Overview of commercial electronic information sources Stephen Adams

Overview of commercial electronic information sources Stephen Adams, Magister Ltd. , GB (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Topics • • Types of information source Examples of each type Comparison between sources Choosing an information source for a specific job (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Types of information source • Commercial online suppliers – examples ; STN International, Questel-Orbit, Dialog. • each supplier (HOST) provides one or more FILES • CD-ROM and other disk-based sources – examples ; ESPACE, CASSIS • Internet sources – examples ; QPAT-US, Patent Explorer, IBM (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Online file categories (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Online file categories (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, multi-technology • World Patent Index (Derwent Information) – weekly update – 36 current countries + “Research Disclosure” and “International Technology Abstracts” – earliest coverage from 1963 • Main strengths : – Subject searching (deep-indexed with quality English abstracts for most records) (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, multi-technology • INPADOC (European Patent Office) – weekly update – 65 countries + legal status data for 22 – coverage from c. 1973 for most countries – no abstracts • Main strengths : – family searching – speed of updating (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, multi-technology • EDOC (European Patent Office) – monthly update – approximately 17 current countries – earliest coverage from 1877 (Germany) – numeric data + ECLA classes only • Main strengths : – unique old family data – some unique current countries / document kinds (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, single technology • Currently abstracting – APIPAT – – – Chemical Abstracts MPHARM + Pharm FSTA Foods Adlibra CABI • Subject matter èPetroleum & petrochemicals èChemistry èPharmaceuticals èFood science èFood èAgriculture (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, single technology • Currently abstracting – Aluminium Industry Abstracts – APTIC – Energy Science & Technology – FLUIDEX – DGENE – Metadex • Subject matter èAluminium industry news and research èAnti-pollution (EPA) èEnergy technology (US Do. E) èHydraulic engineering èGenetic engineering èMetallurgy (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, single technology • Currently abstracting – – – – Paperchem Pira Rapra Telegen Water Resources Weldasearch World Surface Coatings Abstracts – etc. • Subject matter èPaper and pulp èPaper, print, packaging èRubber and plastics èBiotechnology èWater èWelding èPaints and coating technology (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Multi-country, single technology • No longer abstracting – INSPEC – Beilstein – BIOSIS • Subject matter è Physics / engineering è Chemistry è Biology (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Single country, multi-technology • • CN : Chinapats DE : PATDPA, PATOS-DE, PATDD EP : EPAT, EPATFULL, PATOS-EP, EPO Register FR : FPAT IT : ITALPAT JP : JAPIO, PATOLIS US : CLAIMS, USPATFULL WO : PCTPAT, PATOS-WO (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Single country, single technology • Biobusiness : – US patents only in the biological sciences – File is principally geared towards the commercial development of biology – The main BIOSIS file contains some patents from the mid-1980’s but is not updated. (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

CD-ROM and other disk based sources • Initially used as a means of saving space (“espace”) when storing documents • Early search capability was crude, and limited to one disk at a time • Current capability allows better searching, sometimes across more than one disk • Fewer specialised computing components required in order to work properly (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

CD-ROM and other disk based sources • Characteristics : – Well-defined technical standards for CDROM file formats – Products based upon higher storage capacity disks (DVD) starting to come on stream – Wide range of compatible products as a result of patent office collaboration (EP, JP, US) (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

CD-ROM and other disk-based sources (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Facsimile products • Provide a good means for accumulating a document archive – high quality paper copies – correction and supplementary documents • Limited use for retrospective searching • Very useful tool for current awareness (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Bibliographic products • Large volumes of data on one disk – e. g. ACCESS-EP search across many years of data – cross-references to facsimile products • Mostly “front page”-type data +/- drawing ; a few full text (ASCII) products • Relatively slow updating compared to corresponding online files (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Hybrid products • Micro. Patent’s “TOPS” system – CD-ROM based search across WO, EP, US documents – electronic transfer of “hit” documents to Micro. Patent Internet site for delivery of complete documents (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Linked products • Derwent Information “DAJ on CD-ROM” – only available to Derwent subscribers – can be used for current awareness • limited search capability, delivers facsimiles of Derwent Documentation Abstracts each week – can be used as archive of abstracts • online search of Derwent WPI file • download accession numbers • locate and print out corresponding abstracts (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Internet sources • Initially, mostly a new form of document delivery • Now, developing increasingly sophisticated search capability – BUT requires more complex software and reliable telecommunications in order to work properly (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Internet sources • Characteristics : – Many new companies have entered the patent information market – National patent offices have started to market their information directly to the public – Much of the information is “raw data” – A small (but increasing) proportion of the data is unique to the Internet (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Internet sources • No current Web server allows simultaneous searching across more than one country – Multiple individual files mounted on Derwent’s Patent Explorer and Micro. Patent’s Patent. Web – IBM’s Patent Server experimenting with additional countries ; currently US only. – EPO’s DIPS project may permit this type of searching (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Comparison factors A) Technology & cost – Computer hardware & software requirements – Networking / telecommunications needs – Capital investment – Running costs – Difficulty of budgeting (predictability of costs) • Low = good, high = bad (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

(c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Comparison factors B) Search features – Range of sources available – Command language power – User acceptability (amount of training required) – Level of support available to users • High = good, low = bad (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

(c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Choosing an information source • Search classification – Novelty (patentability) – Infringement (“freedom of action”) – Validity & opposition – State-of-the-art – Alerting (current awareness) – Family & equivalent – Citation (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Novelty • Subject matter search focused upon the specific details of the invention • Requires : – multi-country source (essential) – multi-technology source (preferable) – detailed subject indexing and search features – patent and non-patent literature – rapid updating (up-to-date content) (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Infringement • Limited to specific geographic area(s) and to claims of valid, in-force patents only • Requires : – one or more single-country sources • including appropriate regional patent systems – multi-technology sources (preferable) – detailed subject search facilities + ready access to exact text of claims – links to legal status of retrieved records (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Validity & opposition • Similar to novelty, but limited to matter published before the priority date • Requires : – multi-country, multi-technology sources – extensive subject indexing (full-text is helpful) – patent and non-patent literature – search features allowing date limitation (useful) (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

State-of-the-art • Review of a defined subject area, perhaps before commencing research • Requires : – good indexing for broad subject matter – multi-country coverage – good access to complete texts • the preamble of patents can serve as mini-reviews – (sometimes) statistical analysis capability (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Alerting searches • Ongoing awareness of new patents in specific industries or by specific companies • Requires : – reliable high speed updating – adequate broad-based subject capability (typically classifications) – standardised formats for quick scanning (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Family & equivalent • Identifies the geographic extent of patent protection and/or texts in preferred languages • Requires : – accurate and timely collation of family data – intellectual added-value (for legal variations) – extensive time coverage (publication of family members may spread over many years) (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

Citations • In support of other types of search (particularly validity) or as an exercise in statistical evaluation of competitors • Requires : – complete data sets (not yet routinely available) – highly standardised data fields (e. g. assignee) – easy access to related files (for examination of subject) or statistical software (for analysis) (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998