the PPO maintained the Data Protection System in order to protect and control patent data to avoid uncontrolled outflow or unwanted access.
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
Patent documentation on paper is stored in the Office storage rooms on movable bookshelves, in numerical and class arrangements, and is grouped separately according to respective countries. Class collection is stored in special files, adjusted to this type of collection. Numerical collection is stored in bound volumes. The storage rooms meet all the requirements for the collections’ safety. Polish patent documents arranged according to the patent classification symbols are available in the Office's general reading room.
Collection of patent documents on CD-ROM and DVD is stored on specially adjusted bookshelves. It is available in the reading room, also to external users.
The Office's reading room is also equipped with computer stations where PPO employees and external users can retrieve patent information from internet databases.
The Polish Patent Office cooperates with 26 PATLIB information centres, most of them located within libraries of schools of higher education. The centres provide patent information and consultancy and employ patent attorneys. They also conduct free of charge seminars and trainings for those interested in patent information.
The Patent Office supplies the centres with patent literature and informational materials on paper and electronic carriers for further dissemination.
Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users, for example, books, brochures, Internet publications, etc.
As part of promotion of knowledge on industrial property, the Patent Office issues various publications such as guides, information and promotion brochures addressed to wide audience, among others to entrepreneurs, students, school youth. Those publications are available free of charge both in electronic version and PDF format as well as on paper at the premises of the Office.
The publications include the following titles: Get Familiar with Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property for an Entrepreneur, Intellectual Property – Entrepreneur’s Booklet, Your World of Intellectual Property, What Is Intellectual Property, Inventions in SMEs Activity, Industrial Property Protection in a Nutshell, Inventions in Your House, Patents (comic book).
Cooperation with universities, research centers, technology and innovation support centers, etc.
The Patent Office collaborates with various institutions in promoting knowledge on intellectual property (organisation of conferences, workshops, trainings, patronage of the PPO President over numerous initiatives etc.).
In 2020, the Office collaborated with the following entities, to name a few:
- collaboration with universities (Jagiellonian University in Kraków, University of Warsaw, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, University of Łódź, Łódź University of Technology, Kielce University of Technology, Kraków University of Technology, Warsaw University of Technology, Wrocław University of Technology, AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, etc.);
- collaboration with science and business-related institutions, including The National Centre for Research and Development, Łukasiewicz Research Network, Association of Polish Inventors and Rationalisers, Polish Federation of Engineering Associations (NOT), Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys; National Information Processing Institute, National Chamber of Commerce, Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, Institute of Industrial Design, Institute of Aviation, Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan, Kielce Technology Park, Agency for Industrial Development S.A., etc.;
- collaboration with governmental administration institutions: Ministry of National Education (currently Ministry of Education and Science), Ministry of Development (currently Ministry of Development, Labour and Technology), Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (currently Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport), Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, as well as local government authorities.
Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules (URLs), seminars, exhibitions, etc.
In 2020, the PPO organised, among others, the following events:
- Conference “Mediation and arbitrage in disputes concerning intellectual property” (4 February);
- Webinar “Intellectual Property for Start-ups” (31 March);
- IP Day webinars on the occasion of the World IP Day (23-27 April);
- 13th International Conference on Innovation and Creativity in Economy (29-30 June);
- Conference and a series of training courses: “Intellectual Property Courts – changes in the Polish legal system” (24 September, 16 and 26 October);
- Two online meetings for researchers (21 October, 17 November);
- Training courses for journalists on how to write articles and present information on industrial property protection (6 and 13 November)
- 18th edition of the annual competition for the best artistic poster as well postdoctoral, doctoral, master’s and student’s theses on the subject of industrial property protection and the 8th edition of a short movie and press release competition.
In 2020, the PPO published information in the e-Knowledge Base module on a specially prepared Educational Platform (Educational Platform, current address https://uprp.gov.pl/pl/platforma-edukacyjna) which is a compendium of knowledge about intellectual property issues. The target group includes enterprises (especially MSEs) and businesses related to public institutions (including schools of higher education) and other entities.
- The Knowledge Zone includes information, publications and other materials addressed both to entities with advanced knowledge on IP issues as well as those ones looking for basic information on IP protection, procedures and management.
- The training zone consists of 2 parts: beginner user and advanced user. For these users, training in intellectual property protection is available, which ends with a test verifying the acquired knowledge.
The PPO also maintained the IPPanorama e-learning platform which was dedicated to broadening and promoting the knowledge in the field of intellectual property protection, it is currently available at http://ippanorama.uprp.pl.
The Patent Information Centre Forum was prepared, a platform for the exchange of experience, knowledge, comments and opinions between the Patent Information Centres and the Office.
Other activities
In 2020, the PPO maintained a special Seventica service for non-verbal communication (using the service, the sounds of human language are immediately translated into sign language on a computer or a tablet). The aim of the project was to remove communication barriers among people with hearing deficiency.
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 Office provides several patent offices and organizations with its bibliographic data and abstracts in the flat text machine-readable format, and also xml format. Full-text information is provided in PDF fully searchable format. Electronic filings submitted to the PPO under the EP and WO procedures are transferred to the EPO and WIPO respectively.
Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information
In 2020, the PPO continued cooperation in areas such as training, patent-related services and IT tools, patent information services and awareness and strengthening of the European Patent Network (EPN).
We continued cooperation with the Visegrad Patent Institute (WIP), expanded the website and developed the necessary functionalities of the application to handle the Institute's affairs.
VII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS
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