Spring 2004

What's new?

PlusPat News

French Abstracts Now Available

We have loaded into PlusPat more than 300,000 French language abstracts for French and European (EP) patents and published applications. The abstracts are replaceable with available English abstracts. French abstract coverage starts in 1979 for French records, and 1978 for EP records.

The abstracts offer French patent users more information to retrieve and display.

Searchable EPO Citation Relevancy Indicators

While PlusPat has always had citation relevancy indicators in the CT field, use of these indicators was limited to display, and was difficult for searching and analysis. We have created new citation fields for these codes in order to facilitate searching and citation analysis. The indicators are available in EP, PCT and FR cited references in PlusPat.

During the examination process, patent examiners assign relevancy indicators to documents cited in the search reports of published applications. While all codes can be significant, Xs and Ys can potentially limit or prevent an application’s grant.

This is an example of the search report field for a PCT publication (the relevancy indicators are bolded).

CT - Cited in the search report
      - EP1001287(A)(Cat. X);WO9941858(A)(Cat.
        X);US5748815(A)(Cat. X);WO0107947(A)(Cat.
        X,P,L);US5774264(A)(Cat. A);WO0039629(A)(Cat. A)
      - ELREFAIE A: "Multiwavelength survivable ring network
        architectures" PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL
        CONFERENCE ON COMMUNICATIONS (ICC). GENEVA, MAY 23 -
        26, 1993, NEW YORK, IEEE, US, vol. 3, 23 May 1993
        (1993-05-23), pages 1245-1251, XP010136979 ISBN:
        0-7803-0950-2(Cat. X)
      - HE J-J ET AL: "Integrated waveguide WDM
        demultiplexers" LASERS AND ELECTRO-OPTICS, 1999.
        CLEO/PACIFIC RIM '99. THE PACIFIC RIM CONFERENCE ON
        SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA 30 AUG.-3 SEPT. 1999, PISCATAWAY,
        NJ, USA,IEEE, US, 30 August 1999 (1999-08-30), pages
        1200-1201, XP010364370 ISBN: 0-7803-5661-6(Cat. Y)

New Fields for Category Codes

To facilitate searching and analysis of this information, we have created additional standardized crossfile searchable citation fields containing the patent and NPL numbers.

The new fields are shown below for the previous example.

  XCT - EP1001287 WO9941858 US5748815 WO200107947 US5774264
        WO200039629 XP10136979 XP10364370
  XCTA- US5774264 WO200039629
  XCTL- WO200107947
  XCTP- WO200107947
  XCTX- EP1001287 WO9941858 US5748815 WO200107947 XP10136979
  XCTY- XP10364370

Regardless of category, all cited references are included, as they have in the past, in the XCT field. We have created new fields containing particular patent numbers.

While these fields are available for crossfile searching using the MEM command, they are hidden and not included in any display formats.

Using the Relevancy Category Codes

The relevancy category codes can be used in a number of ways.


1. Direct search using field qualification or MEM/*MEM feature
2. Limiting search to category code using the field availability feature
3. Analysis using the MEMS/*MEMS feature

For a comprehensive guide to this new PlusPat feature, click here.

Faster Updating for U.S. and PCT records in PlusPat

Quicker updating of U.S. and PCT information means increased currency on SDI Alerts and improved comprehensiveness in all PlusPat searches.

U.S. Patent records will now appear in PlusPat the day after publication, and U.S. and PCT Applications will appear within a few days of their publication.

This quicker updating is accomplished by using data directly from USPTO and WIPO patent files. About three weeks after publication these early update records will be replaced with standardized PlusPat data.

Patent Delivery Service (www.patentdelivery.com): New Advantages

Upcoming PDS enhancements offer additional patent ordering features and improved Subaccounting for bill back purposes.

In addition to complete document ordering, you now have the option of ordering the front page, drawing page or both. Drawing pages are the drawing mosaics available in Esp@cenet, so not all countries are covered.

You can keep ordered patents for as long as 30 days, so you can quickly review orders from the Portfolio page.

Subaccounting has also been enhanced to include an exportable CSV file, which is located on the Portfolio page. This History file maintains a comprehensive list of all the patents ordered and delivered, be it full, front-page, or drawings, by subaccount, date, pages, and size. Once imported into Excel, it can be used to create any reports you require.

Bulk PlusPat Data Now Exportable to the anacubis™ Desktop Softwaree

Questel•Orbit and anacubis Desktop users can now import bulk PlusPat data from QPAT and Questel•Orbit into the anacubis Desktop software. This feature is available within Questel•Orbit system as well as QPAT.

QPAT
QPAT subscribers can now export PlusPat records in a zipped file then easily import this file into the anacubis Desktop software.

Questel•Orbit
After creating a search in PlusPat use the PR feature and receive an email of results in a zipped XML file. Once saved and unzipped on your computer, it can then be imported into the anacubis Desktop software. Available in the Questel•Orbit system, this feature can be used in Qweb, Imagination, or other third-party telecommunication software, such as STN Express.

Exporting from PlusPat

PR 1-n ANAC EMAIL XML

1-n is the record numbers, and if you want to export the entire set do not specify a record range since the default is the entire set

The record export can only be used with the standard PlusPat displays and the Merged Family displays cannot be exported. If you have used the FAM command in a set, only the regular displays will be exported.

The cost per record is the same as a MAX or FU display in PlusPat. For PlusPat Fixed Fee customers, the new export is included in these plans at no additional cost.

By the end of May we will add a new export, incorporating the special anacubis import format, VLX for use with the anacubis Desktop only.

Derwent’s World Patents Index (DWPI): Backfile Enhancements for BCE Fragmentation Codes

Search the latest version of the BCE fragmentation codes back to the start of DWPI. These codes have been added to the pre-1981 data to ensure comprehensive search and retrieval using a single non-time ranged search strategy that should be as good as using the time-ranged strategy. While the new codes have been added, time-ranged fragmentation codes have been maintained and thus can still be used for searching.

For more information, please contact your local Questel•Orbit Help Desk at help@questel.com or the Derwent Help Desk.

In the Pipeline

PatentExaminer, a portfolio management tool, assists in evaluating, managing, and distributing patent information. This new web-based product combines a patent valuation tool with full-text or bibliographic patent information and original patent drawings. Currently undergoing beta testing, PatentExaminer will be available in July.

PatReader, a new visualization tool for quick and accurate scanning of full-text patents. It extracts and synthesizes all relevant information, and lays out the document in a convenient two-column format with elements on the left linked to the full-text on the right. This exclusive tool is being developed with partner company Lingway, known for powerful linguistic tools.

Databases from New EU Members

Since May 1st, the European Union has grown to 25 member countries. To remain in step with these developments, Questel.Orbit will soon release four new databases covering the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania and Poland. These databases will be available soon on Qweb or Imagination, then, later, on TrademarkExplorer and Imagination's guided mode.
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