Managing Patent Application Growth while Enhancing Patent Examination Quality at KIPO

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1 Managing Patent Application Growth while Enhancing Patent Examination Quality at KIPO FICPI/AIPLA Colloquium on Patent Quality 9 June 2007 Mr. Jin-Gyun Shin Senior Director of Patent Examination Policy Team Korean Intellectual Property Office

2 Contents Managing Patent Application Growth at KIPO Enhancing Patent Examination Quality at KIPO 2/18

3 Managing Patent Application Growth The patent 1st action period was 22.6 months in Making an appropriate response to imitations became more difficult. KIPO established plans for shortening the patent 1st action period. A 10 month target was set for the patent 1st action period by The patent 1st action period was shortened over 4 years ( ). The world s shortest patent 1st action period of 9.8 months was achieved in /18

4 Managing Patent Application Growth Number of outsourced prior art searches Number of examiners , ,000 4/18

5 Managing Patent Application Growth Performance-oriented management to make the patent examination performance maximized Examination accomplishments are a core evaluation target points/month points/month The examination performance score of each examiner 5/18

6 Managing Patent Application Growth Use of Six Sigma management to improve the examination process more efficient Various Six Sigma projects were executed to improve the examination process more efficient projects projects e.g. Plans to reduce the patent examination period e.g. Improvement of the KIPOnet system 6/18

7 Managing Patent Application Growth Greater efficiency of patent examinations through advancement of the computer examination system KIPOnet II KIPOnet Upgrading of KIPOnet to KIPOnet II (2005) - Faster downloads and screen movement - Greater user convenience Greater efficiency of prior art searches - Automatic and reservation search functions due to an intelligent search system 7/18

8 Managing Patent Application Growth The world s fastest patent 1 st action service USPTO JPO EPO (2005) (2005) (2004) The patent 1st action period at KIPO 8/18 The patent 1st action period at other offices

9 Managing Patent Application Growth The effect of shortening the patent examination period Economic effect: 162 million USD * Estimated from a report of the Federation of Korean Industries (2002) More productive business atmosphere * 74% of enterprises say within 14 months of patent 1st action period is appropriate. Strengthening of national competitiveness * Early granting of patent rights facilitates commercialization and enhances the efficiency of national R&D investment. 9/18

10 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality First central government department as an enterprise-type responsibility management organization Higher PCT quality Mutual exchange of examination results between nations Synthetic and systematic plans for improving the patent examination quality 10/18

11 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality KIPO s index of patent examination quality Customer satisfaction index of patent examination Year Index Year Index st quarter nd quarter rd quarter th quarter 69.3 Through the Joint Prior Art Search Program between JPO, SIPO, IP Australia, DPMA and KIPO plans to enhance the examination quality is discussed. 11/18

12 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality To achieve a world-class patent examination quality Greater equity in the examination workload Reinforcement of the examination infrastructure and the capability of examiners Development in the examination process Improvement in the quality of prior art searches 12/18

13 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality Greater equity in the examination workload Introduction of a degree-of-difficulty index in examinations according to technological fields Adjustment of the workload between new and experienced examiners in accordance with the grade status of each examiner Reduction of the examination workload for team directors and section leaders so they can focus on managing examiners 13/18

14 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality Reinforcement of the examination infrastructure and the capability of examiners Sharing of examination know-how through the Examination Task Management Card On-going education in new technologies through joint programs with other organizations Support examiners study groups in various fields of patent system and technology Enhancement of the KIPOnet system with an improved examination function and a dual-monitor system 14/18

15 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality Development in the examination process Claim-by-Claim Examination System Examination Note System, where prior art information reviewed by an examiner is described in the examined publication Checklist for preventing errors in PCT examinations Reliable evaluation of examinations through comprehensive evaluation by team directors 15/18

16 Enhancing Patent Examination Quality Improvement in the quality of prior art searches Improving the search system and distributing manual to enhance the ability of examiners to search for prior art Quality competition among outsourced agencies that conduct prior art searches Thorough evaluations by examiners for the quality check of prior art search reports from outsourced agencies 16/18

17 Customer-oriented Management World-class patent examination service Utmost-quality patent examination service Shorter patent examination period Higher patent examination quality Customer-oriented management 17/18

18 Thank you. / 25