Automated Solutions for Patent Translation

1. Automated Solutions for Patent Translation John Tinsley Project Coordinator @ PLuTO WIPO Symposium of IP Authorities Geneva, September 2011

2. Presentation Overview • The need for patent translation • PLuTO translation solutions • Machine translation for patents • Looking forward

3. Patent Translation • Need • Legal requirements for filing, e.g. London Agreement Source: EPO

4. Patent Translation • Need Prior-art searching; relevant documents are increasingly foreign language Source: Thomson Reuters

5. Patent Translation • Problems • Professional translation is expensive • US$0.50 per word for Asian languages • US$0.08—0.20 for European languages • Translations costs per EU patent : approx. €680 (source: EPO) • Machine Translation quality is often insufficient • Options are limited • 65% of potential users would be willing to pay for an adequate MT solution

6. PLuTO Translation Solutions • Mission • “The PLUTO translation service aims to provide an automated patent translation capability across multiple patent search systems leveraging integration of advanced Machine Translation and Translation Memory technology with personalised, tailored vocabulary and terminology management for patent professionals in order to increase productivity and reduce costs.”

7. Introduction to PLuTO • PLuTO: Patent Language Translations Online • EU supported project designed to put the wheels in motion for a standalone commercial solution for patent translation • Four partner consortium • Centre for Next Generation Localisation • ESTeam • Cross Language • Dutch Patent Information User Group (WON) We do patent translation, and only patent translation

8. Introduction to PLuTO • Translation solutions with a set of features designed with the patent professional in mind • Specific needs identified and met • Tools developed over 18 months in close collaboration with end users • WON, the Dutch Patent Information User Group • EPO • Advisory board of IP experts

9. PLuTO Service Features • Machine Translation at the core BUT the real benefits manifest themselves in how the service is delivered Web Browser Translation Plugin Patent translation “on-the-fly” no matter where you search

11. The PLuTO interface opens up a world of features to the user… Account management More features Source text from Espacenet Translated text

12. The Patent Specialist… • …uses different search tools to ensure comprehensive coverage • Plugin supports multiple tools e.g. EPO, WIPO, PatBase, USPTO Language identification Select text

13. The Patent Specialist… • …wants to fix mistakes in the translation • Pluto provides a simple post-editing interface. All corrections are logged in the user’s account and reused in future translations Segment Highlighting Click-and-fix

14. The Patent Specialist… • …uses specific terminology • Pluto terminology management allows for uploading of translation memories, terminology banks, and vocabulary

15. The Patent Specialist… • …wants to save/share the translation • Translation history is stored in the user’s account. Translations can also be downloaded in multiple formats Takes you back to the original text in the search tool

16. The Patent Specialist… • …wants to save/share the translation • Translation history is stored in the user’s account. Translations can also be downloaded in multiple formats

17. The Patent Specialist… • …has text from elsewhere to be translated • Pluto has a direct translation interface for copy-and-paste translation, and also a document upload facility Upload your own file Copy/Paste or type text in the box

18. The Patent Specialist… • …has text from elsewhere to be translated • Pluto has a direct translation interface for copy-and-paste translation, and also a document upload facility Select domain Text added Chose language and translate

19. The Patent Specialist… • …has text from elsewhere to be translated • Pluto has a direct translation interface for copy-and-paste translation, and also a document upload facility Your translation

20. Patent Translation is hard • Different sections of patent • documents use different language

21. Patent Translation is hard • Long unwieldy sentences • Complex formulae and text L is an organic group selected from -CH2-(OCH2CH2)n-, -CO-NR'-, with R'=H or C1-C4 alkyl group; n=0-8; Y=F, CF3 … maximum stress of 1.2 to 3.5 N/mm<2> and a maximum elongation of 700 to 1,300% at 0[deg.] C.

22. PLuTO Technology (1) • Statistical Machine Translation • Trained on patent data • Adapted to specific domains and IPC codes • Specific processing for patent language • Translation Memories • Manually-crafted high-quality TMs • Integrated with MT for optimal performance • Quality Control • MT quality pre-approved • Independent evaluators and users constantly in the loop

23. PLuTO Technology (2) • Languages • English <-> French, German, Portuguese, Japanese • In the pipeline: Chinese, Russian, Korean, Spanish • Secure translations • OpenID accounts • SSL Secure Server

24. On-going Developments • Engage more users

25. Thank you • Subscribe to updates and for early access to software at: • http://www.pluto-patenttranslation.eu/ • Email: jtinsley@computing.dcu.ie • Come visit us • EPO Patent Information Conference 2001 • October 18-20 Kilkenny, Ireland