Program

The PIUG is pleased to announce the program for the PIUG 2017 Annual Conference. When planning your trip to the conference, please keep the following events in mind so that you do not miss out on a valuable opportunity.

PLEASE BE ADVISED that attendees and speakers who are not members of PIUG will not have post-conference access to the conference presentations posted on the PIUG wiki, which is a PIUG member benefit. To enable post-conference access to PIUG conference presentations, and to also save significantly on PIUG conference registration fees, BECOME A MEMBER of PIUG by going to the PIUG Membership page.

Registration

The deadline for Early-bird registration is April 1, after which rates will increase. Register NOW. Rates are available by clicking details under the PIUG 2017 Annual Conference on the PIUG Calendar Page.

Conference Program at a Glance

Technical Session - Monday to Wednesday

The PIUG would like to inform all conference attendees that the use of photographic or recording devices of any kind to create recordings of the conference proceedings including the technical program and workshops is strictly prohibited. This includes recordings by the audience for personal use.

Please note that the speakers listed below may change if circumstances arise. Accordingly, please monitor this web page for updated information.

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Conference Abstracts and Biographies

Keynote Address: Goals, Tasks, and Information Retrieval

Nicholas Belkin, Rutgers University

Abstract

In recent years, research in information retrieval and information seeking has begun to shift its attention from issues of associated with the presentation of a ranked list of documents, in response to a specific query, to concern with information seeking as a process. This has led to research on how best to support search sessions as a whole, and, especially, to understanding the goals which lead people to engage in information seeking, and the tasks which they seek to accomplish, both with respect to those goals, and with respect to the information searching process itself. The aims of such research are, in general: to be able to identify and characterize these goals and tasks; to provide appropriate support for the variety of interactions with information associated with these goals and tasks; and, to evaluate information retrieval system performance with respect to usefulness in accomplishment of tasks and goals. In this talk, I survey the rationale and current state of such research, with reference to some current research taking place at Rutgers University, provide an example case of its application to a patent information task, and speculate a bit on how such research could lead to new models for information retrieval system design in specific contexts.

Biography

Nick Belkin is a Distinguished Professor of Library and Information Science at Rutgers School of Communication and Information. He is best known for his work on human-centered information retrieval and development of the cognitive viewpoint in information science. His research involves information-seeking behaviors, and the interaction between humans and information retrieval systems. He is a recipient of the ACM SIGIR Salton Award, and the ASIS&T Award of Merit.

Search Technology: Patent Information from Our Vantage Point
[Emerald Sponsor Presentation – Search Technology]

Nils Newman, Search Technology

Abstract

This year marks Search Technology's twentieth year of helping companies analyze patent information. From our vantage point as software developers, we have watched with great interest as patent data evolved from a highly specialized, expensive resource to a relatively inexpensive commodity available to all. How has this change influenced our design of the tools you use? What impact will the democratization of patent information have on the future? What is the role of the specialist in this new environment? The changes over the last twenty years provide both challenges and opportunities as we plan for the next twenty years.

Biography

Nils Newman is the President of Search Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. For over two decades, Mr. Newman has worked on the development of analytical tools to assist in the management of technology. His work focuses on the use of bibliographic and patent information in research evaluation, competitive intelligence, and strategic planning. Mr. Newman has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Technology and Science Policy from Georgia Tech. In his spare time, he continues to pursue a PhD in Economics from UNU-MERIT at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands studying the economics of technical change.

Finessing Patent Related Information – Utilizing New Resources Using "Old School" Techniques

Barbara Miller, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR)

Abstract

As a patent searcher, you have available a wide range of resources containing patent and related information. Gone are the days of waiting in the mailroom for the new database publications to arrive in print; rather, the difficulty we now face is the seemingly endless number of patent and non-patent databases, websites, blogs, media outlets, and even social media platforms. How can you cover all of the different options, not miss anything, and meet the client's two week deadline? Is there a better/easier/faster way to find relevant information? Can you apply the techniques that you already know to the new information sources? Let's discuss how to upgrade one "old school" approach, finding references using classification codes, using the "new" CPC codes. This approach allows searchers to utilize the knowledge and expertise of our colleagues at the patent offices- talented individuals who continue to develop new codes on emerging concepts in the literature. "Old school" approaches can also be used to examine some of the modern information sources, and we will consider when to use these types of resources. By utilizing a diverse range of resources using "old school" techniques, we can easily meet the patent information needs of our clients.

Biography

Barbara Miller is currently a Patent and Scientific Analyst at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge, MA. Prior to joining Novartis in August of 2009, she was an Information Scientist at Pfizer in Groton, CT, where she supported a variety of research and development teams by providing literature, patent, regulatory, and competitive information. Barbara began her searching career at the Pfizer facility in Ann Arbor, MI, in 2001 as a biopatent searcher after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. She has a PhD in Biological Sciences from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, a MS in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance from Temple University, and a BS in Chemistry from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN.

Machine Translation of Patents. Here to Stay?

Jane List, Extract Information Limited, and Editor-in-Chief World Patent Information

Abstract

A brief history of machine translation (MT) for patents. Where are we now? A review of some current MT techniques and a look at the good, and the 'could be better' with real examples. The dual purpose of machine translations – for search and for understanding. How to cope with searching machine translations. Reaching an understanding of the invention and the scope of protection using machine translations. How has the existence of bulk machine translated collections influenced our approach to search and analysis of patent documents?. How are developers of MT collections managing their collections as MT itself improves? How should we eport results when MT documents are cited. This talk aims to provide a review of the current situation and will conclude by exploring the future of MT, and how human assisted MT (HuMT) for patents, and the newer neural, NMT techniques can assist retrieval and analysis of patent documents.

Biography

Jane List runs her own business, Extract Information Limited, which she founded in 2013. Extract Information provides consultancy, search services, and training, all with a focus on commercial uses of patent information. She is currently helping her clients manage their IP portfolios, build IP strategies and policies, file strong patents, understand competitor patents, understand the technology landscape, understand the market(s) for their technology, track their industry, find new customers and markets. Jane has BSc. in Chemistry, MSc. in Information Science and Cert. in Intellectual Property Law. She is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, PATMG and PIUG. In July 2014 she became co-Editor in Chief of World Patent Information Journal, and is now Editor in Chief. Underlining her passion for patent information this year Jane co-founded the Cambridge Information and IP Meeting. In the UK as an annual meeting and to provide training in IP information and commercialization.

Quick Automation or Laborious Manual Tagging – Finding the Right Balance

Andrea Davis

Abstract

As automation takes a more prominent role in patent analytics, it is important to understand the level of accuracy in those processes. The presentation aims to compare manual classification of a patent data set with different levels of incorporating automatic features of patent search tools working with the same data set.

Biography

Andrea Davis is an accomplished intellectual property (IP) professional with expertise in medical devices and the mechanical sector. She is a registered patent agent with a M.Sc. degree in Engineering Physics from Lund University, Sweden. Andrea’s extensive patent research experience in both outside firms and in-house has shaped an understanding of patent process requirements and the importance of quality in patent research. She is passionate about the science of patent searching and is participating in efforts to create a global certification for patent information professionals. Andrea is a reviewer for the Elsevier Journal "World Patent Information" and her expertise is sought by database providers to develop the next generation of tools and analytics with an eye towards accuracy.

Bringing Clarity to your IPR+D Search and Intelligence through Right Combination of Technology and Human Expertise
[Emerald Sponsor Presentation – Evalueserve]

Anoop Sankar, Evalueserve

Abstract

Expert searchers and in-house IP and R&D analysts are faced with a big challenge – how to strike the right balance between ensuring accuracy and effort investment. Evalueserve has developed some best practices to help them. Based on 10+ years of IPR+D experience and our Mind+Machine approach, these best practices suggest the right combination of technology and human expertise to address this key search challenge.

In this year's PIUG, we will share some best practices around IPR+D search, as well as use cases related to building comprehensive search queries using the right technology. For example, we will discuss the use of text analytics for informed decisions on the scope of search and intelligence projects. We will also highlight how text analytical tools like KMX can be combined with human expertise for additional searches, tagging, and result sorting.

Biography

Anoop Sankar heads Evalueserve's IP and R&D operations in North America. He has been with Evalueserve for more than a decade and was leading the IP Life Sciences practice before moving to the US in 2014. He works closely with Evalueserve's account managers in North America, oversees key client accounts, and interfaces between the operations team and clients to provide his IP expertise. Anoop holds a master's degree in plant pathology with specialization in molecular biology. Prior to joining Evalueserve, he was involved in transgenics /recombinant engineering research.

Single Pass Numerical Matching – a Linguistic Solution to Numerical Searching

David Woolls, CFL Software Limited

Abstract

This presentation describes a method of analysing the abstracts and claims of patent documents to extract the numeric values linked to specific items such as % composition or mechanical properties. This is a complex issue because natural language provides so many ways of connecting the numerical values to the item referred to and with patents there is an additional problem of setting the numerical information in the context of the patent claim. The authors have collaborated to develop a language based approach to solving this problem. An initial focus was to identify the numeric ranges for a number of elements in metal alloys and compare them with the range being searched for. We will briefly describe the collaborative process, then present the results and explain how this is a generic solution, rather than specific to the original requirement.

Biography

David Woolls is the founder and current Chief Technology Officer of CFL Software, a company specialising in the close comparison of electronically held documents. He is the author of the plagiarism detection program CopyCatch Investigator, widely used in education since the late 1990s. In parallel he has overseen the development of bespoke linguistically-based solutions for government departments, professional bodies and the commercial sector, as well as developing a recent interest in the field of patent search and comparison. Co-author David Goodchild has a PhD from Birmingham University for the study of crystallography and plastic anisotropy in metals. After a career in both the steel and aluminium industries, in R&D and production, he managed the intellectual property of an international company. Subsequently he has set up his own company to provide patent information to companies involved in the production or use of aluminium, steel, rare earths and related materials.

Finding Formulations: Challenges and Opportunities

Matthew McBride, ScienceIP (CAS)

Abstract

Chemical formulations are a key aspect of many innovative new products across a broad range of industries including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, building materials, agriculture, and consumer goods. It is therefore important that IP searchers can effectively and efficiently identify and analyze patents, literature, and other potential sources of formulations information. However, though formulations are easy to find in our daily lives, tracking them down in IP searches can present significant challenges. This talk will highlight current opportunities and challenges in searching formulations, offer some techniques and tips to optimize your search approach, and consider new possibilities for making formulations information more discoverable in the future.

Biography

Matt is celebrating 13 years of employment with CAS. He joined CAS as an Applications Specialist, and his duties included providing STN and SciFinder technical training to CAS customers. Matt now works for Science IP, the CAS search service. He joined ScienceIP in 2010, and now manages the service. He holds a Master of Science degree in plant pathology from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology from Purdue University. In addition to his research experience at CAS, Matt was an information consultant with Thomson Reuters and a biologist at Rohm and Hass. Matt is an enthusiastic supporter of PIUG and is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

PATENTSCOPE Functionalities

Iustin Diaconescu, WIPO

Abstract

The latest PATENTSCOPE functionalities such as the chemical search , the neural machine translation, the integration with the Global Dossier, the data coverage and some other UI changes.

Biography

Iustin Diaconescu is a software engineer working for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva as the head of the Patent Database Section. He has been involved in document management and information retrieval systems since 2000; he has engineered complex web systems for several international organizations like WTO, WHO and since 2007 he has overseen the PATENTSCOPE system. Iustin graduated from Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland, with a Master's in Computers Science.

Prior Art Searches at Various Levels of Product Pyramid – A Startup Perspective

Vivek Doulatani, Ather Energy Pvt. Ltd

Abstract

A new product or its improvements involve multiple stages of development and may be visualized as a pyramid. These multi-stage developments should be driven with the right kind of prior art search and analysis. But what is also important is that each of these searches are being done at the right stage of the development and with a proper depth. For example, patentability and infringement searches should be carried out at various levels of product pyramid for a single invention and the depth at which these searches are conducted will be different at different levels. Having an unstructured approach of conducting prior art search towards a structured product pyramid may distort the pyramid itself. The distortions may be in terms of infringements, loss of priority and frivolous filings. Also with products being smart, it becomes imperative to move cross domain and conduct cross domain searches. The paper proposes to present a structured approach towards conducting prior art searches in terms of what search may be carried out at what level of the pyramid and how deep with an intent to facilitate a guided and an informed development of the product pyramid.

Biography

Vivek has a Masters in Engineering (automotive) and a Masters in Intellectual Property. He has more than seven years of experience in patent searching and analytics. He currently leads the department of intellectual property at an automotive start-up company (based in Bengaluru, India), Ather Energy which is involved in research, design, development, and manufacturing of India's first smart electric scooter. His present role includes, creating, and managing intellectual property portfolio from ground up, at the same time aligning and leveraging company's intellectual property for business development. He has developed a patent search tool by creating a concordance between industrial sectors and IPC/CPC classification, to ease the process of searching. He has filed for five patent applications as an inventor. He also helps in creating IP awareness in engineering colleges by delivering talks, guiding, and helping them, draft and file patent applications.

Patent Information Analysis for Creating New Business

Jo Sagawa, AsahiKASEI Corporation

Abstract

The Asahi Kasei Group is a diversified chemicals manufacturer in Japan with net sales of approximately 16 billion US dollars and operating income of approximately 1.5 billion US dollars. The Technical Information Group, one of the sections of the intellectual property department, have been conducting necessary investigations at key stages of IP activities, bearing the watchword "patent search is the essence of IP management" in mind, we have developed the foundation for appropriate investigation. We are proud that we have established a position as a front runner in the Japanese patent research industry. In recent years, the Technical Information Group have enhanced its mission, namely, have been strengthening analysis of patent information, so as to contribute to business projects in the Asahi Kasei Group. We have focused on looking at IP situations of the entire Asahi Kasei Group companies from an objective standpoint of view in thorough comparison with competitors in various technical fields relating to our business. Now, we are trying to establish such analytical methods that contribute to the creation of new business that is required in recent years. Although challenging, we have achieved results by making full use of our IP foundation and latest patent analysis tools.

Biography

I joined Asahi Kasei corp. in 2006, and was assigned to the IP department. In 2013, I transferred to the new business development department. I had been engaged in planning and strategizing planning for new business / research theme for 3 and a half years. After that, I came back to the IP department in 2016. Now, I am doing patent search and analysis. I have the qualification of the Senior Intellectual Property Analyst(a national qualification).

Back to the Future – Where Clarivate Analytics Has Been and Where We're Headed [Sapphire Sponsor Presentation]

Bob Stembridge and Daniel Videtto, Clarivate Analytics

Abstract

Innovation has a key role to play in addressing today's global challenges and we as information professionals are in a pivotal position to help accelerate the pace of innovation and find answers to some of the most pressing questions. As we race headlong towards the future, however, it's sometimes good to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect where we have come from.

The PIUG will be thirty years old next year. From its origins as a small ad hoc group of patent information scientists to today's 500 plus strong organization, the focus of the group has remained to work with intellectual property database producers and vendors to maintain and to improve the quality of their product from the customer, or user, perspective.

Clarivate Analytics will be one year old next year. And yet its roots go back well over fifty years with the foundation of Derwent and the patent information services that continue to this day. New developments, from SmartSearch capability based on artificial intelligence, landscape mapping and advanced visualizations and enhanced content may appear, but two things remain constant.

The first is the need for clear, accurate, dependable, discoverable information together with the tools and services to help deal with the tsunami of information that patent information professionals have to manage on behalf of their organizations. And the other is the organization that remains devoted to developing and delivering to patent information professionals the information, tools and services they need to create actionable intelligence for their organization.

This presentation will re-visit the origins of Clarivate Analytics and look forward to some exciting developments in the near future.

Biographies

Bob Stembridge is based in London, UK, and is responsible for IP analytics marketing projects and for liaison with customer user groups for Thomson Reuters. He joined Derwent (one of the founding components of the IP Solutions business of Thomson Reuters) in 1980 and has held various roles in editorial, marketing, sales and product development over the years. Leaving in 1988 for interludes working as Senior Information Analyst specialising in patent analytics at British Petroleum and European Sales Liaison with Dialog, he returned to Thomson Reuters in 1996. His current responsibilities include authoring specialist reports and white papers based on IP analysis and providing media background and commentary.

Bob graduated from University of Sussex, UK with an Honours degree in Chemistry. He belongs to several professional bodies (ACS, CILIP and PIUG) and serves as Treasurer of CSA Trust and is immediate past-Chair of PATMG. He has spoken at numerous conferences and symposia over many years.

Dan Videtto joined Clarivate Analytics in February 2017 as President of the IP and Techstreet businesses. Dan was most recently an Executive Committee Member of Interactive Data (IDC), where he was the Managing Director and President of Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong. Prior to that, Dan was a member of the Executive Committee at Information Holdings where he was President of the MicroPatent and Master Data Center businesses.

Dan graduated from California State University – Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian Studies and then went on to earn his Master's in International Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Phoenix, AZ.

Timelines: A Visualization Option for FTO Analysis Built with BizInt Smart Charts and Visio 2-Visualisation Tools [Sapphire Sponsor Presentation – BizInt]

Gregory Roland, Novartis, and Matt Eberle, BizInt

Abstract

Organizations initiating a research project which requires a large commitment of resources will routinely conduct a freedom to operate (FTO) or clearance search to determine whether aspects of the project in question infringes valid intellectual property (IP) rights of others. Timelines provide a foundation for the patent attorneys' FTO analysis.

Frequently the patent attorney will sketch out a time line of search results to understand the order of events relative to dating and geographic coverage of the patents and non-literature to identify potential issues. By ordering the patents/published applications by priority date and non-patent literature by publication date issues can be identified. For example, it reveals IP that represents prior art against newer patents or the dominance of earlier, broader patents over later, narrower patents. Analyzing the priority timeline will reveal whether some patents should be licensed or designed around by developing alternative technology.

Instead of manually creating the view of the patent timeline we present an option on how to create a presentation quality view via an export from BizInt to Visio that can reveal potential issues that can be shared with management and has the potential to be updated.

Biographies

Greg Roland is currently the Global Head of Search and Analytics within the patent department at the Novartis Institutes of BioMedical Research (NIBR) located in Cambridge, MA. Greg has 27 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and 18 years searching the patent literature. He started his career as a bench scientist at Parke-Davis in Ann Arbor, Michigan before transitioning to the Research Library at Parke-Davis in 1999 taking on the role of supporting FTO requests for research tools. After Pfizer acquired Parke-Davis in 2000, Greg moved to a management role while continuing to be an individual contributor in the patent space. In 2005 he was part of the management team that created the Global Legal Information Science Team (GLIST) within Pfizer's patent department. In August of 2009 he joined the Merck's Knowledge Discovery Knowledge Management (KDKM) group in World Wide Licensing as a Director responsible for pre-clinical competitive intelligence.

Matt Eberle is an information professional with over ten years spent in the pharmaceutical industry at Wyeth, Pfizer and Sunovion, where he held positions of Senior Information Scientist and Pharmaceutical Information Analyst. He has worked with groups across the organization, from early R&D to legal and commercial, supporting a range of therapeutic areas. As a result, he has handled information requests from the routine to the never-to-be-repeated. He's always interested in talking about search challenges and the tools to tackle them. After 10 years as a customer, Matt joined the BizInt Solutions team in July 2013 as Product Specialist. He facilitates BizInt Smart Charts product development, marketing, and customer support.

Modern Semantic Search – Similarity Search in Patents via Deep Learning

Sumeet Sandhu, Elementary IP

Abstract

This talk follows our PIUG 2016 submission titled "Similarity Search in Patents via Artificial Intelligence," where we described advanced word models built with modern Artificial Intelligence (Deep Learning). These 'similar' word models were built by capturing a word's local context in a sentence – allowing a one-click lookup of semantically related words such as synonyms that would otherwise be missed. Here we extend the idea to 'similar' document models, which enable better semantic search and classification of documents. We will present numerical comparisons of AI-based document search and classification to older technologies such as Latent Semantic Analysis.

Biography

Dr. Sumeet Sandhu is CEO and Founder of Elementary IP, which is an Enterprise Software company providing next generation software tools for patent search, classification and analysis based on Deep Learning. Before EIP, she served in various R&D, management and business roles at Intel for 10 years. She is an inventor on over 55 patents, with several implemented on millions of wireless devices worldwide. She holds Electrical Engineering degrees from Stanford (PhD) and MIT (MS, BS).

Auto-identification of High Emergence Patents

Alan Porter, Search Technology

Abstract

Indicators of technological emergence promise valuable intelligence. We present an implemented algorithm to calculate emergence scores for topical terms from abstract record sets. We offer a family of emergence indicators deriving from those scores. Primary emergence indicators identify "hot topic" terms, then use those to generate secondary indicators that reflect organizations, countries, or authors especially active at research frontiers in a target domain. We also flag abstract patent records rich in emergent technology content. We show results for dye sensitized solar cells, an intriguing nanotechnology-enabled energy technology.

Biography

Alan Porter is Professor Emeritus and Co-director of the Georgia Tech Program in Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (STIP). He is also Director of R&D for Search Technology, Inc., Norcross, GA (producers of VantagePoint and Thomson Data Analyzer software) He is author or co-author of some 240 articles and books, including Tech Mining (Wiley, 2005) and Forecasting and Management of Technology (Wiley, 2011). Current research draws on National Science Foundation support to investigate technical emergence scoring. Publications available at: http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alan_Porter4.

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Deep Neural Networks: What Does All of this Have to do with Patent Analytics?

Parthiban Srinivasan, Parthys Reverse Informatics

Abstract

When new technologies become easier to use, they transform industries. That's what's happening with artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. Machine learning is often described as a type of AI where computers learn to do something without being programmed to do it. Deep learning, a subset of machine learning, is proving to work especially well on classification. Big breakthroughs happen when what is suddenly possible meets what is desperately needed. For years, patent analysts have been searching and reviewing terabytes of information, not only patents but also non-patent information. Not only to find prior art but also to identify patents of interest, rate their quality, assess the potential value of patent clusters, and identify potential business partners or infringers. With the rapid increase in the number of patent documents worldwide, demand for their automatic clustering/categorization has grown significantly. Many information science researchers have started to experiment with machine learning tools, but the adoption in the patent information space has been sporadic. In this talk, we aim to review the prevailing machine learning techniques and present several sample implementations by various research groups. We will also discuss how data science compares with machine learning, deep learning, AI, statistics and applied mathematics.

Biography

Srinivasan Parthiban is the founder of Parthys Reverse Informatics, a leading information research which supplies solutions for all the aspects in Patent Analytics, Drug Discovery Informatics, Data Analysis and Data Cleaning. Parthiban Srinivasan earned his PhD from the Indian Institute of Science, specializing in Computational Chemistry. He holds dual Masters Degree- one in Science and the other in Engineering. He has authored several international and national research publications and a Chapter in a book. He is a regular speaker at international conferences. He worked for NASA Ames Research Center (USA), Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel) and AstraZeneca. Later, Parthi moved into Contract Research Organizations in India, where he headed Knowledge Engineering Business Units. Parthi is a regular attendee of PIUG annual conferences and exhibited four times at the PIUG conferences (2009 -2012) in the past and attended PIUG meeting as speaker three times in the past.

The Enhaced Patent Quality Initiative and Search: A Brief Timeline with Options for the Future

Robert Grantham, Reveal-IP LLC

Abstract

There has been significant controversy recently about the quality of issued patents. In 2011, the America Invents Act Passed and Post Grant Reviews, including IPR's, became a reality. IPR's, can only be brought on prior art, 102 or 103 grounds. Significant numbers of patents have been overturned. This causes much uncertainty for applicants and undermines the Presumption of Validity. The Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative materialized in February 2015. Since the inception of the Initiative the PTO has forwarded two proposals for search: Crowd Sourcing and the Automated Pre-Examination Search. Recently, outside studies have shown comparative differences in both search procedure and search product between the USPTO and the EPO, and other foreign Offices. The US private sector is yet another comparative model. At this stage of the Patent Quality Initiative it appears the Office has three options to address the patent quality issue from the search side of the problem. However, besides crowd sourcing and the pre-examination search, the Office has been silent on the issue. The Office, as the Controller of all things patent, must ask hard questions and encourage novel thinking so that a path forward that attacks the prior art problem at its source can be found.

Biography

Mr. Grantham began his career as a patent searcher with a small search firm in in 1989. After 1 and half years he took a position with the Washington DC law firm Nixon and Vanderhye where he stayed for the next 18 years becoming the search department manager. Robert left N&V at the end of 2008 to become a search consultant. He works out of the public searchroom at the USPTO and uses EAST to access patent material. Robert is a generalist and has done work for several fortune 500 companies as well as for smaller inventors across a broad range of inventive fields. His focus is in the mechanical and electro-mechanical arts. Robert’s academic background is in Technology Policy. More recently he has come to recognize that patent searching is the “red-headed step-child” of the patent industry. This talk is an expression of that idea.

Winning the Game of Cat and Mouse:  Helping IP Searchers Find Elusive Patents
[Sapphire Sponsor Presentation - STN]

Brian Sweet, STN

Abstract

Those who draft patents and those who search patents have very different goals. While patent authors sometimes seek to minimize the extent of disclosure and searchability of their patents, patent searchers must achieve comprehensive retrieval. In this talk we will review some case studies of elusive patent disclosures and demonstrate various techniques and tools to help give patent searchers a fair advantage.

Biography

Brian Sweet is the Senior STN Product Manager at CAS, based in Columbus, Ohio, where he has worked for 15 years. He focuses on STN products and services, including its traditional and newer platforms. Brian began his career at BIOSIS in Philadelphia, then moved on to Elsevier in New York and Amsterdam, where he managed the development and marketing of EMBASE and a number of other scientific databases. Brian holds a Masters in Information Studies from Drexel University, and did undergraduate work in biology as well as history. His interests include gardening, music and traveling, and he is looking forward to a cruise to Alaska this summer. Brian is a long time PIUG member and is delighted to be meeting with his PIUG colleagues here in Atlanta.

Industry 4.0 and the Role of Patent Information in Innovation: EPO Perspective

Nigel Clarke, European Patent Office

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is testimony to the disruption that new technologies bring across the societies in which we live and work, and the world of IP is no exception. The EPO is preparing to adapt its patent processes, and the way it handles patent information as the disruption will affect patent searching. But who are the current and potential future users of patent information and what do they use it for? The EPO has carried out research to identify the role of patent information in the innovation process. Whilst validating assumptions, the research results also brought to light new findings which will trigger a number of actions from the EPO. This presentation will give the EPO perspective on the future of patent information against the backdrop of innovation and industry 4.0.

Biography

Nigel S. Clarke is Manager of the European Patent Office's patent information research function.

He joined the EPO as patent examiner and subsequently IT manager. Nigel later worked in international cooperation. Until recently he was Department Head responsible for Espacenet and the European Patent Register. He has authored book chapters and papers on patents, patent information, and innovation, and has lectured widely.

Leaving academia, Nigel started work in the UK Civil Service, mainly on focused energy beams for microanalysis. He published numerous scientific papers.

Nigel studied physical chemistry at Exeter University and holds a PhD in neutron science. He carried out post-doctoral research on carbon fibres at Surrey University

He holds Memberships of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Physics and is a Chartered Scientist, UK Science Council. He has external academic positions at a number of UK universities. Nigel serves on the Editorial Board of World Patent Information.

National IPR Policy of India and Its Implementation

Raj Hirwani, CSIR-URDIP

Abstract

The Government of India announced its first National Intellectual Property Rights Policy in May 2016. This Policy aims to integrate IP as a strategic tool in national development plans. It seeks to reinforce the IPR framework in the country that will create public awareness about economic, social and cultural benefits of IPRs among all stakeholders, stimulate IPR generation and commercialization, modernize and strengthen service-oriented IPR administration as also the enforcement mechanisms for combating IPR violations. The policy document lays the roadmap for the future of IPRs in India and is expected to promote a holistic and conducive ecosystem to catalyse the full potential of intellectual property for India's economic growth and socio-cultural development, while protecting public interest. This presentation will give broad contours of the National IPR Policy, the objectives that are sought to be achieved through detailed action points and implementation plans as well as progress made so far.

Biography

The speaker until recently was Head of IP Directorate at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) which is responsible for running national laboratories in civilian sectors of economy in India. Presently he is Technical Adviser at CSIR's Unit for Research and Development of Information Products which is extensively involved in Patent Informatics activities.

Study on the Effectiveness of "A SWOT Analysis"

Tsutomu (Ben) Kiriyama, Raytec Ltd.

Abstract

Study on the effectiveness of "a SWOT analysis" based on Japanese patent/non-patent information, to design (build up) the company's strategy of R&D and/or IP.

In private companies, patent searcher often takes part of some theme searches. The results of those researches are often used to build up the strategy of R&D and/or IP. It is one of the most appropriate methods for searchers, so that we are tackling with strategy planning by "a SWOT analysis" of patent/non-patent information for several themes. Case studies are done against Japanese patents, for example, 1. Seismic isolation 2. Thermal barrier paint 3. Walking support system On this presentation, we conclude "a SWOT analysis" is effective method for building up strategies for R&D and IP through those case studies.

Biography

Tsutomu Kiriyama is Chair of PDG of INFOSTA in Japan. He is a guest researcher of JAPIO. He is also an adviser of HAYABUSA (falcon) International P.O. He is also a schoolmaster of Raytec Co.

Patent Analysis and Visualization: An Update on Challenges and Opportunities

Nils Newman, Search Technology

Abstract

Patent analysis is not a simple process. It is a complex procedure that incorporates a variety of different mathematical, statistical, and algorithmic techniques many of which are still evolving. This presentation outlines some key research areas used by developers of patent analysis tools. It also addresses the limitations of current techniques as well as the opportunities presented by emerging areas of research. The goal of the presentation is to help the audience sort out what is and is not possible with today's patent analysis software and to suggest some of the prospects the future might hold.

Biography

Nils Newman is the President of Search Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. For over two decades, Mr. Newman has worked on the development of analytical tools to assist in the management of technology. His work focuses on the use of bibliographic and patent information in research evaluation, competitive intelligence, and strategic planning. Mr. Newman has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Technology and Science Policy from Georgia Tech. In his spare time, he continues to pursue a PhD in Economics from UNU-MERIT at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands studying the economics of technical change.

Next-Generation Semantic Mapping and Landscaping

James Durkin, IP.com

Abstract

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of next-generation semantic map visualizations. Semantic maps utilize machine-learning algorithms to provide a visualization of the relationship between documents. They can be used for patent landscape searching, competitive intelligence, and identifying technology trends. Improvements to mapping algorithms, concept labeling, document clustering, and user interfaces will be discussed.

Biography

As Sales Engineer, Jim is responsible for supporting the IP.com and IEEE sales teams with IP.com's semantic search platform InnovationQ Plus. He formerly worked as a Patent Examiner for the USPTO. Jim holds a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School, where he graduated cum laude, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Rochester Institute of Technology, where he graduated with highest honors.

Jumpstart: IP Quarrying for R&D

Kris Atkinson, A/A Patent Investigations

Abstract

A key feature of our mission as patent searchers has been to show that an invention hasn't been thought of or in existence previously. In the main, our clients have been commercial entities who wish to market a product or their outsourced legal representatives: their interest in what's out there is less explanation-intensive than for laboratory or skunk works personnel, who often want to know how others have tackled their problem. They usually are minimally acquainted with patent data as a creative scientific resource.

The patentsphere provides reviews, interpretations and motivation that may not filter through the confines of peer-reviewed professional literature. It also contains data not available elsewhere, such as in proprietary gene sequences or unpublished experimental results. Through a patent-derived channel of analysis, the patent professional can deliver a competitive advantage to development teams and proactively jumpstart brainstorming sessions.

This presentation will explore the rationale and ways of integrating a patent landscape into a research feasibility effort and how to benefit from understanding the thinking and focus of academics and research professionals. With the high market value of intellectual property not yet reduced to practice, generating new or broader IP represents an avant-garde opportunity moving beyond evidence, diligence and proof.

Biography

Kristine Atkinson holds a doctorate in genetics, master's degree in cell biology, and an undergraduate degree in foreign languages and linguistics. She has written and presented analyses of non-patent literature, lossy data compression, sequence analysis and inclusive patent search paradigms. As principal of A/A Patent Investigations she presently does contract patent search and training for biotech and medical device projects. Dr. Atkinson has supervised laboratories in electron microscopy, flow cytometry, immunology and protein purification, and has been a professor of legal writing, physiology, immunology, parasitology, tissue culture and communicable disease. She has worked in both public and private sectors, is a USPTO-registered patent agent, and has long experience acting as a liaison between R&D and the IP department. She has co-chaired PIUG’s training and education committee, was an instructor in patent informatics for WIPO and is presently on the membership committee.

Seeing Our Work Through Other Eyes: Talking to Engineers About Patents and Patent Information

Cathy Chiba, Dauratus Research

Abstract

As patent information practitioners, we have highly specialized expertise. Our knowledge makes our skills unusual and uniquely valuable, but it also makes us vulnerable, because few people truly understand what we do.If we want to understand how to communicate our value to the people we serve, we need to understand how our clients and potential clients think about patents and patent information. If we are information specialists, we may see the problem as an information problem: a gap between what they do know and what we think they should know. To persuade others of the value of patent information work, however, we need to understand their initial positions. What do they assume? What do they believe? And, perhaps critically, how do they feel about the role of patents and patent information in their professional lives? If those we wish to help have negative perceptions of patents, patent information, and patent information specialists, then our patent education efforts may be doomed to failure unless we address the perceptions first.

Biography

Cathy Chiba lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia.

A Real Patent Searcher Should Perform Beyond Just a Patent Searcher

Rong Yang, Allergan

Abstract

As patent searchers, it is expected that we have core competency in patent laws and regulations. This knowledge adds a higher dimension to how we handle FTO (Freedom-to-Operate, or “Clearance” Search), patentability, validity, and technology landscape search. But in our real world of the pharmaceutical industry, a patent searcher may be required to understand laws, regulations, and rules far beyond patent field. For example, in the pharmaceutical arena, a patent searcher should be familiar with FDA/EMEA/Health Canada laws and regulations. This is particularly important in analyzing drug approval pathways, marketing timelines, and generic entry scenarios. In this talk, specific examples will be presented on:

1. US Generic drug entry analysis; where to gather the signals; how to predict launch dates by connecting ANDA development steps; FDA approval cycles; and Paragraph IV litigation progress;
2. EU SPC information; its fundamentals and utilization, and resources to easily locate this information; how to utilize the acquired information to analyze commercial activities in Europe;
3. US Biosimilar development tracking; the newly implemented BPCI Act of Mar 2010 that brought forensic actions in the biosimilar development; where to gather data and how to interpret it in order to develop an accurate map for a biosimilar entry.

Biography

Rong Yang earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy, in 2002. Rong is a registered Patent Agent (USPTO Registration No. 60834, 2007) and is Associate Director – Patent Liaison, Allergan, since 2008.

Soft Skills, Neglected Features in a Hardcore Technical Environment

Bodil Hasling, Danish Patent and Trademark Office

Abstract

Patent professionals often have all their focus on the technical skills and the search skills. However, a very important part of the job is also the work done before starting the search. That is how to achieve the best information on e.g. the purpose of the search, expectations to the result and clarification of technical matter. Important are also the content of the report and the way of reporting, including explanations on why we did as we did. Here the understanding of the search has to involve a lot of other skills mostly related to communication. The session will mainly focus on the use of different kinds of communication during the processes involved before, under and after a search and how profound customer communication as well as between colleagues before and during search execution can improve the overall result. Examples on benefits of communication will be part of the session.

Biography

I hold a Master's degree in Food Science and Technology from Copenhagen University and works as a senior examiner at the Danish Patent Office/the Nordic Patent Institute within the chemical area. Previously I have worked as a patent information specialist at a medico company, where the search areas were medical technology, polymers, sensors and measuring methods within the life science area. Before this I worked as a patent attorney in the chemical department of a patent agency.

GTMI: Engage, Leverage, Accelerate

Ben Wang, Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute

Abstract

The Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute brings together industry leaders, government partners and top researchers to collaborate and find solutions for the greatest challenges facing U.S. industry today: creating quality jobs, ensuring global competitiveness, and advancing economic and environmental sustainability. Dr.Wang will address additive manufacturing trends/challenges, innovation support for students, and the nnovation ecosystem @ GT.

Biography

Ben Wang is the Eugene C. Gwaltney Jr. Chair in Manufacturing Systems and Professor in the Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering, and Professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. In addition, Dr. Wang serves as the executive director of the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute.

Fast, Free, and Available: A Shunpiker's Road to NPL Databases & Grey Lit in the Library and Online

Barbara J. Hampton, RedLine Information Services

Abstract

Published information about prior art, inventors, and intellectual property portfolios is a cornerstone research for patentability, infringement, and competitive intelligence. However the subscription costs for individual periodicals is high, broad-based periodical databases even higher. Larger patent firms and departments may have organized research libraries and librarians to support these searches. Resources available, particularly for small patent information firms, can be greatly enhanced (at much less expense) through the savvy use of public and academic library collections and grey literature. More and more academic libraries have developed institutional repositories of research papers, theses, and papers. Remote online access is available for more than you realize. Get insider tips to maximize your efficiency and access to these collections, including professional journals, specialized news sources, and hidden gems. Cut through a wide range of content with latest discovery tool machete. Create custom searches and alerts. Get full-text, one way or another.

Biography

Barbara Hampton served as patent librarian and USPTO Patent & Trademark Center Representative at Sacred Heart University from 2012 until her retirement in 2016. She received the Brian Stockdale Award from PIUG in 2015 and has participated in subsequent conferences and training events. She continues to research patent topics for professional journals and books. She works with educators, and academic and public librarians to increase current and future inventors to patent information. She has collaborated with small business programs and government agencies to support IP entrepreneurs. She served on the Connecticut State Library’s eResource Advisory Committee, selecting databases for state library services, and continues to consult with the Division of Library Development staff.

Ms. Hampton received her B.A. (government and economics) from St. Lawrence University, her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law, and her M.L.S. from Southern Connecticut State University School of Information and Library Sciences.

Locating Unconventional Prior Art

Ron Kaminecki, Questel

Abstract

Classic search techniques include the use of keywords, class codes, citations, semantics, and even specific identifiers, like genetic sequences, for locating unique information. But in an era of fast changing technologies like communications, social media, or even nanotechnology, amongst others, these typical search approaches may not be able to keep up with the fast turnover of very new inventions. For example, a search on telecommunications may easily find early mobile phone patents, but who would buy a patent for a five year old cellular phone? The lifetime of trendy new patents is fleeting and using traditional techniques to find transitory inventions may not find the latest technology. The classic approach to searching still works, but in some cases outlook and strategies need to be reworked to keep up with fast-changing technology. This presentation will cover examples of emergent technologies over time and strategies for locating prior art in these transient areas of technology.

Biography

Ron continues to help patent searchers, inventors, examiners, attorneys and other patent professionals in his role at Questel and also as an adjunct professor in patent law at various universities, having worked at Dialog, Thomson-Reuters, Abbott Laboratories and others. He has worked with patent and patent information all of his career as a searcher, manager, representative, consultant, expert witness and attorney and is also involved in PIUG activities. He has written many articles and presented many papers in the field of patent information, has a patent pending, and is a co-author of NISO Standard for a Common Command Language for Online Interactive Information Retrieval. He has a BS in Chemistry, an MS in Computer Science and a JD with a Certificate in Patent Law. He is a US Patent Attorney and is a member of the Illinois Bar and is admitted to the Northern District Court of Illinois.

Panel: Patent Searcher Certification

Abstract

Certification for patent searchers is an issue our profession has been grappling with for some time. These panelists represent a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. We anticipate a lively discussion on a variety of certification schemes-educational standards, ethical standards, and testing, to name a few. Questions to the panel can be submitted prior to the conference to Heather Simmons to be taken up by the moderator or posed directly to the panel during the event.

Jane List (Moderator), Extract Information

Biography

Jane List runs her own business, Extract Information Limited, which she founded in 2013. Extract Information provides consultancy, search services, and training, all with a focus on commercial uses of patent information. She is currently helping her clients manage their IP portfolios, build IP strategies and policies, file strong patents, understand competitor patents, understand the technology landscape, understand the market(s) for their technology, track their industry, find new customers and markets. Jane has BSc. in Chemistry, MSc. in Information Science and Cert. in Intellectual Property Law. She is a Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, PATMG and PIUG. In July 2014 she became co-Editor in Chief of World Patent Information Journal, and is now Editor in Chief. Underlining her passion for patent information this year Jane co-founded the Cambridge Information and IP Meeting. In the UK as an annual meeting and to provide training in IP information and commercialization.

Barbara Miller (Panelist), Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR)

Biography

Barbara Miller is currently a Patent and Scientific Analyst at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge, MA. Prior to joining Novartis in August of 2009, she was an Information Scientist at Pfizer in Groton, CT, where she supported a variety of research and development teams by providing literature, patent, regulatory, and competitive information. Barbara began her searching career at the Pfizer facility in Ann Arbor, MI, in 2001 as a biopatent searcher after completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan. She has a PhD in Biological Sciences from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, a MS in Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance from Temple University, and a BS in Chemistry from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN.

Rong Yang (Panelist), Allergan

Biography

Rong Yang earned a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Florida, College of Pharmacy, in 2002. Rong is a registered Patent Agent (USPTO Registration No. 60834, 2007) and is Associate Director – Patent Liaison, Allergan, since 2008.

Robert Grantham (Panelist), Reveal-IP LLC

Biography

Mr. Grantham began his career as a patent searcher with a small search firm in in 1989. After 1 and half years he took a position with the Washington DC law firm Nixon and Vanderhye where he stayed for the next 18 years becoming the search department manager. Robert left N&V at the end of 2008 to become a search consultant. He works out of the public searchroom at the USPTO and uses EAST to access patent material. Robert is a generalist and has done work for several fortune 500 companies as well as for smaller inventors across a broad range of inventive fields. His focus is in the mechanical and electro-mechanical arts. Robert’s academic background is in Technology Policy. More recently he has come to recognize that patent searching is the “red-headed step-child” of the patent industry. This talk is an expression of that idea.

Panel: Panel Initiatives & Innovations in the Technology Underlying Patent Search

Abstract

This panel will consider initiatives or innovations in the technology underlying patent search tools, and the integration of patent-related information from other sources into the search and analysis process. The panel will discuss criteria when choosing between different patent search and analytics tools.

Cathy Chiba (Moderator), Dauratus Research

Biography

Cathy Chiba lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Yateen Pargaonkar (Panelist), Abbott

Biography

Yateen's diverse patent analytics and IP competitive intelligence experience includes leadership roles of increasing responsibility in consumer goods, energy, nutrition, biotech, and pharmaceuticals. Yateen's work experience includes Abbott Laboratories, Chevron, and Procter & Gamble. He has also worked at IP law firms such as Morrison and Forester and taught a course at UCSD on Patent Searching & Internet Research. Yateen has graduate degrees in biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as three years of research experience at Columbia University. He is a registered U.S. Patent Agent and an active member of PIUG.

Andrea Davis (Panelist)

Biography

Andrea Davis is an accomplished intellectual property (IP) professional with expertise in medical devices and the mechanical sector. She is a registered patent agent with a M.Sc. degree in Engineering Physics from Lund University, Sweden. Andrea’s extensive patent research experience in both outside firms and in-house has shaped an understanding of patent process requirements and the importance of quality in patent research. She is passionate about the science of patent searching and is participating in efforts to create a global certification for patent information professionals. Andrea is a reviewer for the Elsevier Journal "World Patent Information" and her expertise is sought by database providers to develop the next generation of tools and analytics with an eye towards accuracy.

Sumeet Sandhu (Panelist), Elementary IP

Biography

Dr. Sumeet Sandhu is CEO and Founder of Elementary IP, which is an Enterprise Software company providing next generation software tools for patent search, classification and analysis based on Deep Learning. Before EIP, she served in various R&D, management and business roles at Intel for 10 years. She is an inventor on over 55 patents, with several implemented on millions of wireless devices worldwide. She holds Electrical Engineering degrees from Stanford (PhD) and MIT (MS, BS).