Dear Colleague

With the launch of Derwent World Patents Index® (DWPISM) (File 350, 351, 352), you will see changes in the information contained in the file and the way you search it. Take training, review the Dialog DWPI  Web page and practice in ONTAP DWPI (File 280) to familiarize yourself with the changes. Check the story on DWPI and Research Disclosures for more information on enhanced DWPI.

In other news read about the new South Korean trademark file, search techniques and industry news including a new USPTO procedure for accelerating patent application approval.

As always, please send us your suggestions for stories.

Ron Kaminecki, Director
Intellectual Property Applications

Enhanced Derwent World Patents Index® Launched on Dialog

An enhanced Derwent World Patents Index (DWPISM) (File 350, 351, 352) has launched bringing you new content and a new record structure making the content easier for you to access and use.

New Original Patent Data
DWPI has expanded its data to include original patent titles and abstracts, full names of inventors and associated addresses, patent assignee addresses, and patent agent information. The database also includes coverage of USPTO national patent classifications.

New DWPI Database Record Structure
DWPI database records now have a two-part structure:

• Invention Level — traditional DWPI content such as patent family, value-added title, abstract and indexing
• Member Patent Level — new additional data from each member (publication) listed in the invention (patent family) part of the record

For more details about enhanced DWPI, check the Bluesheet and the dedicated Dialog DWPI  Web page.

Research Disclosures Reinstated in DWPI

We are happy to announce that we have reinstated coverage of Research Disclosures in Derwent World Patents Index® (DWPISM), starting with update 200638 and published monthly.

Research Disclosures play an important part in any comprehensive prior art search. A comparatively low-cost alternative to patenting, Research Disclosures prevent exploitation of an invention by others, and so establishes prior art. For more information, consult the Research Disclosures page on the Thomson Scientific Web site.

New Trademark File: TRADEMARKSCAN®—South Korea

TRADEMARKSCAN®—South Korea (File 655) has been added to Dialog. File 655 contains more than 850,000 trademarks filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) from 1954 to the present. English translations are provided for South Korean goods and services, as well as transliterations of Korean trademarks. File 655 also contains over 900,000 images, which show original typography, retrievable as RT=IMAGE.

Including TRADEMARKSCAN—South Korea, Dialog currently has 28 trademark files, representing records from 27 countries and two transborder patent authorities (the International Register and the European Union), as well as records from the 50 U.S. states. The combined total number of trademark records surpasses 17 million.

Patent Growth in China

An article by Bob Stembridge from Thomson Scientific entitled “Innovation Trends in China” illustrates the impressive rise of innovation in China. For example, the number of patents has grown consistently between 15 to 25% in the last five years, with record growth of 36.4% from 2004 to 2005.

In addition, growth in R&D spending in China as a proportion of GDP has grown fastest in China in the last five years and patenting growth rates have also outstripped other major regions in the same time period.

Read the entire article for references and to find out what the top five scientific fields in China are for the last five years, the top five technical fields and the top five patented technologies in 2005.

Fast Track for U.S. Patent Applications

The USPTO has published procedures outlining requirements for applicants who want to know within 12 months whether their patent applications will be granted by the examiner. Applicants who file under this procedure will have to provide specific information and search the prior art, submit all prior art closest to their invention and explain what the prior art teaches and how their invention is different. This accelerated procedure goes into effect August 25, 2006. Read the USPTO press release.

Call for Contributors

Participate in knowledge sharing with your colleagues interested in intellectual-property-related topics. Share your story suggestions with us at support.dialog.com/enewsletters/contribute/.