To adapt to the development of information technology and to realize the strategic goal of automation, the SIPO set up the Automation Leading Group of the SIPO in August to make important decisions on automation. The Automation Department is responsible for daily automation, and a new division, the Information Technology Development Division, was added to the Automation Department.

The automation of the SIPO was progressing smoothly as scheduled.

1. The Electronic Application System

The Electronic Application System is an electronic service system for patent applications, which is not only convenient for applicants, but is also conducive to processing and managing electronic statistics. The specification on processing and flow management, the new edition of the electronic editor, the installation and adjustment of the platform hardware, and the bidding and procurement work on database software and related products, have been accomplished, and, at present, preparation is progressing smoothly and was entered the phase of software installation. the SIPO plans to put the system into trial use in April 2003.

2. Chinese Patent Management System (CPMS III)

Chinese Patent Management System (CPMS III) is a basic system for patent examination and flow management, and a core supporting system for the paperless and electronic flow management. The main system and more than ten sub-systems of CPMS III and their independent function tests were accomplished. Meanwhile, the data transfer, correction and supplementary program was also developed, and a large-scale compilation of statistics was sorted out. The system has entered the joint testing phase and is expected to be put into full use in the first half of 2003. 

3. The Examination Supporting System

For the purpose of improving examination efficiency, the SIPO developed the patent examination support system for examiners, facilitating the formulation of search reports, substantive examination, and the draft of notifications. The sub-systems support classification during substantive examination, format examination, examination for inventions, utility models and designs, and reexamination were developed and are being tested. In August, the testing environment was created for the system. the SIPO held a meeting to launch the testing and trial operation, and organized training for the tests. The system is now under program modification and interface testing, which is supposed to be put into full use in the first half of 2003.

4. The Electronic File System

The Electronic File System, as the important data source, is a management system of electronic images of paper files. The system has accomplished the procurement and installation of equipment and the development and testing of software, and is expected to be put into full use in March 2003.

5. The Electronic Publication System

The Electronic Publication System was the upgraded version of the Patent Documentation Publication System, with the main purposes of realizing the paperless publication procedure, improving quality and shortening the publication period. The first phase of the system has accomplished hardware installation, software development, testing, trial operation, and checking and approval, which was also demonstrated and reported.

6. Search System and Database Construction Process of Code Data

The program is to process all patent documents publicized and announced since 1985 into digital code data to provide a digital data source for the future Patent Full-text Search System, CPMS III, Examination Supporting System, Electronic Publication System and other systems. The program was entirely accomplished in 2002 as planned and formed the 1985-2001 China Patent Digital Database.

China and Foreign Patent Documentation Search System (second phase)

It is a trial system for inquiries and search on patent digital abstracts, drawings and full texts of China and seven major foreign countries and patent organizations. The system completed its development in September, produced a collection of testing results in October, undertook file collection and compilation, and checking and approval within the year.

Patent Full-Text Inquiry System (second phase)

Based upon the US Patent Full-Text Inquiry System the second phase was developed to the streamlining of the full texts of US patents, Japanese patents and other patents to satisfy the urgent demand of examiners. Before June 1, the first group of the US patent full-texts had been processed and loaded into the new database. At present, the loading of Japanese data is underway, and the new version of the search program has been put into use. The system is expected to be completed in early 2003, and at that time, is expected to provide a total of eight TB patent full-texts of many countries, including the US and Japan.

Deep indexed China TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Patent Database

By the end of this March, all the TCM applications from April 1, 1985 to June 30, 2001 have been indexed and the English-versioned database has been demonstrated at the WIPO. After that, TCM patent applications continued to be indexed, and up to now, nearly 5000 TCM patents have been indexed and checked. So far, the indexing work is continuing and it will be in synchronous with the publication of Chinese patent official Gazettes.

Deep indexed China Chemical Medicine Patent Database

This database project is regard as the continuation work for the already finished TCM search database. The project was initiated at a meeting on 21 June 2002. Training and preparation work on index has been accomplished and about 3000 chemical medicine applications were indexed. It is expected that by the end of June 2003, 10,000 chemical medicine application within the designated scope will be indexed and put into use.

Industrial Design Search System

The first phase of the system is to realize search on bibliographies and images of industrial designs, while the second phase is to realize digital search on images of industrial designs. The system is now in the first phase and will be put into trial use in January 2003.

7. The Videoconference System

The SIPO videoconference system was introduced to accomplish the distance video connection between applicants, branches and the SIPO. Since the work was initiated within the year, tests were successfully carried out between the SIPO and the Guangzhou Branch, and between the SIPO and the EPO. The bidding work for videoconference connection between the SIPO and other ten branches is complete and contracts are being prepared. The construction and implementation of the national videoconference system are expected to be initiated in February 2003.

8. Other Programs

The SIPO also established the national patent information system, the network service platform, the long distance education system, and the government website, with a purpose of taking advantage of modern information technology, improving the utilization of patent information, patent administration, and service quality, expanding social influence, and providing service for examination and for society in general.

9. Automation Work in the New Building for Patent Examination

The decoration work of the computer room progressed smoothly and had been accomplished. The procurement contracts on air conditioners and UPS were signed.  The air conditioners were installed and the UPS was also installed and adjusted.

The wire and wireless connections between the old and new buildings have been completed.

The general wiring arrangement in the new building was also completed and a variety of other construction projects were completed.

10. The System Administration Program

The System Administration Program was initiated in 2002, and entered the implementation-testing phase. After implementation, it will improve the intellectual administration of all automation systems will comprehensively and accurately master the network and the operation of all parts of the core system in time, and will guarantee the system safety of the intranet and core operations.

11. Upgrading the EPOQUE.JAVA Search System

With the efforts of the EPO experts and technicians of the Automation Department and the Patent Information Center, the configuration of the servers and the data format were changed as scheduled. Meanwhile, the number of customers linked to the system was increased, and the operation system of the computers for examination was upgraded to Windows 2000, which eased the pressure of examination and searching.

12. Further Optimizing the Intranet Profile

For better administration and use, the SIPO continued to improve the function of the Intranet and made full use of the Intranet and the Internet to provide service for the users in the Office. Some necessary services were also provided to all departments. Meanwhile, the administration of the network in rented working places was also strengthened, including upgrading administration servers, building a network anti-virus system, establishing the WIPO distance learning and so on. In addition, the network in the Examination Supporting Center was established on time, and the telephone expansion program was completed. The videoconference trial system was initialed and achieved good results through testing. A videoconference system was also run with the EPO.

13. Standardization Work

The standardization work made great achievements. In 2002, the SIPO formulated the long-term plan on standardization, discussed and passed the Format Standard of Patent Information Forms, the Patent Information Standard Terms and Definitions, the Patent Information Statistics Standard, the Chinese Patent Documentation Standard, and the Classification Standard of IP Documentation. The IP Documentation Information Standard Terms and Abbreviation and the Classification Table of IP Documentation Information (IPCT) initiated by the SIPO were approved to be the national standards, and were integrated into the 2002 Plan of the Revised National Standards. The formulation of the standard on the XML data format in electronic filing was under way. In addition, in order to strengthen the analysis, research and utilization on the WIPO standard so as to promote the automation of the Office, the SIPO arranged the translation of the latest version of the WIPO Standard, in which more than ten experts and scholars participated in translation and proofreading. Now the preliminary work has been finished, and the standard is expected to be published in early 2003.

14. Daily Maintenance and Renewal of Equipment

At present, there are more than 2000 computers in use in the Office, and as well as a number of printers and scanners and related hardware. Most facilities have realized network administration. The computers for examination have realized centralized installation of operation systems and software through a network, which is a new and effective technical measure to enhance daily operations. the SIPO opened domain accounts for more than 500 new persons, provided network printers, and established about 1800 e-mail accounts after the renewal of Windows 2000. The temperature monitor was added, and the water-supply system for the air conditioners was transformed in the computer room to overcome the intrusive demands of daily maintenance. In order to support the Training Department in solving the problem of insufficient PC training facilities, a large wireless computer teaching room was established and put into use, which contributed greatly to training.

2013-07-17