SIPO opens patent date service to public

China opens patent information resources of SIPO, USPTO, EPO, JPO and KIPO for free to the public, according to a press conference held by SIPO on open access in patent information resources recently, making China becomes the first country in the world not only provides patent basic data of home country, but also provides foreign patent basic data to the public. 

According to experts, the patent document is a kind of strategy information resources which combines technology, legal and economic information. Some experts hold that, for one side, the free patent date will reduce the cost of Chinese companies in searching patent information, which could boost their enthusiasm in utilization of patent information. For the other side, it can also help them to avoid risks of patent infringement via patent searching and analysis. 

According to SIPO, the newly opened patent date service pilot system has provided the latest patent date of SIPO, USPTO, EPO, JPO and KIPO within thirty days for downloading and updating. The free date is mainly including the bibiographic date and image date for China’s invention, utility model and designs, and full text and English abstracts of invention and utility model. Also, the existing patent data opened by China’s patent date service pilot system accounts for 80% of the world’s total existing patent date. 

Some experts hold that, the patent date will exert full role in safeguarding the strategy goal of innovation development, inspiring market potential and facilitating IP service development. Besides, providing the low-barrier and high quality patent information resources to the public will reduce the time cost of information development, which is conducive to attract private investment in high-value-added information products. 

In parallel, the patent information service institution can get the basic date more easily, which can facilitate the development of the whole patent information service industry when they make full use of such information. According to an industry insider, the opening of date base means a more fierce market competition. In the long run, it can facilitate patent information market to seek the differential development, and derive more products and services for company to choose. It will be an important revolution to the whole IP service industry.