WIPO SMEs Newsletter February 2010

By the SMEs Division of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

WIPO SMEs Newsletter is a monthly e-publication providing readers with useful intellectual property (IP) information contained in articles, case studies, forthcoming IP/SMEs relevant events, and published presentations featured on our web site. We hope you will find it useful and informative. We encourage you to share the newsletter or items of interest with friends and colleagues. For past issues and information on the activities of the SMEs Division, please visit http://www.wipo.int/sme.

NEWS

Ceremonial Launching of the Arabic Version of the IP PANORAMA ^TM Multimedia Toolkit, Cairo, Egypt, March 17 and 18, 2010

To launch the Arabic version of the IP PANORAMA ^TM multimedia toolkit, WIPO in cooperation with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and the League of Arab States (LAS), will organize on March 17 and 18, 2010at the headquarters of LAS in Cairo, Egypt an Arab Regional Symposium entitled, “WIPO-LAS-KIPO Arab Regional Symposium on the Strategic Use of IP in Business”

The beta version of the Arabic IP PANORAMA ^TM multimedia toolkit is currently available at http://www.ippanorama.com/ar/ . The official version will be released during the Symposium.

Participation is open to all people, especially from national IP offices, national private sector/SMEs ministries/departments/support institutions, national chamber of commerce and industry, national SME finance institutions, private equity providers, national trade facilitation institutions, SME training institutions and other SME support institutions, including civil society organizations, involved in supporting the development of internationally competitive MSMEs in the Arabic region.

Please consult the program – and, after the Symposium has been held, the presentations at http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=20227

USPTO's Bimonthly Publication for Independent Inventor Community

USPTO has published the first issue of Inventors Eye, its new electronic publication for and about America’s independent and small entity inventor community. Inventors Eye will appear every other month.

International Patent Filings Dip in 2009 amid Global Economic Downturn

International patent filings under WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) fell by 4.5% in 2009 with sharper than average declines experienced by some industrialized countries and growth in a number of East Asian countries. Provisional data indicates that 155,900 international patent applications were filed in 2009 as compared to the nearly 164,000 applications filed in 2008.

In a number of East Asian countries, international patent filings continued to enjoy positive growth in spite of the challenging global economic conditions. Japan, the second largest user of the PCT, experienced a 3.6% rate of growth with 29,827 applications; the Republic of Korea (ROK), ranked fourth largest user of the system, experienced a 2.1% growth with 8,066 applications; and China became the fifth largest PCT user with a strong growth rate of 29.7%, representing some 7,946 international applications.

International patent filings experienced a sharper than average decline in a number of industrialized countries. For example, the filing rate dropped by 11.4% in the USA and by 11.2% in Germany in 2009. Declines were also experienced in the United Kingdom (-3.5%), Switzerland (-1.6%), Sweden (-11.3%), Italy (-5.8%), Canada (-11.7%), Finland (-2.2%), Australia (-7.5%) and Israel (-17.2%).

Invitation to Potential Partners to Implement PROGRAM 30 : Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in WIPO’s Program and Budget for 2010/11

P otential partners may submit proposals by e-mailto the Director of the SMEs Division (guriqbal.jaiya@wipo.int) for joining forces with WIPO for project-oriented activities that seek to synergistically improve IP awareness and building capacity to use the IP system for the benefit of entrepreneurs, micro enterprises, and SMEs.

TRAINING/LEARNING RESOURCES ON IP ASSET MANAGEMENT

New CD-ROMs Release of IP PANORAMATM ^TM Multimedia Toolkit

WIPO has recently produced new CD-ROMs of the IP PANORAMATM multimedia toolkit which further contains the revised Module 1 and two new modules on (1) Valuation of IP Assets and (2) Trademark Licensing - (Modules 11 and 12).

For receiving a copy of the new CD-ROMs send an email to sme@wipo.int providing your full postal address, including telephone number.

Hungarian Version Development of IP PANORAMATM ^TM Multimedia Toolkit

WIPO has authorized the Hungarian Patent Office (HPO) to make the Hungarian version of the IP PANORAMA ^TM Multimedia Toolkit for the benefit of users in Hungary. As in the case of the Thai version of IP PANORAMA ™ multimedia toolkit, which is the first national language version and which is now available through the SMEs Division’s website and the Thai IP Office’s website, the creation of the Hungarian version will be financed entirely by the HPO.

WIPO welcomes similar initiatives for self-financed development of other language versions of the IP PANORAMA ^TM Multimedia Toolkit. A request in this regard may be emailed to Mr. Guriqbal Singh Jaiya, Director, SMEs Division at guriqbal.jaiya@wipo.int.

Development of French and Spanish Versions of IP PANORAMA ^TM Multimedia Toolkit Commenced

WIPO and Korean Intellectual Property Organization have agreed to provide financial resources to the Korean Invention Promotion Association (KIPA) for creation of the French and Spanish versions of the IP PANORAMA ^TM Multimedia Toolkit. These versions are expected to be launched by the end of 2010. Reputed companies interested in contributing to this effort may contact KIPA through Mr. Greg joo-hyun Ryuat atomryu@gmail.com

LINKS

African Agricultural Technology Foundation Approach to IP Management

This paper by Richard Y. Boadi and Mpoko Bokanga addresses the IP issues and partnership arrangements associated with the access, development, and deployment of agricultural technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation.

Success Stories in Using IP in Canada

Several stories on successful use of IP in Canada may be seen at: http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/h_wr00780.html.

Trilateral studies: Comparative Study on Novelty Examination Practices

This is one of the various comparative studies undertaken by the so-called Trilateral Offices, namely USPTO, EPO and JPO, since the 1990s. For the study report visit.

Four Sectoral Guides on IP for SMEs

European Commission has published four IP guidebooks for the leather, footwear, textiles and furniture industry under the IP Awareness and Enforcement: Modular Based Actions for SME project.

Maximizing Intellectual Property and Intangible Assets

This paper seeks to address the primary issues in intangible asset (IA) finance facing financial firms and companies alike by profiling successfully structured and completed IA debt-and-equity deals. Specifically, case studies are presented as models for intangible asset–based lending and intangible asset–f ocused equity investment.

Science and Technology Intermediary Services for SMEs: A Guide Via Practices – Supporting Potential and Existing Research Intensive SMEs

The Regional Council of Lorraine launched the SUPER-SME project that focuses on improving science and technology intermediary services for SMEs. This project focuses on the exchange of practical experience that allows the drawing of some general conclusions from the lessons learnt by the participating regions. Through this exchange of experience, the lesser developed regions have developed new regional pilot projects. The lessons relate to both analytical tools to be applied to understand the local and regional context and to policy solutions aiming at improving S&T service delivery to the SMEs, including services on IPRs.

Regional PATLIB Centers as Integrated One-stop Service Providers for Intellectual Property Services

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V5D-4NB2SBR-1&_user=1922970&_coverDate=09%2F30%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1223562091&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000055306&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1922970&md5=a697f9f33096672355b270ecd3159ab9

Exemplifying the case of PATON, a large patent information centre in Germany, this paper describes a wide range of services PATLIB centres can offer today. The expansion of its scope of products and services beyond classical patent information in order to become a regional patent centre is also described.

From Inventors to Musicians, IP Programs for Diverse Audiences

Library programs targeted to inventors, musicians, authors, artists, and business & academic professionals can assist these customers in making wise choices regarding intellectual property resources. This power point presentation covers a wide range of library programs offered for these diverse audiences. It provides an overview of best practices for multiple types of libraries offering successful nationally and regionally recognized programs

Refocusing Knowledge and Intellectual Property Management within the UK Nuclear Industry

The UK Government expects many advantages to accrue from the restructuring of the UK nuclear industry, but for the maximum benefit to be realized, knowledge must be shared not only between the sites now owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), but also with the collective subcontract chain. The twenty NDA sites have, by virtue of their different histories and ownership, unique cultures and management systems. To overcome these barriers, and to encourage sharing to take place, the NDA have developed a policy, strategy and contractual framework that is designed to encourage not only the sites, but also their subcontractors, to collaborate in the development of innovative technologies and ways of working. In addition, an integrated approach to knowledge and intellectual property management has been designed to; leverage existing business processes, identify and build on existing technologies, and help link initiatives already taken by to share knowledge and expertise. A key element of this approach is the addition of intellectual property and knowledge management criteria to existing decision making processes, governance structures and competencies.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

The INSME Association (International Network for Small and medium Sized Enterprises www.insme.org)

is pleased to announce its VI Annual Meeting, taking place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 10-13 on "SME Innovation: boosting development and growth in times of change"

International innovation stakeholders from both the public and private sector will gather to exchange knowledge, network and learn mutually on the main issues related to making innovation happen in SMEs: how to promote innovation and entrepreneurship; innovation financing; innovation networking; open innovation; sustainable innovation. This event is being co-organised by the SEBRAE , INSME Member.

For details about the programme, registration and registration fees please visit:

http://www.annualmeeting2010.insme.org/

For information please contact: insmerio2010@insme.it

If you are interested to join INSME or to apply to co-host and co-organise the VII INSME Annual Meeting in mid 2011, please contact: secretariat@insme.it and visit: www.insme.org

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center’s upcoming training programs include:

- WIPO Workshop for Mediators in Intellectual Property Disputes, May 6 and 7, 2010
- WIPO Advanced Workshop on Domain Name Dispute Resolution: Update on Practices and Precedents, October 19 and 20, 2010
- WIPO Arbitration Workshop, October21 and 22, 2010

Program information and registration: http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/events/

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is an international provider of non-profit services for the out-of-court resolution of commercial disputes. The Center specializes in cases arising out of technology and intellectual property transactions, such as licensing, R&D and distribution agreements.

WIPO arbitration, mediation and expert determination contract clauses: http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/clauses/

WIPO Internet domain name dispute resolution: http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/

NOTE:

The SMEs Division welcomes voluntary contributions of articles, case studies, news items, useful links and relevant information concerning forthcoming events of interest to entrepreneurs and SMEs for inclusion in future issues of this newsletter; contributions may be sent by email to sme@wipo.int.

If you have received this newsletter from someone and would like to subscribe yourself, then simply send an e-mail to sme@wipo.int with "subscribe" as the subject, and indicate your language preference (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian).

The past issues of this newsletter, since August 2001, may be accessed here.