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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling

Christian Soltmann

Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, Berne

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Structure

Overview Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling

Conclusions/general remarks

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Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (1/3)

Overview Before 1996:

• Federal Office of Intellectual Property Since 1996:

• enterprise according to New Public Management philosophy

• supervision by board of management• financially independent from federal sector• public and commercial activities are separated

Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (2/3)

Major tasks

examination of applications, granting and administration of patents, trademarks, designs

supply of services for the federal sector supply of services for the public, e.g. for individuals

unversed in intellectual property issues supply of commercial services for professional users of

intellectual property

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling• forms part of WIPO’s ‘Developing Tools for Access to

Patent Information’ project• project aim: improving transfer of technology to

developing countries and facilitating access to publicly-available patent information

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (1/8)

General

WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (2/8)

Objectives

identify and present overview of technologies for cooling devices driven by solar power

focus on technologies that can be used by the population in rural areas of developing countries

technologies helping to improve environment, life and health of humans, animals and plants and food security

present solar cooling devices or processes which are easy to use, require low maintenance, can be serviced with little effort

exemplify how specific technical subject matter can be searched in patent databases

may serve as a source of information for decision makers on political level

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qualification: search and analyses were carried out and quality-controlled by patent and search specialists in related technical sectors

quality: analyses were based on high quality patent data strategy:

• no restrictions to countries or regions

• no explicit time limits

• different search concepts

• screening and categorisation of individual documents

• statistical analysis

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (3/8)

Methodology

numerous inventions in the field of solar cooling were filed for patent protection in industrialised countries only

various patent applications for solar cooling technologies were filed more than 20 years ago public domain

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WIPO patent lanscape report on solar cooling (4/8)

Important results

many inventions address applications potentially relevant to developing countries

for numerous inventions in the solar cooling field, only one patent application was filed

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (5/8)

Important results

most active countries developing and applying for patent protection of solar cooling technologies: United States, Germany, China, Japan and France

most patent documents were published in Europe, North America and Asia; only few patent documents published in Africa and South America

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (6/8)

Important results

analysis: no standard procedure required:

• high-quality patent data/patent databases

• qualified/trained staff, appropriate technical background, experienced in using patent data

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (7/8)

Conclusions

results of WIPO landscape report may serve as a source of information for decision makers on political level (top-down)

results of report were processed to help potential users of solar cooling technologies to use patent information (bottom-up)

important: disseminate patent information to potential users through appropriate channels

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WIPO patent landscape report on solar cooling (8/8)

Conclusions

critical issue: knowledge transfer problems exists in industrialised and developing countries approach in Switzerland:

• open-door policy/low-threshold services attuned to target groups: individuals, enterprises and researchers

• training courses: specifics of intellectual property, legally available protection, availability of (patent) information

• assisted patent searches with patent and search specialists to facilitate access to required patent information

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Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property

Services for the public

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Thank you very much!

Further information:

www.ipi.ch/en

www.ip-search.ch

Contact:

Swiss Institute of Intellectual PropertyStauffacherstrasse 65/59gCH-3003 Berne

Tel. +41 (0)31 377 77 77 · Fax +41 (0)31 377 77 93info@ipi.ch