Patent Information The Basics and Search Tools

1. European Patent Office Patent InformationThe Basics and Search Tools

2. Patent • The term "patent" originates from the Latin word patere which means to lay open (to public inspection).Per the word's original definition, one theory of patent legislation is to induce the inventor to disclose knowledge for the advancement of society in exchange for a limited period of exclusivity

3. Elements of a patent document

7. A patent is often the first publication relating to an invention

8. The patent system and its publication rules Regional or National extensions First filing 12 Months Priority period Published 18 months after first filing

9. Electowetting display: Philips press release 25-09-2003 • Philips Research Press Release • September 25, 2003 • Philips demonstrates video-speed electronic-paper technology based on electrowetting

10. The corresponding patent published on 28-08-2003

11. More detailed content than classic publications

12. Patent vs. Classic publications Article3 pages Patent111 pages

13. Patents are easily accessible

14. Patent Information is accessible Classification Standard fields

15. The advanced search screen of esp@cenet®

16. Patent Classification C C12N15/82A Further divided in 30 fields in ECLA C12 C12N C12N15 8 Sections Class Subclass Main group 70 000 subgroups

17. Classification = Searched subject 268 PATENTSclassified inB60R21/18

18. Classification = Searched subject 77 PATENTSclassified inE05B19/22

19. 244 PATENTSclassified inB62D1/06B

20. 42 PATENTSclassified in B26B21/46

21. Patent vs. Non Patent Literature

22. Heated steering wheel

24. 834 000 new patents a year vs. 1 200 000 articles • Patent first filings: 834.000 in 2002 • Yearly 2000 STM publications produces 1.200.000 peer reviewed articles

25. The Main Free Patent Databases

26. Facts and figures about esp@cenet® • Service introduced in 1998. • European Patent Organisation tool. • Third version released in 2003 considering user needs and ergonomics. • 1 283 000 searches (monthly) • 65 000 users (weekly)

27. EPO Patent Data Downloaded • 40 Terabytes are downloaded per year internally and externally: twice the content of the Library of Congress

28. USPTO Database • Full-text since 1976, full-page images since 1790

29. Japanese patent database

30. INPADOC datahttp://www.ipnewsflash.com/family.php us4000000

33. RSS Newsfed for patents

34. Limitations of free tools

35. Using free patent search tools is not necessarily more cost effective than using fee based databases.

36. The limits of free patent databases

37. esp@cenet • EP1241930A method of forming an adhesive force includes removing a seta from a living specimen, attaching the seta to a substrate, and applying the seta to a surface so as to establish an adhesive force between the substrate and the surface. The seta is applied to the surface with a force perpendicular to the surface. The seta is then pulled with a force parallel to the surface so as to preload the adhesive force of the seta.

38. Derwent • AB - WO200149776 NOVELTY - An adhesive force is formed by removing seta from living specimen. The seta is attached to a substrate and applied to a surface to establish an adhesive force between substrate and surface. • - DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for (A) a • method of fabricating an adhesive microstructure comprising fabricating an array of shafts and forming spatula on the array of shafts; and (B) a fabricated microstructure comprising a shaft and an array of spatula formed at an end of the shaft. Each spatula includes curved segment of a sphere at spatula terminal end. The shaft is less than 500 mu m long, and has a diameter of 0.01-0.1 times its length. The array of spatula is less than 10 mu m wide. • - USE - The method is for forming an adhesive force for use in e.g., micro-manufacturing, micro-manipulation, and microsurgery applications. The adhesive force can also be used in manipulating retinal prosthesis implants, and pick and place of silicon wafer or disk drive components. It can also be used as clutch mechanism in micro-machines. It can also be used in insect trapping, tape, robot feet or treads, glove/pads for climbing, gripping e.g., clean room processing tools, micro-optical manipulation, micro-brooms, micro-vacuums, flake removal from wafers, optical removal of individual particles, climbing, throwing, and sticker toys, press-on fingernails, silent fasteners, substrate to prevent adhesion on specific locations, broom to clean disk drive, post-it notes, band aids, semiconductor transport, and clothes fasteners. • - ADVANTAGE - The formed adhesive force is greater than the cumulative • force of the applying and the pulling steps of the forming method. The • removing step is analogous to cutting hair, thus allowing the gecko to • harmlessly regenerate its seta. The seta is easily harvested without • sacrificing the living specimen.

39. Do you speak attorneysh? • Ball = Spherical device • Computer mouse = Pointing device • Computer screen = Visual display unit • Car = Land vehicle

40. Special search tools: when the concept approach fails • Biotech • Chemistry

41. Conclusion

42. Bear in mind • Free tools are good at: • Preliminary searches • Basic technology watch • Basic Legal Searches

43. What was search like?

44. pschwander@epo.org European Patent Office Thank you