Hi,
The short answer to your question is that an internationally approved
XML standard for patent filing is not yet complete, however domestic
XML-based electronic patent filing systems are already in place.
XML standards for sharing intellectual property data are currently
being worked on by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO), and are currently in beta/pilot development stages, expected
for full implementation in 2003. The USPTO has been working in
conjunction with an international body (WIPO - World Intellectual
Property Organization, based in Geneva) on an E-PCT (Patent
Cooperation Treaty) Standard.
The specific attributes you described (e.g., patent filing date,
priority date, title, owner, inventor, etc.) can be addressed in an
XML standard via what are called DTDs (data type definitions.) Any
such attribute is specified in the standard via a separate DTD. The
latest version of the standard's text online revealed proposals for
DTDs for office identity, receipt number, document name, file
reference, and application time (i.e., patent filing date), among
others.
A few DTDs created for E-PCT as of the end of 2001 (most recent data
from WIPO's website) included ten provisional XML DTDs: E-PCT dossier,
Request form, Application body, Declaration, Amendment request, Power
of attorney, Fee sheet, Biological deposit, Receiving Office
information, and Package header. Thus, you can expect that the
attributes you seek will be addressed when the standard is complete.
However, the USPTO has already based its electronic filing processes
on XML-tagged documents. The USPTO has even developed its own XML DTDs
for trademark applications and for required post application and post
registration filings. It solicits proposals that focus on the
implementation of the full range of XML DTDs supporting two-way
correspondence as well as proposals including secure electronic
delivery to the PTO.
The USPTO actually has an Electronic Filing System (EFS) that supports
secure electronic filing via XML standards. From the USPTO's site:
"EFS includes (1) authoring tools to help the applicant prepare a
patent specification in XML format; (2) a software package called
ePAVE (electronic packaging and validation engine) to assemble the
various parts of the application and transmit the application to USPTO
over the Internet and (3) a digital certificate to secure the
transmission of the application to the USPTO. The specification
document created by the authoring tools, as well as the fee,
transmittal, and application data sheet documents created by ePAVE are
all formated in XML."
My suggestion is that you spend some time looking over the USPTO's
electronic patent application process - which may well address your
XML concerns as the USPTO will likely adhere to any international
standards once they are finalized - and keep an eye on WIPO's progress
with the international standard.
Additional Links:
Link to USPTO's EFS Page:
http://www.uspto.gov/ebc/efs/index.html
Full text of Electronic Patent Cooperation Treaty:
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:gXFZcByGwOUC:pcteasy.wipo.int/efiling_standards/a33e.pdf+epct+dtds&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
WIPO Update on EPCT - links to specific DTDs:
http://xml.coverpages.org/wipo-pct.html
EPCT Status Report:
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:betlBWc_m_QC:www.wipo.org/scit/en/meeting/itpwg/1/presentations/efiling.pdf+legal+xml+epct&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
Expected Schedule of EPCT Publishing:
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:V0INeTzBBaoC:ecommerce.wipo.int/meetings/2001/conference/presentations/pdf/kalejs.pdf+epct+dtds+2002&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
OASIS - Online resource for markup language technology developments
(this page is specifically about the USPTO):
http://www.oasis-open.org/cover/uspto.html
LegalXML.org - site dedicated to XML developments in the legal field:
http://www.legalxml.org/
Search Strategy:
epct dtds
intellectual property xml standards
ip xml
xml patent standards
I hope this information was helpful in meeting your needs! |
,
0 Comments
)