Overview of commercial electronic information sources

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

2. 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

3. 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

4. Online file categories (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

5. Online file categories (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. Currently abstracting APIPAT Chemical Abstracts MPHARM + Pharm FSTA Foods Adlibra CABI Subject matter Petroleum & petrochemicals Chemistry Pharmaceuticals Food science Food Agriculture Multi-country, single technology (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

10. Currently abstracting Aluminium Industry Abstracts APTIC Energy Science & Technology FLUIDEX DGENE Metadex Subject matter Aluminium industry news and research Anti-pollution (EPA) Energy technology (US DoE) Hydraulic engineering Genetic engineering Metallurgy Multi-country, single technology (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

11. Currently abstracting Paperchem Pira Rapra Telegen Water Resources Weldasearch World Surface Coatings Abstracts etc. Subject matter Paper and pulp Paper, print, packaging Rubber and plastics Biotechnology Water Welding Paints and coating technology Multi-country, single technology (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

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

13. 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, USPAT, USPATFULL • WO : PCTPAT, PATOS-WO (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

14. 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

15. 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

16. CD-ROM and other disk based sources • Characteristics : • Well-defined technical standards for CD-ROM 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

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

18. 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

19. 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

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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. Internet sources • No current Web server allows simultaneous searching across more than one country • Multiple individual files mounted on Derwent’s Patent Explorer and MicroPatent’s PatentWeb • 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

25. 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

26. (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

27. 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

28. (c) Magister Ltd, May 1998

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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