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 expression "industrial designs" covers industrial designs and models. Offices which issue design patents should report their design patent information activities in this series of Annual Technical Reports.
2008
Design applications filed = 6082 (2008 figure revised from 6078)
Design applications granted = 6097
2009
Design applications filed = 5136 (Difference –16%)
Design applications granted = 5665 Difference –7%)
Note: A single application may include a number of designs (multiple). However, each design in the application will be allocated a separate application number even if it is filed as a multiple. The figures above are for the number of designs filed.
The demand for Designs applications decreased in 2009 due to the global financial crisis.
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about/statistics.shtml#Designs
The Australian Official Journal of Designs is published fortnightly. There are 25 issues per year - the Easter and Christmas weeks being excluded. The Journal is available on-line, free of charge, via the IP Australia internet site and contains both bibliographic text, and images.
Standard Notices and Letters are produced via the Designs mainframe business application as XEROX XICS output.
Examination Reports are generated in Microsoft Word.
The Official Journal contains the following announcements:
- Applications Filed
- Applications Registered or Published
- Amendments and Changes
- Applications Lapsed/Withdrawn
- Assignment, Transmittals and Transfers
- Cancellation of Entries in Register
- Renewal of Registration
- Official Notices
The Office's bibliographic data is maintained on an ADABAS Natural (zOS) mainframe. Design images (representations) are stored in a Unix file directory.
Australian registered designs are published in the Australian Official Journal of Designs and on microfiche (historical from 1906 to 30 September 1998).
Bibliographic data and images for registered designs post 1985 are also available on the Australian Designs Data Search (ADDS) system on the internet.
Current standard desktop software includes Microsoft Windows XP SP3 with Microsoft Office 2003.
The Office's publication system is partially mainframe based and produces:
- camera ready copy of the Australian Official Journal of Designs;
- design certificates and original register entries; and
- notices for design applicants or their agents.
General information about the Australian Designs IP system, processes forms and fees can be accessed at the following URL:
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/designs/index.shtml
The Australian Official Journal of Designs can be accessed at the following URL:
http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/ols/epublish/content/olsEpublications.jsp
The Australian Designs Data Searching (ADDS) system can be accessed at the following URL:
http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/adds2/adds.adds_start.intro
Industrial Design applications are classified according to the International Designs Classification [Locarno].
Active IDC classes are, in specific instances, further subdivided into internally defined subdivisions.
Bibliographic data is maintained on an ADABAS Natural (zOS) mainframe.
The Designs Office maintains and updates a search file system using the abovementioned IDC subdivision of current applications, previously registered designs in Australia and maintains a store of current local and international publications.
Search files are regularly updated as appropriate.
Designs bibliographic data and representations [images] for registrations from 1985 can be searched through a web browser application (ADDS – Australian Designs Data Searching). The Official Journal of Designs is also searchable over the Internet for data from July 2001.
Disclosures relating to other designs filings/registrations of other countries are accessed via relevant Internet databases and search facilities.
The primary business system is the ADABAS Natural mainframe application, DESADMIN, running on IBM zOS. DESADMIN interfaces to a number of satellite applications, eg Word for production of reports, XICS for publishing output and ADDS. Document management is handled via paper casefiles.
All processing relating to the life-cycle of a design (apart from financial processing) is conducted within this environment. The Designs Office, along with the Patent and Trade Mark Offices in IP Australia is in the process of transitioning its business applications from the mainframe to our strategic server infrastructure environment. This environment includes Sun Solaris, Oracle RDBMS, J2EE, BEA Weblogic, and Objective EDMS.
The Canberra Office has an ethernet-based LAN providing high speed bandwidth for each user desktop connection. A DMZ-based, DSD approved firewall using IAN ports (Internet IEFT Assigned Numbers) provides the secure means to allow access from internal systems/users to external entities such as the Internet or public/private organisations.
The current SOE includes Windows XP with Office SE 2003, IE 8.0 and Lotus Notes.
Customer Service Delivery (CSD) provides a central contact for customers to obtain information to support their decisions about a wide range of Intellectual Property issues. Customers contact the CSD via telephone, fax and email with around 95% of matters of a general nature solved at the first point of contact. The CSD provides face-to-face, phone, email and web-based assistance through a central office in Canberra.
Increasingly, IP Australia is using its web site as a means of providing an alternative means of public access to these services. Designs can be searched via ADDS.
IP Australia is currently finalising the design of a system to support business-to-business data exchange of patents, industrial designs and trade marks transactions with its high volume clients (Patents and Trade Mark Attorneys). This system will be consistent with WIPO electronic filing and National e-commerce standards.
All Australian Designs records/documents are handled in accordance with Office procedures set down under Australian Law and archiving practices.
Information services are available on the IP Australia website.
There is no electronic filing of Designs available currently.
General information
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/designs/index.shtml
Publications and forms
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/resources/forms_designs.shtml
Examiners Manual
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/resources/manuals_designs.shtml
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/resources/index.shtml
Largely restricted to the Official Gazette which is available on-line.
Key promotional activities in 2009:
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
IP Australia developed a range of courses on IP rights management and commercialisation. In January 2009 the courses were officially approved and published as a part of the Australian National Training Information System.
Nationally approved Registered Training Organisations may deliver these courses.
SME's
IP Australia's Smart Start business tool for SME's was enhanced to address the needs of businesses that have a greater understanding of Intellectual Property and IP strategies.
Fashion
IP Australia greatly increased its circulation of the ‘Fashion Rules' publication for promotion to a broader spectrum of the fashion industry. IP Australia has also increased the functionality of the ‘Fashion Rules' website to create a greater interactive experience for users.
IP Australia and Business Enterprise Centres Australia
IP Australia sponsored a nationwide seminar series in association with Australia's innovation festival entitled ‘10 Steps to making money from Smart Ideas'.
IP Australia also sponsored the National Small Business Development Conference in November 2009. Business advisors were trained/educated in developing IP Strategies.
World IP Day
IP Australia coordinated a national online advertising campaign in the week leading up to World IP Day. The advertising targeted SME's and directed them to the Smart Start website. Visitation levels during this period increased by more than 100%.
State Office Events
There were a total of 83 events undertaken in 2009 by the State Outreach Managers. These events targeted a wide range of audiences from SMEs to accountants and designers.
Australian International Design Awards (AIDA)
IP Australia sponsored the Australian International Design Awards and promoted the ‘How to Kit - Make Your Mark' - specifically tailored to the Australian Industrial Design industry.
Media
Francis Gurry visit
Dr Francis Gurry, Director General of WIPO visited Australia. A series of engagement activities were arranged to obtain high profile media coverage to raise the profile of Dr Gurry in Australia and IP in general. This has helped to initiate a strategic dialogue in the Australian media about the importance of IP to national economies.
Customer and Stakeholder Engagement
IP Australia hosted the IP Professionals Forum, IP Forum and Consultation Group meetings.
Indigenous Stakeholder Engagement
IP Australia attended an Indigenous Economic Forum in Alice Springs and sponsored an Indigenous IP lawyer, Terri Janke, to speak at the event. This provided an excellent opportunity for indigenous stakeholder engagement.
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Public Education & Awareness Event
IP Australia delivered the 3 day APEC workshop entitled Conducting Effective IP Rights Public Education and Awareness Campaigns for SMEs.
The event was designed for IPR offices throughout the APEC region, APEC Intellectual Property Rights Experts’ Group (IPEG) members, APEC SME working group members, innovators and IP related organizations, private sector representatives and SMEs.
IP Australia provided the following assistance to IP officials in Viet Nam:
• hosted a 7 day IP study tour for 13 staff from the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam.
• provided training to Viet Nam officials on the development and implementation of public education and awareness programs.
• provided training and resources to university lecturers on the development and delivery of IP courses.
• provided technical publications to the National Office of Intellectual Property library.
• hosted a workshop on cost recovery, demand forecasting and IP Australia’s approach to self funding.
Designs Legislation:
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/da200391/
Annual Report
http://www.innovation.gov.au/Section/AbouttheDepartment/Annual%20Report%20200809/resources/pdf/DIISR_ip_australia.pdf
Latest news:
Latest news is featured on the home page of IP Australia's website:
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/
Subscription-based mailing lists
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/resources/lists_index.shtml#
The Australian Design IP system provides for 2 types of applications:
• Application for registration to obtain rights in the design
• Application for publication which provides no rights except to exclude others from obtaining a valid registration as subsequent designs would not be new.
All applications are assessed against a Formality check prior to Registration or Publication.
Once registered, the owner has a range of rights including the right to use, license and assign the design. However, the right to enforce and prevent others from using, selling or importing the design can only be commenced once the design has been examined and a certificate of examination has issued.