Online Filing Implementation in Slovakia

Ioana Tomescu

Technical Cooperation between EPO and Slovak Office

• SK office has an extensive cooperation programme agreed with the EPO

• Part of that is the implementation of OLF and esp@cenet on an EPO standard platform called EPTOS

• SK was one of the first offices to have an EPTOS set - ? 2005

EPTOS Implementation in National Offices

• EPTOS and it's applications are delivered, supported by EPO team called

Technical Support for National Offices

18 staff

EPTOS Implementation in National Offices

• TecNO team:– provide training, technical support, documentation and expertise– assist national office with the project planning and product implementation– post production support– assist with the software localization– liaison with other EPO departments

• TecNO online filing team:– Ioana Tomescu - Area coordinator – François Lorho - Project implementation manager– Rob Brookes - Consultant– Geert Bultman - Technical engineer

EPTOS Systems Deployed in Europe

40 EPTOS Sets

OLF Implementation at the Slovak Office

• In 2005, SK was one of the first national offices to establish cooperation agreement with EPO for implementation of OLF and esp@cenet

• Training started early 2005

• OLF for EP and PCT in production in January 2006

• In September 2005 SK team started to work on development of Slovak Patent and Utility Model procedures

• By March 2006, SK Pat and UM were substantially complete

• Work continued with development of stylesheets until July 2006

OLF implementation at the Slovak Office

• May 2007, after serious testing and fixing, SK Pat and UM are in

• All law changes from January and October 2008 were incorporated

• September 2008 SK office started work on Subsequently Filed Document procedure including: – SFD for SK Pat– SFD for UM– Translations of EP– Translations of PCR

This is the most complex OLF procedure implemented in OLF.

• in September 2009

Slovak Office team

• Project leaders: Andrej Leghin, Milan Oravec• OLF implementation: Mr Blasko, Mr Dropco, Mr Duriancik, Mr Michalovsky• Software and hardware experts• Ensuring second level support for customes

– where can a smartcard be obtained– how to install the software– how to export a public key from smart card– how to fill in form EP 1001E and PCT/RO 101

• Annual training sessions• Participate to EPO EPTOS meetings, workshops, Online Services Conferences

European Patent Network

• Strategic direction set up between the EPO and the national IP offices of the EPO

• Designed to improve the efficiency of Europe's patent system.

• The Network has four main pillars: – Utilisation Pilot Project– new Co-Operation Policy– Customer Service Project– Quality Project

European Patent Network

• Completed in December 2008, the Utilisation Pilot Project enabled EPO examiners processing European patent applications that claim priority from a first filing to make appropriate use of work already carried out by national patent offices on national filings.

• The new Co-operation Policy will focus on harmonising national practice, long-term training of patent office staff, use of databases and other tools, and raising patent awareness in member countries. In that way, the European patent system will help to promote innovation and economic growth. The PATLIB (Patent information centres) network will play a crucial role in this.

European Patent Network

• Working groups have been or will be set up to prepare the remaining projects:

– The Customer Service Project will enhance the EPO's support for services provided by national patent offices to users of the patent system, including "standard" and "special" searches.

– The purpose of the Quality Project is to review existing quality systems in the institutions of the Network and prepare a set of minimum standards they should implement

European Patent Network

European Patent Network

European Patent Network

European Patent Network

thank you