WIPO Project Establishing
Technology and Innovation
Support Centers
Andrew Czajkowski
Head, Innovation & Technology Support Section
Dar es Salaam
19 October 2011
Overview
Context: WIPO Development Agenda
Access to Technological Knowledge
Patent Information
ASPI: Access to Specialized Patent Information
ARDI: Access to Research for Development and
Innovation
Technology and Innovation Support Centers
Promotion and Access to Databases
Training
Networking
Context
WIPO Development Agenda
“…despite the important scientific and technological
advances and promises of the 20th and early 21st
centuries, in many areas a significant ‘knowledge gap’
as well as a ‘digital divide’ continue to separate the
wealthy nations from the poor.”
Concept
WIPO Development Agenda Recommendation 8
“…facilitat[e] the national offices of developing countries,
especially LDCs, as well as their regional and subregional intellectual property organizations to access
specialized databases…”
The Patent System
Encourages innovation and consequently economic
growth by:
rewarding investments made in developing a new
invention  protection
publishing and making known technical information of
a new invention  disclosure
Differences : Protection & Disclosure
Patent protection is territorial in nature
Patent information is global
Patent protection is limited by claims in scope
Patent information includes all information contained in patent
documents
Patent protection is time-limited
Patent information remains permanently available
Patents give their owners a right to prevent others from carrying
out the invention (manufacturing or marketing)
Patents do not prevent others from learning from the invention
Patents : A unique source of information
About two-thirds of the technical information revealed in
patents is never published elsewhere
Over 70 million patent documents have been published
to date
Many patent collections are now available online in
digital format
Many search services and tools are available for free!
New Technical Information Worldwide
Scientific and technical journal articles
New patent filings
900 000
800 000
700 000
600 000
500 000
400 000
300 000
200 000
100 000
0
05
20
04
20
03
20
02
20
01
20
00
20
99
19
98
19
97
19
96
19
95
19
94
19
93
19
92
19
91
19
90
19
Source: WIPO Statistical Database (patent families); World Bank, World Development Indicators (journals)
Project Objectives
Reinforce the capacity of developing countries to
participate in the global knowledge economy
Support researchers in creating and developing new
solutions to technical challenges faced on a local and
global level
Foster the development of appropriate, effective and
sustainable technology and innovation support services
for national stakeholders in developing countries
Objectives: In detail
Appropriate: Adapted to local needs and conditions
Effective: Delivers desired benefits to stakeholders and
the country
Sustainable: Can ultimately be maintained using locally
available resources
 Cooperation between WIPO and its partners is essential
Project structure
1. Facilitating access to databases to:
Patent (free-of-charge and commercial)
Non-patent (scientific and technical journals)
2. Capacity Building
Establishing Technology and Innovation Support
Centers (TISCs)
Training TISC staff
Access to Patent Databases
2 types of patent databases:
Free-of-charge
Commercial
Need to know specific advantages of each database of
each type, e.g. coverage of documentation, full-text,
search & analysis tools, etc.
Search strategy using keywords, patent classification
(e.g. IPC), etc.
Access to Free-of-Charge Databases
Many different free-of-charge patent databases
Regional and international organizations (e.g.
PATENTSCOPE, espacenet)
National offices (e.g. USPTO, JPO, DPMA, etc.)
Private sector providers (e.g. Google Patent, etc.)
Access to patent data: ASPI
(Access to Specialized Patent Information)
Partnership with 6 patent database service providers
LexisNexis
Minesoft
ProQuest
Questel
Thomson Reuters
WIPS
Access to advanced patent search and analysis tools
Access to Specialized Patent Information (ASPI)
http://www.wipo.int/aspi
ASPI: Eligibility
Group 1: Least Developed Countries
for industrial property offices + academic and research
institutions
access for free
Group 2: Middle income countries
for industrial property offices + academic and research
institutions
access at nominal cost (per service)
one-year free trial period
Group 3: Certain other developing countries
for industrial property offices
access at nominal cost (per service)
one-year free trial period
Access to non-patent data: ARDI
(Access to Research for Development and Innovation)
Partnership with 12 publishers
Access to over 200 key journals in various fields of
research, including:
applied physics
engineering
chemistry
traditional knowledge
Subscriptions regularly valued at over 500 000 dollars
ARDI: Eligibility
Group 1: Least Developed Countries
for industrial property offices + academic and
research institutions
access for free
Group 2: Certain developing countries
for industrial property offices (+ academic and
research institutions from January 2012)
access at nominal cost
three-month free trial period
ARDI: Portal
www.wipo.int/ardi
ARDI: Research4Life Programs
World Intellectual Property
Organization
World Health Organization
Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations
United Nations Environment
Programme
Capacity Building
Establishment of Technology and Innovation Support
Centers (TISCs)
Access to patent and non-patent data
Assistance for local users from trained staff
Services based on staff capacities and user needs
TISCs: Joint engagement
Local ownership
Staff
Facilities
WIPO support
Facilitating access to databases
Training of TISC staff
WIPO Academy Distance Learning Courses
Provision of information & training materials
Support awareness-raising activities
TISCs: Users
Individual inventors
Small and medium enterprises
Industry
Researchers in technology centers and universities
Academia (ranging from schools to universities), etc.
TISCs: Services
Core services
Access to patent and non-patent databases
Assistance in using databases
Additional services (based on user need and office
capacity)
Technology search services
Patent analytical services
Awareness-raising and training services
Possible Additional Services
Advice on IPRs
Training (e.g. for local SMEs)
Development of IP Strategies – information on filing patents,
trademarks, etc. (when, where, what, how much, etc.)
Advice on IP aspects of product commercialization
Advice on licensing
Technology and competitor monitoring
Assistance in IP valuation
Search for business partners and essential know-how
Market and competitor analyses
Support for raising funds
Support for establishing business plans
General knowledge of IP laws
Other (to be specified)
Implementation: Supporting activities
Review of patent and non-patent databases (+ user
needs assessment)
Study Paper regarding Recommendation 8
Guide to Technology Databases
E-learning modules on patent information
Provision of publications
TISCs: Resources
www.wipo.int/tisc/resources
TISCs: Location
National/regional patent offices and branches
Universities and academic institutions
Science and technology parks
Chambers of Commerce
Other appropriate institution
 National TISC network
TISCs: Networks
National Network
Central focal point: National Patent Office (NPO) or
institution designated by NPO
Peripheral focal points: Institutions coordinated by
NPO
Regional Network
NPOs/Institutions from region
Regional conferences
Example: PIZnet (Germany)
24 centers throughout
Germany
Example: PATLIB network (Europe)
340 centers (including patent
information units of national
offices) across 37 member
states
IS
3
NO
1
IE
1
GB
14
LV
2
NL
1
FR
28
AT
8
CH
1
SM
1
SI
3
SK
5
CZ
11
HU
4
IT
61
LI
2
LT
5
PL
27
DE
25
ES
25
MC
2
EE
2
DK
1
BE
10
LU
2
PT
25
FI
16
SE
1
MT
1
HR
1
RO
17
BG
6
GR
4
AL
1
TR
20
MK
1
CY
1
TISCs: Network
Universities
National IP Office
Research centers
Tech parks
WIPO
National IP Office
…
National IP Office
…
TISCs: Benefits
Allow users to benefit effectively from increased
accessibility offered by internet searches through direct
personal assistance
To strengthen the local technological base by building up
local know-how
To increase technology transfer, e.g. by investigating the
possibilities of licensing, joint ventures, etc.
To assist local users to create, protect, own and manage
their intellectual property rights
Thank you for your attention!
For more information, please contact:
tisc@wipo.int