AusPat, a new online searching system designed as a single enquiry point for Australian patent information, has been released by IP Australia. AusPat brings together IP Australia's previous two searching systems: PatAdmin and Patsearch, into a single database covering, eventually, all Australian patent applications from 1904.
PatAdmin contained the bibliographic details of patent applications from January 1979 to 4 July 2002, and searching was limited to application and serial numbers, names, and international patent classification (IPC) (via the associated PatIndex). Patsearch resulted from the implementation of the Patent Administration and Management System (PAMS) on 5 July 2002, and contained the bibliographic details of patent applications from that date. Patsearch enabled more functional searching with the inclusion of title searches and the ability to restrict a search by various date and status fields. It was always necessary, however, when conducting a search in Australia, to conduct two searches, one in each system, using, in some cases, differing criteria, which was never a satisfactory situation. The introduction of AusPat, with a wider range of searchable fields interrogating a comprehensive picture of Australian patent data, means that a single search can be conducted, with better results and with likely savings in time as well.
AusPat offers a number of searching interfaces ranging from a simple quick search for a number, name or keyword to a more structured search over the 20 searchable fields to an advanced search that enables complex search queries to be constructed, thereby enabling its use by mere beginners through to expert searchers. AusPat also offers a wider range of fields that can be searched compared to PatAdmin or Patsearch. It is now possible to conduct searches that consider acceptance, sealing and potential expiry dates, renewals data, patent agents, and specific patent statuses, as well as the more usual search criteria. Patent statuses are of particular interest because they have moved from a model of exclusion to a model of inclusion. Patsearch enabled a searcher to remove a subset of applications with a particular status, which was useful some of the time, but often resulted in an answer that contained more than you desired. AusPat, however, allows a specific subset of statuses to be obtained, while at the same time still allowing the removal of a subset as before.
Another innovation, available as part of the advanced search interface, is the applicant and inventor name selectors. The name selector allows a searcher to find variations on a name such as different spelling or punctuation, or even missing or additional words within a name. For example, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) exists in 27 different name formats within the IP Australia patent databases. Some lateral thinking is still required, however, when conducting a search including that name.
IP Australia has designed a customisable search results screen that allows changes to the data elements seen in the results set. Twelve different column headings are available for numbers, names, dates, title, IPC and agent, enabling the desired information to be seen at first glance. Changing the column headings is as simple as dragging boxes in or out of the current display. AusPat also allows some customisation of the individual records within the results set. There are currently 135 different data elements displayed within an individual record, and these have been categorised into a multilevel expandable system, which allows specific subgroups of data elements to be displayed.
IP Australia has not stopped development with the release of AusPat. Searching will be enhanced with the ability to search the full text of all Australian patent applications since 1979 in the near future, with a longer-term goal to provide full text access back to 1904. There will also be further advances in providing better online access to the Australian Official Journal of Patents, and the introduction of an electronic patent register and case file wrapper system within the next two years.
IP Australia, with the introduction of AusPat, has made access to the intellectual property of Australia much more extensive and user-friendly than it has been in the past and is, thus, a very welcome initiative. AusPat may be accessed at http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/auspat.
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