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Annual Technical Report 2012 on Industrial Design Information Activities submitted by Australia (CWS/ATR/ID/2012/AU)

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.

I. Evolution of registration activities

Changes experienced in terms of application filings and grants (registrations) with respect to the previous year

Design applications filed
2011: 6,064
2012: 6,449
Percentage difference: Design applications filed increased by 6%

Design applications granted
2011: 5,647
2012: 5,995
Percentage difference: Design applications granted increased by 6%

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.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide statistics related to industrial designs

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about-us/what-we-do/ip-statistics/

II. Matters concerning the generation, reproduction, and distribution of industrial design documents and of secondary sources of industrial design information, i.e., official gazettes

Publishing, including printing, copying techniques and electronic printing

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.

Main types of announcements of the Office in the field of industrial design information

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- Applications Lapsed/Withdrawn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

Mass storage media and microforms used

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.

Databases and office automation

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.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide access to online industrial design gazettes and to other sources of industrial design information, including download of bulk industrial design data

The Australian Official Journal of Designs can be accessed at the following URL:
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/about-us/publications-listing/journals/

The Australian Designs Data Searching (ADDS) system can be accessed at the following URL:
http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/adds2/adds.adds_start.intro

III. Matters concerning classifying, reclassifying and indexing of industrial design information according to the classification systems applied

Classification and reclassification activities; Classification system used, e.g., International Classification for Industrial Designs (Locarno Classification), other classification (please indicate whether industrial designs are classified by your Office and, if so, which classification is used)

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 and processing

Bibliographic data is maintained on an ADABAS Natural (zOS) mainframe.

IV. Search file establishment and upkeep

File building

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.

Updating

Search files are regularly updated as appropriate.

V. Activities in the field of computerized search systems for industrial designs

In-house systems (online/offline)

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.

External databases

Disclosures relating to other designs filings/registrations of other countries are accessed via relevant Internet databases and search facilities.

Administrative management systems (e.g., register, legal status, statistics and administrative support)

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 currently handled via paper casefiles, however it is transitioning to electronic case files during 2013

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.

Equipment used (hardware, including the types of terminal and network used, and software), data carriers used

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.

VI. Administration of industrial design information products and services available to the public (relating to facilities, e.g., for lodging applications, registering designs, assisting clients with search procedures, obtaining official publications and registry extracts)

Planning, administration, automation, security

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 implementing 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.

Collection management, preservation

All Australian Designs records/documents are handled in accordance with Office procedures set down under Australian Law and archiving practices.

Information services available to the public (including computerized services and search files contained in libraries remote from your Office and industrial design information posted by your Office on the World Wide Web)

Information services are available on the IP Australia website.

URLs of web pages of the Office's website for electronic filing of industrial design applications

There is no electronic filing of Designs available currently.

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide information on business procedures such as: filing, publication, examination and registration procedures related to industrial designs; opposition and appeal procedures related to industrial designs; etc.

General information

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/

Forms and Publications
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/designs-forms/
AND
http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/designs-publications/

Examiners Manual

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/pdfs/designsmanual/WebHelp/designs_exam_manual.htm

URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that provide a description of information products and services offered by the Office (e.g., industrial design search service(s) and industrial design databases), as well as information on how to access and utilize them

http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/get-the-right-ip/designs/search-for-a-design/

VII. Matters concerning mutual exchange of industrial design documentation and information

International or regional cooperation in the exchange of industrial design information, e.g., in the form of official gazettes

Largely restricted to the Official Journal which is available on-line.

VIII. Matters concerning education and training, including technical assistance to developing countries (please indicate URLs of web pages of the Office’s website wherever appropriate)

Promotional activities (seminars, exhibitions, visits, advertising, etc.)

Key promotional activities in 2012:

Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention exhibition
IP Australia has sponsored the Australian tour of “Wallace and Gromit’s World of Invention”, an exhibition originally developed by the UK Intellectual Property Office, Aardman Animation and the Science Museum in London. The exhibition showed at Scienceworks, Melbourne from May to November 2012 and attracted close to 107,000 visitors. It then moved to the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney in December 2012 and will continue until late May 2013.

World IP Day
IP Australia arranged a trial of the “Great Inventor’s BBQ” where patent holders in the ACT were invited to an event on site. Around a dozen inventors displayed their inventions and interacted with examiners and staff. The event attracted significant local media coverage.

IP Reform
Throughout 2012, IP Australia provided regular updates to customers and stakeholders, via media releases and direct marketing activities, on key elements and consultations relating to the IP Laws Amendment ACT 2012 which will be in force from 15 April 2013.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)
IP Australia has developed a range of courses on IP rights management and commercialisation for students in the Vocational Education and Training sector. 35 confirmed Registered Training Organisations (RTO) across all Australian states are now offering one or more units as electives. A South Australian based RTO based has included IP Australia’s unit covering copyright as a core unit in its Certificate IV in Library Studies course.

E-Services
In late April 2012, IP Australia launched e-services, providing customers with the opportunity to log in to a secure portal, update their details, renew all IP rights, submit trade mark applications and pay online. A second release in late October 2012 saw the introduction of new e-forms for applications across all four registered rights, forms to request examination and to postpone acceptance of patents.

In partnership with the Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ), IP Australia held roadshows in all mainland capitals to demonstrate several initiatives including B2B, eServices, IP reform, national and international IP areas and the fee review.


Audience specific activities

Exporters:
IP Australia has continued a partnership with the Australian Institute of Export which has enabled publication of a range of editorial pieces relating to IP and exporting. The IP Passport series of 15 fact sheets were updated to include QR codes, linking to relevant website content.

Engineers:
IP Australia has begun investigating options to collaborate with Engineers Australia. Opportunities for a closer working relationship would ultimately result in greater access to distribution channels, thus improving IP Australia’s ability to directly promote the value and benefits of intellectual property to this sector.

Stakeholder engagement
IP Australia hosted two IP Professionals Forums and IP Forums throughout 2012, providing a high level of interaction with IP professionals, businesses and other key stakeholders.

In 2012, the Executive Visits Program (EVP) was established to govern engagement between IP Australia’s executive and senior representatives from industry associations and private enterprise. The EVP is a comprehensive program of face-to-face meetings with chief executives (or equivalent) to discuss topical IP issues and provides a valuable opportunity to learn how users of the IP system maximise the value of their intangible assets.

Indigenous Stakeholder Engagement
IP Australia has continued to attend workshops and events around Australia to promote Dream Shield, a program to raise awareness of intellectual property rights to Indigenous Australia. Events of note include the 2012 Australian Indigenous Minority Suppliers Council conference and the Indigenous Economic Development Field Officers Forum.

Exhibits
IP Australia exhibited at numerous events across Australia in 2012 including “BizSmart Expo”, Sunshine Coast Business Expo and “Small Business Big Marketing Trade Show”.

State Office Events
There were approximately 140 events undertaken in 2012 by the State Marketing Managers. These events targeted a wide range of audiences including SMEs, exporters and designers.

Other events of note
IP Australia was represented at the Australia-China Science and Research Fund Symposium 2012 and presented at the Design Institute of Australia’s “Beyond Copyright” event.

Training courses for national and foreign participants

IP Australia presented at the following seminars and workshops in 2012:

• Intellectual Property Education and Training Regional Workshop in Malaysia. During the seminar, IP Australia shared experiences from developing a suite of competency based IP training courses. Participants of the program gained a detailed understanding of how to plan, develop and execute a comprehensive package of IP training courses.

• Financial Forecasting Training Mission to the Philippines. IP Australia was engaged by WIPO to deliver financial forecasting and modelling training to officers from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL). The training program covered topics such as the importance of embedding internal budget processes into organisational planning and management, revenue and expenditure monitoring and forecasting, activity based costing, fee setting and cost recovery, and general reporting. Participants also gained good insight into the current financial practices, methodologies and techniques used by both IPOPHL and IP Australia. The training was delivered to the IPOPHL Executive Committee, senior management and finance staff.

Assistance to developing countries (sending consultants and experts, receiving trainees from developing countries, etc.)

• IP Australia hosted a visit from four South African delegates on quality system benchmarking. The visit focused on IP Australia’s quality management systems, quality standards and business processes used across four IP rights categories (patents, trade marks, design and plant breeder’s rights).

IX.Other general information related to the Office that is available on the Internet -- URLs of web pages of the Office’s website that:

provide information on legislation related to industrial designs

Designs Act: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200401901?OpenDocument

Designs Regulations: http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Management.nsf/current/bytitle/5654A5E61547B81BCA256F710006C911?OpenDocument&mostrecent=1

contain the Annual Report of the Office

Annual Report
http://www.innovation.gov.au/AboutUs/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/Pages/default.aspx
(Refer part B for information on IP Australia: )

X. Other relevant matters

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.

- 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.

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