EPO Search Matters 2021 conference for patent search professionals would be held online, Oct. 6-8, 2021 approximately from 10 AM to 5 PM CET (or 4 to 11 AM ET) [All time below is CET].
This year conference is focused on on medical technologies, one of the fastest paced areas of innovation and patent filing in Europe.
Registration [event is fully booked]. Registration fee is € 90.00 with an additional € 80.00 for participation in one Espacenet search strategy session.
The program consists of Keynote / Plenary Lectures/work-in session/Panel discussion , 11 Workshops (WS01-WS11) (Oct. 6, 7 & 8) and 7 Espacenet search strategy parallel sessions (Oct. 6 and 8, 2021)
Keynote / Plenary Lectures
Wednesday, 6 October 2021
10.15-11.00
Keynote: Medical Technologies – The Future is Now (Andrea Davis, Bodkin IP)
We’ll take a look at a few examples [of medical devices and technologies], explore the patent data behind some of the trends and reflect on what our role as patent information professionals is in the innovation cycle.
11.45-12.15
A (further) help in challenging times: CPC and medical technologies (Pierre Held, Directorate Classification and Documentation, EPO)
[No abstract]
14.05-14.35 hrs
An introduction to the Cooperation Search project [Search.epo.org]
(Paula Larisa Patras, Barnaby Hoyal, examiners ICT, Cooperation Search Project, EPO)
“Search.epo.org is a result of the EPO’s technology jump to a state-of-the-art patent search platform for patent examiners at the EPO and national patent offices. The tool leverages the scalability of the cloud and has the potential to offer significantly improved services to patent examiners worlwide.” Search.epo.org is a result of the EPO’s technology jump to a state-of-the-art patent search platform for patent examiners at the EPO and national patent offices.
During the workshop (on Fr 8 Oct at 11.45 AM CET) interested users will be introduced to the tool in action. The project team developing search.epo.org will be investigating the potential for engaging with the patent search professional community.
11.45-12.15 hrs
A (further) help in challenging times: CPC and medical technologies (Pierre Held, Directorate Classification and Documentation, EPO)
[no abstract]
Thursday, 7 October 2021
11.10-11.40 hrs
Helping creating the haystack and finding a needle in it: AI and medical technology (Alexander Klenner-Bajaja, head of Department Data Science, EPO)
[no abstract]
14.05-14.35 hrs
Make the best out of Global Patent Index (GPI) (Johannes Schaaf, Patent Knowledge Promotion, EPO)
See also slides (35 p.) of this presentation as a part of Apr. 13, 2021 “Using EPO search tools to improve business decisions” workshop and an extended video (1:11:47).
Friday, 8 October 2021
11.45-12.15 hrs
“Walk-in” session
Co-operation Search project (Paula Larisa Patras, Barnaby Hoyal, examiners ICT, Co-operation Search Project, EPO)
13.30-14.15 hr
Panel discussion
Medical technology from today to tomorrow: how can patent searchers cope?
Moderator: Anne-Mieke Reedijk, Principal Director operations, EPO
Panellists: Andrea Davis, Bodkin IP, Domenico Golzio, Director IT, EPO and Gershom Sleightholme, senior expert HBC, EPO)
Workshops
Wednesday, 6 October 2021
10:30-11.35 hrs
Workshop WS01
Access to Japanese prior art with examples from medical technologies, using classification, indexing and citation information (Adam Cohen, examiner and administrator, Directorate of Quality Audit, EPO, Christoph Wirner, examiner, EPO)
The purpose of this workshop is to optimise prior art retrieval via Japanese FI classes and F-term indexing terms, alone and combined with keyword searches. …Examples in the field of medical technologies will be discussed.
See also:
Cohen, Adam., & Wirner, Christoph. Access to Japanese prior art using classification, indexing and citation information. Search matters 2019, May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS01, 42 p. (Note the same presentation on Search Matter 2014, Workshop WS11 is 76 p. long)
13.30-14.00 hrs
Workshop WS02
Searchers and Finders (Joris Van Lith, Directorate Quality Audit, EPO)
In this workshop two extreme mindsets are considered: the Searcher and the Finder. … a search methodology leveraging the advantages of both mindsets is proposed
Cited refs.:
Nijhof, E. (2011). Searching? Or actually trying to find something? – The comforts of searching versus the challenges of finding. World Patent Information, 33(4), 360–363.
14.40-15.10 hrs
WorkshopWS03
Global Dossier and Common Citation Document (Robert Pötzsch & Alan Bacon, examiners, EPO)
…efficient retrieval documents and information that have been cited by other IP offices (e.g. IP5) for patent family members or similar applications. Through practical examples it would be shown what kind of sometimes hidden information can be retrieved and how this information should then be understood. ..Selected examples will be given from the field of medical technology.
See also:
Bacon, Alan and Pötzsch, Robert Retrieving valuable information from international patent office cooperation using Global Dossier and Common Citation Document. Search matters 2019, May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS02, 22 p.
Thursday, 7 October 2021
10.00-10.30 hrs
Workshop WS04
Essentials of Search Engines (Robin Hofe & Ueli Meier, examiners, EPO)
The presentation explains how search engines compare keyword queries to millions of documents and rank them according to their relevance; discuss choice of keywords, indication of importance of individual keywords, and the role of grammar in query construction. Next generation of search engines, utilizing semantic, multilingual and audio-visual searche would be also explored/
Cf.
Thean, Andrew, Ziegler, Stepan. (2020, October 14). The ABC of search engines. Search matters 2020, October 14-16, 2020, Workshop WS05 (Abstract only)
10.35-11.05 AM CET
Workshop WS05
Searching AI related applications in medical technology (Elena Virnik, examiner, EPO)
In this presentation based on examples and case studies, we will show you how to develop search strategies best suited to dealing with challenges searching applications involving AI/ML algorithms (difficult to use patent classification to search mathematical and computational methods:a very complex and extensive search is needed to identify particular AI/ML algorithm which could used in different technologies; search for mathematical formulae or numerical algorithms; (4) NLP search).
Cf.
Virnik, Elena. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning—Challenges and search strategies. Search matters 2019, May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS05, 17 p.
11.45-12.15 CET
Workshop WS06
The problem-solution approach – a powerful search tool (Anne-Cécile Derrien, examiner, EPO)
The problem-solution approach (PSA) is the key method used at the EPO to determine if an application is inventive. In this presentation we will discuss the impact of the PSA for evaluating and adapting a search strategy, addressing
the important conditions for correctly assessing inventive step....We will focus on the following points:
Definition of key notions: Inventive Step, Closest Prior Art (CPA) and Problem Solution Approach (PSA); Different steps of the Problem Solution reasoning?; Focus and refocus a search, using the PSA. … we will explain how the search strategy can be refocused, resulting in increased efficiency and reactivity in the search strategy.
Cf.
Derrien, Anne-Cécile. The Problem-Solution-Approach :a powerful search tool. Search matters 2019. May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS06, 42 p.
13.30-14.00 hrs
Workshop WS07
Searching Asian Non-Patent Literature (Jenny Olausson Boulois, examiner, EPO, Jutta Haußer, Worldwide IP Knowledge team, EPO)
…The most important free-of-charge NPL databases in one of CJK (China, Japan and Korea) languages will be presented, and a short overview how to use them. Efficient and high quality search in Asian NPL at the EPO, achieved by cooperation between various experts in Asian documentation, will be highlighted
14.40-15.10 hrs
Workshop WS08
Search matters? Search Matters! (Hanno Schombacher & Wolfram Meyer, examiners, EPO)
In this interactive workshop we will present real case studies to reveal the importance of a high quality search [before filing a patent application with the EPO]
Cf.
Meyer, W., & Schombacher, H. (2019, May 6). Search Matters? Search Matters. Search matters 2019. May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS03, 21 p.
Friday, 8 October 2021
10.00-10.30 hrs
Workshop WS09
Prior art cited from the internet (David Wienema, examiner, EPO)
…In this workshop, general guidance will be provided as to the applicable legal framework regarding standard and burden of proof according to EPO practice. We will analyse the conditions under which these different kinds of prior art may be relevant and how to search each of them efficiently. We will explore ways of citing YouTube videos; citing an exhibition which is later substantiated by a written disclosure; and considering an existing product as closest prior art by combining several documents. A number of practical methods and computer tools for determining the publication date of an internet disclosure will be presented…
Cf.
Chevret, Anthony. Multimedia, oral description and prior use cited from internet. Search matters 2019, May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS08, 30 p.
Vecchioni, M. D. (n.d.). Establishing the publication date of internet disclosures. Search matters 2019, May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS15, 25 p.
10.35-11.05 hrs
Workshop WS10
Inventor teams and their interrelated patents (Gershom Sleightholme, senior expert/examiner, EPO, Alain Materne, examiner, EPO)
There are other closely interrelated patents and patent applications beyond patent families. Frequently, these are from a single applicant, but often with multiple inventors, or networks of inventors, and concern similar, but not identical subject-matter. This workshop presents … effective search technique [used by EPO in pre-search stage] to retrieve such related applications using inventor names, and for searching for academic literature by the inventors as authors. A novel use of figures in determining relationships will also be shown.
Cf.
Materne, Alain., Sleightholme-Albanis, Gershom., & Clarke, Nigel. Beyond patent families—Interrelated patents and applications. Search matters 2020, October 14-16, 2020, Workshop WS10 (Abstract only)
11.10-11.40 hrs
Workshop WS11
Searching for non-medical features of medical inventions (Anna Kajzar, examiner, EPO)
Cross-technology invention for medical technology includes AI, IoT, image processing, data encryption; and genetics, biotech, chemical and electronic features as elements of medical devices. Several cases relating to different aspects of medical inventions would be discussed to address questions of choice of relevant classifications, use of medicine-oriented databases; searching for feature outside the normal field of search, use of Internet to assess inventiveness
See also:
Kajzar, A. (2019, May 6). Searching cross-technology inventions. Search matters 2019, May 6-8, 2019, Workshop WS26, 18 p.
Espacenet search strategy parallel sessions (a choice of 1 of 7 for additional € 80.00)
Note: A search strategies to be presented Espacenet search strategy parallel sessions appear to be based on search strategies developed by EPO examiners for EPO Fighting coronavirus project. Information on Espacenet search strategies session presented below are supplemented by links of pertinent section of this project, and in addition, includes links to Excel tables which includes search strategies for a group related substances, method or technologies (for a general overview, see also Oct. 25, 2020 PIUG-PF post)
Wednesday, 6 October 2021
15.30-17.00 hrs
Topic 1: Diagnostics: Protein and nucleic acid assays (Frederik Aslund, team manager in HBC[Healthcare, Biotechnology and Chemistry]; Andrée Lahaye, patent knowledge expert, EPO
For search strategies, see Fighting coronavirus , section Diagnostics – Protein and nucleic acid assays. For Nucleic acids analyses, for example search queries developed for Nucleic acid hybridisation assays, which could be used without COVID keyword limitations as
(cl = "C12Q1/70" OR cl = "C12Q1/701" OR cl =/low "c12Q1/68" OR ctxt any "PCR, primer*, probe*,amplif*") AND cl =/low "C12Q1/6813"
All search strategies from Diagnostics – Protein and nucleic acid assays. section are included in Excel spreadsheet posted there
Topic 2: Procedures, Actions and activities: Disinfection (Manuela Nania, examiner in HBC, Roland Feinäugle, patent knowledge expert , EPO)
About 20 search strategies related to disinfection and cleaning are included in the section Technologies for the new normal/ Procedures, actions and activities, as part of Excel spreadsheet with search strategies for this section. Below, for example, a strategy for Spraying of disinfectants, by smaller hand-held unitary sprayers
nftxt any "disinfect*, desinfekt*, antiseptic*, sanitizer*, sanitiser*, germicide*, desinfect*" AND nftxt any "virus, viren" AND (cl = "B05B11/low" OR cl = "B65D83/14/low")
Topic 3: Technologies for fighting the coronavirus (Markus Thieme, team manager in M&M [Mobility & Mechatronics], Geert Boedt, patent knowledge expert, EPO)
See section Technologies to new normal with search strategies for Devices, materials and equipment and Digital Technologies)
Friday, 8 October 2021
14.30-16.00 hrs
Topic 4: Antiviral and symptomatic therapeutics in Espacenet for fighting COVID (Stephen Pilling, senior expert HBC
Roland Feinäugle, patent knowledge expert, EPO)
See Section Vaccines and therapeutics, and subsection Candidate antiviral and symptomatic therapeutics with search strategies' spreadsheet.
Topic 5: Technologies for the new normal: Face Masks (Aurélie Cardin, team manager in HBC, Geert Boedt, patent knowledge expert, EPO)
See Section Technologies for the new normal/Devices, materials and equipment…Face masks Search strategies for face masks are included in ; Devices, materials and equipment spreadsheet. For example, a search strategy below combine the patent classes relevant for face masks and additive manufacturing
cl=(B29C64/low OR B33Y80/00 OR B33Y10/00 OR B33Y30/00) AND cl=(A41D13/11/low)
Topic 6: Corona app: contact tracing and security policies (Léna Kufer, examiner in ICT, Johannes Schaaf, patent knowledge expert, EPO )
Two strategies:"Corona App" contact tracing and Security aspects related to the "Corona App" contact tracing are included into section Technologies for the new normal/Digital technologies
Topic 7: Vaccines and antibodies to fight coronavirus (Zoran Cilensek, examiner in HBC, Andrée Lahaye, patent knowledge expert, EPO)
See Vaccines and therapeutics, subsections ‘Vaccines’(spreadsheet) and ‘Nucleic acids and antibodies to fight coronavirus /Antibodies against coronaviruses’ (spreadsheet)
Update 10/3/2021 3:15 AM Information on Espacenet search strategies from EPO Fighting coronavirus project has been included.
Update 10/3/2021 12:05 AM Links to related workshop presentation at Search Matters 2019 and Search Matters 2019 has been included.
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