1. Patent Documentation Service

Collection and exchanges of patent documentation: SIPO collected a total of 1 million full-text patent specifications on 40 CD-Roms of 30 countries and 40 types of patent gazettes and 40 patent search data of 28 countries and international organizations (searchable patent information from 88 countries and international organizations). SIPO also sent Chinese patent documentation and some Chinese patent specifications per the request of some foreign patent offices and international patent organizations as well as the Annual Report of 2003 of SIPO to 20 countries and international organizations. The patent documentation information data obtained from collection and exchange was effectively used. Based on the need of examination, data in the full-text network search system was added, 910,000 full-text Japanese patent specifications and 260,000 US specifications.

Collection of non-patent documentation: based on the notion of serving examination, Chinese database was updated, including the full-text database of Chinese periodicals and full-text database of important Chinese newspapers, and foreign databases, Chemical Abstracts and EMBASE. The collections included 118 Chinese journals and 185 foreign-language journals. Nearly 10,000 Chinese and foreign books were also bought. The Office's information resources were further strengthened.

Patent documentation and information publicity and training. Wrote Patent Documentation Promotion Reading Illustrated Patent Documentation ABC and achieved good social effects. Wrote teaching materials for IP distance learning platform, online patent documentation teaching, training tutors and helping online. Continued to conduct public patent information educational activities. In cooperation with the IP training center, had a series of training courses on patent documentation information and technological innovation and achieved great effects.

Promote the utilization and dissemination of patent information. Received 15,000 readers for consultation and browsing in the year and continued receiving jobs on patent documentation search. According to the deployment of the Office and local administrations establishing databases, Jinan Computer-Controlled Machinery Patent, Baotou Rare Earth, Shanghai IC patent, Shenyang Equipment Manufacturing databases were developed. Meanwhile, the Office finished the development of Tianjin IP Office's Whole Set Database and databases of seven organizations including Nantong Science and Technology Bureau, further expanding the application scope of China and foreign patent databases. In order to support the promotion of the databases and serve the local administrations, the Office actively supported Beijing IP Administration to establish specialty databases for companies, assisting them in search skills and database developing. The data of established databases were updated. In addition, the Office had training courses on the use of the databases in Shannxi Yangling IP Information Center, teaching using and searching skills and studied the actual use of the databases.

Report on international intellectual property information: In 2004, 250,000 words of 54 issues of the Intellectual Property Newsletter, 140,000 words of 80 issues of Intellectual Property Express were published, focusing on the latest development and important events in the international intellectual property field. The Express was quick, responsive and informative.

Patent documentation research work: The four issues of the Patent Documentation Research (Quarterly) included a total of around 236,000 words focusing on patent information search. The Development on Classification was published 12 issues including 155,000 words. The Patent Documentation Research focused on the report on IPC development, patent documentation analysis and other topics in 2004.

2. Intellectual Property Publications and Patent Information Service

In 2004, the Intellectual Property Publishing House published 286,330 patents for inventions, utility models and designs, according to law, among which 70,544 patents for inventions, 71,134 patents for utility models, and 71,842 patents for designs, 23,400 PCT international applications. 49,410 granted patents for inventions with an increase of 12% over 2003 in the total amount. 52 paper issues of the Patent Gazette with 63,960 volumes were published. 16,798,273 sheets of patent specifications were copied, a 27.6% increase. Collected 270,300 cases (granted 51,254 inventions, 105,326 utility models and 113,720 designs). In 2004, the Electronic Publication System went into operation, significantly increasing the quality and efficiency of publication while the publication period was cut from 8 weeks to 5 weeks with 3 weeks in the plan. The system was fully capable of receiving the electronic data. Generally speaking, it reached the level of the developed countries

In 2004, a total of 237 categories of books were published among which 146 were new, and 91 categories of books were reprinted. In order to be in line with the IP development, several books were published. Among other books, IP publications and books Posters for the IP Protection Publicity Week, IP Reading achieved relatively good social and economic effects.

On April 16, 2004, with the support from the National News and Publication Administration, the project of publication on demand was initiated. As a useful supplement to traditional publication, it appeared with good developmental trend. In order to satisfy the special need of the public for patent information, the publishing house published 131 types of patent gazettes based on the needs of clients.

The magazine China Invention and Patent (monthly), jointly founded by IP Publishing House and China Invention Association, began formal publication in 2004 and had 12 issues for the year.

In addition to offer patent information of published invention, utility model and design, the SIPO official government website www.sipo.gov.cn has changed its format several times and added new types of contents in an effort to have the public acquire IP information from the government site. Currently, the daily hits on the home page reached 8,000 and 41,000 used the patent search function.

The media for Chinese Patent Specification was DVD. 52 pieces (1 per week) were published for the year. Abstract DVD, Gazette DVD and others were also published.

In order to promote IP work, the IP Publishing House newly developed patent information service system and patent analysis system software. Relevant training and promotion were conducted in many provinces, companies and entities. By the end of 2004, the SIPO decided the House would have the prerogative of patent information service, publishing patent information and providing service to the public.