Figuring out the citation relationships at a glance, Citation Analysis

 

  Patents are a representative intellectual product of intangible assets, and are used as an important objective standard to measure the technological level and innovation capacity of individuals, companies, and countries. Accordingly, the evaluation of patented technology is greatly emphasized as a means of investment and policy decision of each company or country, as well as technology transfer, licensing, and product development. Despite the lack of evidence that patent developers or companies intend to cite existing patents, it has been proven by various studies that frequently-cited-patents have high technical value. Patent citation analysis means to analyze not only the correlation, but also the relative importance, etc., through the analysis of the citation relationship between patents. Many researchers are analyzing the quality and influence of technology and the spread of technology information through patent citation analysis.

 In this issue, we will analyze the citation relationship of prior patents cited at the time of patent application by checking the correlation between patents, and introduce a feature that helps to find patents with high influence in each technology field.

▲wipsglobal.com

 WIPS Global's ‘Citation Analysis’ is an analysis of backward and forward citations. Citation data is provided based on the application number as the citation relationship occurs in the unit of invention, and the backward/forward citation relationship is checked by expanding to 3depth based on the root patent.

The citation analysis feature is entered by selecting the citation analysis icon on the ‘View Detail’ page after searching.

▲wipsglobal.com> Citation analysis

Citation analysis is available for KR, US, CN, JP, EP, DE, BR, FR, RU, and TW countries. You can set up to 3 depths for each backward/forward citation. If you click on the number from the statistics of the backward/forward citations in the right side, the corresponding patent list as a result. 

 In the Text Mode page, citations are grouped and displayed according to the first applicant, all applicants, IPC(Main), IPC(All), and country. If you select a number on the statistic table, a separate patent list of the selected number appears on the page, and also the statistics of the top 5 applicants is visualized in the chart in various form.

The document list is displayed by depth, country, and citation stage. The listed documents are connected with additional features such as SmartAngle, Easy Viewer, My Folder, and others.

▲wipsglobal.com> Citation analysis

  Visual Mode makes it easy to check at a glance by dividing by citation depth and year.

You can mark only the countries you want to review with the highlight. If you select ‘Citation Reference’, you can check the source of the citations, such as whether the document was identified during the examination or it was used in the trial, or it was written by the applicant.

▲wipsglobal.com> Citation analysis

  It’s Depth formatted. This format helps users to review by depth based on the root patent. If you select a patent box, you can see summary information of the selected patent- document number, application number, title, applicant, original IPC, representative claim, summary -. Double-click, you will be connected to the ‘View Detail’ page. It would be very useful when examining all prior art documents, such as invalidity search or researching the application trend of the relevant technology.

▲wipsglobal.com> Citation analysis

 In addition, there’s ‘Self-citations’ which cites your own patents (documents with the same applicant's name) and ‘Non-self citations’ which other applicants cited.

By self-citation, you can understand the strategic patent application status for the company's technology, and by Non-self citations, you can identify companies that are using or planning to use the technology commercially.

  So far we looked at WIPS Global’s Citation Analysis features. Citation of patents is one of the important indicators of various research and valuations. Please try it to understand the patent value of your company and your competitors, and to set up an infringement potential and avoidance strategy.

 

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※ References

1. "The method find powerful patent or patent information analysis system using patent citation analysis" by Jae-Bok Yoo, Young-Mee Chung

Proceedings of the Korean Information Science Society Conference, 2005.07b (July 1, 2005): 169-171

2. "Analysis of factors influencing patent citations" by JaeHeon Lee, Infoclue corp.

Journal of the Korean Society for Information Management 27, no. 1 (Mar. 1, 2010): 103-18. 

[International Briefing] US, UK

 

 

US

USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) has launched PPUBS, a new patent open search service that replaces the existing four patent search systems

 On September 20, 2022, the USPTO announced that they’d officially release a new 'Patent Public Search (PPUBS)' service that replaces the four existing search tools provided for patent searches.

On February 1, 2022, the USPTO announced a new search tool that provides more convenient, remote access, and full-text search capabilities for all U.S. patents and published patent applications.

After the announcement, the USPTO operated the new search tool ‘PPUBS’ and the existing system at the same time, and as of September 30, 2022, the existing system was officially shut down and converted to a new system.

The USPTO's new system, PPUBS, was first unveiled in a press release in February, and as of September 30, it is said to completely replace the four existing search tools attached below.

(1) Public-Examiner's Automated Search Tool (PubEAST)

• PubEAST is an examiner search tool for published patents, which was only available at USPTO offices and related centers, but was made public through PPUBS's new website.

(2) Public-Web-based Examiner’s Search Tool (PubWEST)

∙ PubWEST is a web-based examiner search tool, which is available only for USPTO offices and related centers like PubEAST, but it was integrated into PPUBS.

(3) Patent Full-Text and Image Database (PatFT)

∙ PatFT is an open system that searches all documents and images of patents registered in the USPTO. As it was integrated into PPUBS, the existing service was discontinued.

(4) Patent Application Full-Text and Image Database (AppFT)

∙ AppFT is an open system that searches patents filed after March 2001, and as it was integrated into PPUBS, the existing service was discontinued.

▲ ppubs.uspto.gov

< Original source of this post >

https://www.kiip.re.kr/board/trend/view.do?bd_gb=trend&bd_cd=1&bd_item=0&po_item_gb=&po_no=21549

 

 

 UK

 

UK Intellectual Property Office announced, Examining patent applications relating to artificial intelligence (AI) inventions: The Guidance

▲ clipartkorea.co.kr

 On September 22, 2022, the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) published the enhanced guidance 'Examining patent applications relating to artificial intelligence (AI) inventions'. 1)

This guideline describes the examination practices of the UKIPO to assist the examination of patent applications for AI inventions. It also briefly mentions the sufficiency requirements for AI inventions. Various scenarios (how AI inventions work, examples of patent claims, etc.)2) are provided as attachments.

There is no single agreed-upon definition of AI, but the UK government defines AI as “technologies with the ability to perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, and language translation”.3)

 ∙ AI inventions can be filed in any technical field, and patent protection might be sought for various aspects of AI inventions (‘applied AI’ or ‘core AI’).

∙ ‘Applied AI’ invention applies AI techniques to fields other than AI, and ‘Core AI’ invention does not specify any application or use-case for its AI features, but defines an advance in the field of AI itself (e.g., improved AI models, algorithms or mathematical method).

 

▲ Table of Contents for ‘Examining patent applications relating to 

artificial intelligence (AI) inventions: The Guidance’

1) Original source of this guidance :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/examining-patent-applications-relating-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-inventions/examining-patent-applications-relating-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-inventions-the-guidance

2) Original source of this scenario :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/examining-patent-applications-relating-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-inventions/examining-patent-applications-relating-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-inventions-the-scenarios

3) Original source of this definition :

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/examining-patent-applications-relating-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-inventions/examining-patent-applications-relating-to-artificial-intelligence-ai-inventions-the-guidance#what-is-an-ai-invention

 

  

< Original source of this post >

https://www.kiip.re.kr/board/trend/view.do?bd_gb=trend&bd_cd=1&bd_item=0&po_item_gb=&currentPage=3&po_no=21526

 

How are your muscles?

 

  Aging, which means the gradual deterioration of the structure and function of the body with age, is irresistible. In other words, a Korean saying that ‘We can’t fight against age’, the issue of aging, which approaches equally to all, may be the subject that is receiving the most attention now that we have recently become economically and socially prosperous.

  As mentioned above, due to aging, various organs of the human body, such as organs, muscles, and bones, become weak or incapacitated like an aging automobile. Among them, the decrease in the amount and function of muscles used most for moving or living affects the quality of life of the elderly. In severe cases, it can lead to secondary damage (fall, collapse, difficulty in moving, etc.), which is very serious. The disease caused by this decrease in muscle mass and function is called 'Sarcopenia', and recently the WHO recognized it as a disease and gave it a disease code.

  In this plan, we want to check the recent research trends through the overall flow of patent trends for food and medicines development for treatment, along with specific details on Sarcopenia among various problems caused by aging.

 

1. What is Sarcopenia?

  Sarcopenia refers to a disease in which muscle mass, muscle strength, and muscle function all decrease with increasing age. The causes of Sarcopenia vary from person to person. The most common causes are low protein intake and lack of exercise, but in particular, the rate of Sarcopenia caused by insufficient intake and absorption of essential amino acids is very high. Another cause is the lack of hormones associated with aging.

  In addition, Sarcopenia not only for the muscle itself, but also frequently occurs secondary to acute chronic diseases such as diabetes, infectious diseases and cancer, to degenerative diseases such as spinal stenosis. Sarcopenia is known to occur at a high frequency even when chronic diseases of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and hormonal diseases, so it is a recent issue as a disease related to aging.

2. Sarcopenia prevention and solution

   ◎ Healthy eating habits

  The first is a balanced diet, the second is sufficient protein. According to the Korean Nutrition Society, divide into 5 food groups- grains (carbohydrates), meat, fish, eggs, legumes (protein), vegetables (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber), fruits (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, sugar), and milk/dairy products(calcium), and recommend that grains 2-4 times a day, meat, fish, eggs, and legumes 3-4 times a day, vegetables 2 times a day, fruits 1-2 times a day, milk and dairy products 1-2 times a day. Older people need more protein because their ability to synthesize them into muscle decreases, even if they take the same amount of protein.

 ◎ Regular exercise

  It has been reported through many studies that regular exercise is effective in improving physical function, enhancing immunity and preventing aging. However, increasing the intensity of exercise recklessly can bring side effects or adverse effects. Therefore, it is important to choose an effective exercise that suits your fitness level. In addition, it would be even better if you could do a customized exercise that determines the amount and intensity of exercise depending on your physical strength and condition during exercise.

 3. Patent trend of food and mediciness to prevent Sarcopenia

<Detailed classification of food and medicines for preventing Sarcopenia>

   ◎ Application trends by year / country

▲ Application trends by year

 

▲ Trend of applications by section / country

  As we can see the graph from the filing trend by year, overall, it shows a continuous upward trend (↗). It is observed that the filing activity by country is also active in general. However, recently (as of the late 2010s), the increase in applications in Korea and the United States is relatively high compared to other countries.

   ◎ Application Trends by All Applicants

▲ Top applicants for foods and medicines to prevent Sarcopenia

▲ The status of the top applicants for foods and medicines to prevent Sarcopenia

  As a result of extracting the top applicants, the applicant with the largest number of applications is Yonsei University Industry-University Cooperation Foundation (KR), followed by BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO (US), WYETH LLC (US), NESTLE (CH), etc.

   ◎ Application trends for foods and medicines to prevent Sarcopenia by use

                                                  ▲ Status of application counts by year / use

                                                            ▲ Top Applicants by Application

  The use of technologies related to Sarcopenia and muscle strength improvement is confirmed in the order of food, medicines (APP-03) > medicines (APP-02) > food (APP-01). And uses of both APP-01 and APP-03 are showing an increasing trend when the number of application groups is listed in time sequentially.

  In addition, in the case of APP-03 use, it is recognized that most of the top applicants are applicants of Korean nationality. As it’s confirmed that a large number of applicants in the form of schools and research institutes are included in the upper-level applicant group, technology seems in the development stage.

   ◎ Application trends by material for food and medicine to prevent Sarcopenia

▲ Status of application by year / material (MAT-01, 02, 06)

▲ Top applicants by material (MAT-01, 02, 06)

  As materials for Sarcopenia and muscle improvement-related technologies, extracts (MAT-01) > compounds (MAT-02) > amino acids (MAT-06) are identified in the order. Based on MAT-01, MAT-02, MAT-06, they’re seen that active research is in progress with an increasing trend when the number of application groups is listed in time series,

  As for MAT-01, it’s recognized that most of the top applicants are researchers and school type of applicants, whereas the applicants of MAT-02 and MAT-06 in the upper level are the mostly corporation type.

 

  Along with the rapid aging of the population, the anti-aging market is growing significantly and remarkably as time goes by. However, for Sarcopenia, there has not been a clear development in relation to the essential preventive methods and treatments.

  Only recently, Sarcopenia has been drawing attention, and research for prevention and treatment has been active, but there is no commercial product developed in the form of medicine or food in reality. Therefore, it is expected that continuous investment and R&D in related fields will be required. It will need to narrow the technological gap through patent monitoring of advanced countries and companies with excellent biotechnology.

 

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 ※ References

- Muscle loss with age, Sarcopenia, is a disease. (2021, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital)

- How to prevent ‘Sarcopenia’, which is a decrease in muscle mass? (Korea Policy Briefing 2021)

- Current status and prospect of anti-aging treatment and service market (Biotechnology Policy Research Center, 2020)

- Development of original technology for controlling aging muscle loss (Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 2014)

 

😄Report by JunKyu PARK, powe0519@wips.co.kr

IP Strategy 3 Team l Manager

JunKyu PARK specializes in patent trend analysis and patent big data processing using AI, focusing on major industries such as displays, batteries and polymers.