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The EPO Co-operation Programme to reorient

patent information centres

Heidrun Krestel

European Affairs, Member States4 October 2010

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The European PATLIB network -38 member states 340 centres (including information units of national patent offices)

IS3

NO1

SE1

AT8FR

28

DE25

PL27

ES25

PT25

SM1

IT61

FI16

EE2

GR4

CH1

CZ11

TR20

AL1

HR1

HU4 RO

17

MK1

BG6

SI3

SK5

DK1

GB14

IE1

LV2

LT5NL

1

BE10

CY1

MT1

LU2

MC2 LI

2

RS1

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Some characteristics

• PATLIB centres in Europe are very diverse in– attachment to national or regional supervising

authorities

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Types of hosting authorities

14%

10%

24%26%

26%

National office

Libraries

Industryassociations

Technologycentres

Universities

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Some characteristics

• PATLIB centres in Europe are very diverse in– attachment to national or regional supervising

authorities– size (staff, infrastructure)– user structure– services provided– funding

• Main users:– small and medium sized enterprises– academic sector

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Traditional services (library based)

Reading room

Document delivery

Basic search services

Helpdesk

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Challenges for PATLIB centres

• Not longer "monopolists" in providing patent documents (and information)

• Patent information is accessible for everybody, often free of charge

• Decreasing budgets in the public sector• Rapidly changing information technology• Changing user demands

PATLIB centres need to become providers of innovation support services

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Co-operation programme to reorient patent information centres

• Objective: – Enable PATLIB centres to offer patent related innovation

support centres mainly in the pre-filing and commercialisation phase of inventions

– Sustainability of the services– Establishing networking relations with other innovation

support institutions

• Implementation procedure:– pilot project with a limited number of centres to test the

concept– inclusion in the National Action Plans– after successful completion -> larger scale implementation

possibly supported by the European Commission

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Selection criteria for pilot participants

• Sufficient staff resources (number and profile)

• Adequate infrastructure and equipment

• Willingness of the hosting organisation to guarantee the centre's funding during and after the pilot project

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Co-operation programme to reorient patent information centres (pilot project)Project components:

• Tools for– enhanced user support for searches (e.g. shared browsing)– patent analyses and visualisation of search results– development of patent strategies and patent portfolio

management– evaluation of the economic potential of inventions

• Modular training programme and e-learning tools

• Coaching by staff from well developed centres already offering sophisticated innovation support services

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Co-operation programme to reorient patent information centres (pilot project)

Accompanying measure:

• Promotional activities for the services (awareness events, information material)

• Fostering the collaboration with other (regional and national) innovation support institutions, e.g. chambers of commerce, EEN

• Experience exchange between the pilot participants

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Roadmap

Approval of the co-operation programme by the AC end of October 2009

Nomination of candidates by the national offices Selection of suitable pilot participants

(18 centres from CZ, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, IT, LV, PL, RO, SK, TR)

Drafting the training programmeo Establishing individual working plans Adapting / acquiring relevant toolso Implementing the agreed activities Regular monitoring and evaluation of implementation activities Project proposal to the EC

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Planned training modules in the pilot project

• Skills and tools for extended search services

• Supplementary services emphasizing business use of patents

• Operating a PATLIB centre in a business environment

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Sophisticated services (business based) to be provided

Patent strategy development

Sophisticated search services

with interpretation of results

Monitoring services

Evaluation of economic value

of IP rights

User training

Commercialisation support

Patent clinics

IP audits

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Funding of the project activities

• Cost sharing according to the EPO's co-operation policy with member states

• List of eligible cost– Acquisition costs for tools necessary for carrying out the new

innovation support services– Costs related to the preparation and production of information

material on the services (e.g. brochures, leaflets).– Costs related to information and awareness events– Costs related to the participation in the training modules for the

pilot project and the participation in the annual PATLIB conference– Costs related to establishing and maintaining networking contacts

to other innovation support institutions – Costs for coaching by staff from advanced PATLIB centres– Costs related to the delivery of extended search services or patent

statistic analyses upon presentation of an evaluation form filled by the client.

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Thank you very much for your attention

Questions?

hkrestel@epo.org