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Research publications international in the new world of patent information
World Patent Information, Printed in Great Britain.
Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 72-74,
1993.
0172-2190/93$6.00+ .OO. Pergamon Press Ltd CECAVIPO
Research Publications International New World of Patent Information Geoff Trotter, Sales Manager RGl 8HI7, U.K.
in the
Patents, RPI, P. 0. Box 45, Reading
Summary
excellent current awareness tool. A further disc, the “Cumulating Index”, is issued each month. This disc combines all of the patents issued in the current year to date, allowing the user to search v’la the same 23 fields available on the weekly issued discs. PatentView users may combine these fields to carry out a comprehensive search. For those patents issued and present in the Official Gazette (OG), but not published in full by the USPTO, RPI automatically substitutes the OG entry into PatentView. In other words, the bibliographic and classification data, exemplary claim and primary drawing for the invention, PLUS an abstract not found in the OG, are included. As soon as the USPTO publishes the full document, the full image is made available in the Cumulating Index. In short this means that there are “no missing patents”. Printing of patent specifications is available in a variety of formats, allowing the user to choose a selection of retrieved documents and printing them either in full, image pages only, front page only or by page number. A facsimile image produced by high quality laser printer gives the user a perfect copy time after time.
Research Publications International has produced CD-ROM databases of US patents since 1990 and the article describes these products. A further development is the production of customized databases to meet the patent information needs of individual companies.
Introduction The Thomson Corporation, one of the world’s largest publishing conglomerates, has maintained its interest in the provision of patent information through three subsidiary companies: Derwent Publications (with Patent Abstracts), Thomson & Thomson (trademarks) and Research Publications International (full specifications of patents). For over 25 years Research Publications International (RPI) has provided National Patent Offices, Agents, Attorneys and Industrial Corporations with a wealth of patent information in a variety of media - paper, microfiche, microfilm and online. Since the late 1980s RPI has been involved with the research and development of a number of electronic databases. Production of CD-ROM databases started in 1990 and to date four CD-ROM products are being offered to a global customer-base via offices in the United States’and the UK. In addition to these four “in-house” products, RPI is a distributor of the ESPACE series CD-ROM databases produced by the European Patent Office.
In summary, PatentView from RPI is the only comprehensive current awareness and document retrieval system available as an integrated package. One other similar product, PatentImages, requires a separate searchable index, CAPS (which appears on different software) and together are considerably more expensive than PatentView. 2. OGIPLUS
RPI and Electronic Databases Let me consider the four “in-house” products in some detail.
OG/PLUS is the electronic edition of the Official Gazette of the USPTO, enhanced with a searchable abstract. Users have an option of receiving discs on a weekly or monthly basis: in both cases a cumulative disc is issued every two months. At year end, OG/PLUS comprises six bi-monthly discs. A seventh disc, the complete bibliographic Cumulating Index CD-ROM, is made available at year end. As with PatentView, 23 search fields are offered to enable a comprehensive search to be made across the database. Further data available on the discs include information from RPI’s online databases “Patent Status File” and “Litalert”. This gives users
CD-ROM
1. PatentView PatentView contains bibliographic data and images of all patents issued weekly by the USPTO. This includes utility, design, SIRS, plant and re-issue patents. Two discs per week are published and despatched within 10 working days of the issue date of the patent office, making the database an 73
Research Publications International access to the most up-to-date status information well as all current litigation case details.
as
3. Putent History Patent History provides a 17 year status and litigation history of all active US patents available on a single annual CD-ROM. The database offers a powerful patent search capability, allowing a user to quickly locate and print a complete record of patent status changes, as well as the litigation details for all the patent suit cases of the last 17 years. In addition to this key information, two further data-sets are provided on the disc: the “Assignee” file reveals the patents issued to any selected assignee over the period, and the “Manual of Classification” displays the USPTO classification hierarchy by keyword and class number. While RPI has seen the successful launch of these three CD-ROM databases, their development was an integral part of a process which is indeed customer driven. Customer demand for an electronic, searchable backfile of US Patent Information has seen the evolution of RPI’s fourth CD-ROM service.
4. PatentView Backfde (1973-1992) PatentView Backfile is the result of detailed discussions with a number of National Patent Offices and Industrial Corporations worldwide. A fully searchable bibliographic database covering patents issued between 1973 and 1992 offers easy access to the full image of over 1 500 000 patents, which may then be printed via a laser printer. PatentView -
Backfile supplies:
One fully-indexed “product-wide” CD-ROM covering patents issued by the USPTO from 1973 to 1992. All patents can be searched by 20 fields which include Assignee, Inventor, US and International Patent Classification as well as Patent Number, Application and Priority details.
-
Individual index discs for each year covered, having the same 20 fields as the “product-wide” disc, plus the abstract and exemplary claim of each patent. This facilitates subject searching other than by classification alone.
-
Image discs of all patents issued containing approximately 1000 documents per discs.
-
“Standard” Subsets of the PatentView Backfile are also available and include Chemical, Electrical and General/Mechanical patents.
The PatentView Backfile product currently uses the CD-Author software developed by Dataware.
73
This corresponds with PatentView, OG/PLUS and Patent History. 1994 will see the introduction of the Trilateral Agreement software currently being developed by Jouve Software dInformation and RPI will make this software available to its customers. The production of the complete US backfile has heralded the way for the development of fully customized sets of data as well as spin-off products due for launch in 1993.
Customization - a Bespoke Service to Suit the Needs of Users The development of PatentView Backfile has created a flexible resource of data which has brought many opportunities for customization. At the end of 1992, RPI produced its first truly customized database, meeting the patent information needs of a major US company. Merck & Co., Inc. based in Rahway, NJ, USA commissioned the production of a CD-ROM database covering 27 years of US patents on five fully-indexed searchable discs, the fifth disc being a cumulating index disc. The difference between this database and any other produced by RPI, or indeed by any other information provider, is that this one comprises patents assigned to Merck, and its subsidiary companies, only. Produced by RPI for PInC the Patent Information Center the database, available in multiple copies, allows the patent information user portable, speedy, comprehensive access to a database which corresponds to approximately 50 000 pages of US patent information, the image of any of these pages and patents being available within seconds. RPI are currently discussing the specific needs of several companies, producing customized databases using any US or International Patent Classification, any Assignee or group of Assignees and above all, any combination of data fields specific to the needs of the company. Finally, for the moment, I would like to mention PatentScan - A 20 year US patent database on one CD-ROM. As mentioned earlier “spin-off” products developed from RPI’s “malleable pool” of data would follow. One such product is PatentScan. Available on one CD-ROM, a user has access to a complete 20 year backfile of bibliographic data, fully-indexed and searchable on 20 fields. Additional discs which contain Abstract/Exemplary Claim of each patent over a four-year period, e.g. 1992-1989, 1988-1985 etc., covering the complete 20 year backfile are also available. This allows the user a comprehensive subject search over a chosen time period. Should a user require the full image of patents found as a result of a PatentScan search, two options are presented: ordering the document via RPI’s Rapid Patent Division or “stepping-up” a subscription level to the relevant PatentView Backfile year or years.
74
G. Trotter
Conclusions By applying up-to-date technology to one of its areas of traditional strength, Research Publications reconfirms its position as a major supplier of patent data and documentation. Our ability to deliver complete document files or customized selections electronically is being continually refined. A bespoke service off the peg! The development of
electronic “off-line” databases, such as those of RPI, offer dramatic potential for reducing information costs and eliminating acquisition of unwanted data. In a world flooded with information, we can guide customers to a plateau above the trees, where the attractions of data control, current awareness and competitive advantage are joined. With RPI, you get what you want, not what you’re given.
Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 72-74,
1993.
0172-2190/93$6.00+ .OO. Pergamon Press Ltd CECAVIPO
Research Publications International New World of Patent Information Geoff Trotter, Sales Manager RGl 8HI7, U.K.
in the
Patents, RPI, P. 0. Box 45, Reading
Summary
excellent current awareness tool. A further disc, the “Cumulating Index”, is issued each month. This disc combines all of the patents issued in the current year to date, allowing the user to search v’la the same 23 fields available on the weekly issued discs. PatentView users may combine these fields to carry out a comprehensive search. For those patents issued and present in the Official Gazette (OG), but not published in full by the USPTO, RPI automatically substitutes the OG entry into PatentView. In other words, the bibliographic and classification data, exemplary claim and primary drawing for the invention, PLUS an abstract not found in the OG, are included. As soon as the USPTO publishes the full document, the full image is made available in the Cumulating Index. In short this means that there are “no missing patents”. Printing of patent specifications is available in a variety of formats, allowing the user to choose a selection of retrieved documents and printing them either in full, image pages only, front page only or by page number. A facsimile image produced by high quality laser printer gives the user a perfect copy time after time.
Research Publications International has produced CD-ROM databases of US patents since 1990 and the article describes these products. A further development is the production of customized databases to meet the patent information needs of individual companies.
Introduction The Thomson Corporation, one of the world’s largest publishing conglomerates, has maintained its interest in the provision of patent information through three subsidiary companies: Derwent Publications (with Patent Abstracts), Thomson & Thomson (trademarks) and Research Publications International (full specifications of patents). For over 25 years Research Publications International (RPI) has provided National Patent Offices, Agents, Attorneys and Industrial Corporations with a wealth of patent information in a variety of media - paper, microfiche, microfilm and online. Since the late 1980s RPI has been involved with the research and development of a number of electronic databases. Production of CD-ROM databases started in 1990 and to date four CD-ROM products are being offered to a global customer-base via offices in the United States’and the UK. In addition to these four “in-house” products, RPI is a distributor of the ESPACE series CD-ROM databases produced by the European Patent Office.
In summary, PatentView from RPI is the only comprehensive current awareness and document retrieval system available as an integrated package. One other similar product, PatentImages, requires a separate searchable index, CAPS (which appears on different software) and together are considerably more expensive than PatentView. 2. OGIPLUS
RPI and Electronic Databases Let me consider the four “in-house” products in some detail.
OG/PLUS is the electronic edition of the Official Gazette of the USPTO, enhanced with a searchable abstract. Users have an option of receiving discs on a weekly or monthly basis: in both cases a cumulative disc is issued every two months. At year end, OG/PLUS comprises six bi-monthly discs. A seventh disc, the complete bibliographic Cumulating Index CD-ROM, is made available at year end. As with PatentView, 23 search fields are offered to enable a comprehensive search to be made across the database. Further data available on the discs include information from RPI’s online databases “Patent Status File” and “Litalert”. This gives users
CD-ROM
1. PatentView PatentView contains bibliographic data and images of all patents issued weekly by the USPTO. This includes utility, design, SIRS, plant and re-issue patents. Two discs per week are published and despatched within 10 working days of the issue date of the patent office, making the database an 73
Research Publications International access to the most up-to-date status information well as all current litigation case details.
as
3. Putent History Patent History provides a 17 year status and litigation history of all active US patents available on a single annual CD-ROM. The database offers a powerful patent search capability, allowing a user to quickly locate and print a complete record of patent status changes, as well as the litigation details for all the patent suit cases of the last 17 years. In addition to this key information, two further data-sets are provided on the disc: the “Assignee” file reveals the patents issued to any selected assignee over the period, and the “Manual of Classification” displays the USPTO classification hierarchy by keyword and class number. While RPI has seen the successful launch of these three CD-ROM databases, their development was an integral part of a process which is indeed customer driven. Customer demand for an electronic, searchable backfile of US Patent Information has seen the evolution of RPI’s fourth CD-ROM service.
4. PatentView Backfde (1973-1992) PatentView Backfile is the result of detailed discussions with a number of National Patent Offices and Industrial Corporations worldwide. A fully searchable bibliographic database covering patents issued between 1973 and 1992 offers easy access to the full image of over 1 500 000 patents, which may then be printed via a laser printer. PatentView -
Backfile supplies:
One fully-indexed “product-wide” CD-ROM covering patents issued by the USPTO from 1973 to 1992. All patents can be searched by 20 fields which include Assignee, Inventor, US and International Patent Classification as well as Patent Number, Application and Priority details.
-
Individual index discs for each year covered, having the same 20 fields as the “product-wide” disc, plus the abstract and exemplary claim of each patent. This facilitates subject searching other than by classification alone.
-
Image discs of all patents issued containing approximately 1000 documents per discs.
-
“Standard” Subsets of the PatentView Backfile are also available and include Chemical, Electrical and General/Mechanical patents.
The PatentView Backfile product currently uses the CD-Author software developed by Dataware.
73
This corresponds with PatentView, OG/PLUS and Patent History. 1994 will see the introduction of the Trilateral Agreement software currently being developed by Jouve Software dInformation and RPI will make this software available to its customers. The production of the complete US backfile has heralded the way for the development of fully customized sets of data as well as spin-off products due for launch in 1993.
Customization - a Bespoke Service to Suit the Needs of Users The development of PatentView Backfile has created a flexible resource of data which has brought many opportunities for customization. At the end of 1992, RPI produced its first truly customized database, meeting the patent information needs of a major US company. Merck & Co., Inc. based in Rahway, NJ, USA commissioned the production of a CD-ROM database covering 27 years of US patents on five fully-indexed searchable discs, the fifth disc being a cumulating index disc. The difference between this database and any other produced by RPI, or indeed by any other information provider, is that this one comprises patents assigned to Merck, and its subsidiary companies, only. Produced by RPI for PInC the Patent Information Center the database, available in multiple copies, allows the patent information user portable, speedy, comprehensive access to a database which corresponds to approximately 50 000 pages of US patent information, the image of any of these pages and patents being available within seconds. RPI are currently discussing the specific needs of several companies, producing customized databases using any US or International Patent Classification, any Assignee or group of Assignees and above all, any combination of data fields specific to the needs of the company. Finally, for the moment, I would like to mention PatentScan - A 20 year US patent database on one CD-ROM. As mentioned earlier “spin-off” products developed from RPI’s “malleable pool” of data would follow. One such product is PatentScan. Available on one CD-ROM, a user has access to a complete 20 year backfile of bibliographic data, fully-indexed and searchable on 20 fields. Additional discs which contain Abstract/Exemplary Claim of each patent over a four-year period, e.g. 1992-1989, 1988-1985 etc., covering the complete 20 year backfile are also available. This allows the user a comprehensive subject search over a chosen time period. Should a user require the full image of patents found as a result of a PatentScan search, two options are presented: ordering the document via RPI’s Rapid Patent Division or “stepping-up” a subscription level to the relevant PatentView Backfile year or years.
74
G. Trotter
Conclusions By applying up-to-date technology to one of its areas of traditional strength, Research Publications reconfirms its position as a major supplier of patent data and documentation. Our ability to deliver complete document files or customized selections electronically is being continually refined. A bespoke service off the peg! The development of
electronic “off-line” databases, such as those of RPI, offer dramatic potential for reducing information costs and eliminating acquisition of unwanted data. In a world flooded with information, we can guide customers to a plateau above the trees, where the attractions of data control, current awareness and competitive advantage are joined. With RPI, you get what you want, not what you’re given.