Anne
1. Does anyone download patent document images / copies as needed from Net
suppliers rather than print from CD's?
I received answers from 11 people from 10 commercial organizations in the US
and Europe. The type of company included chemical, pharmaceutical,
agrochemical, instrument manufacturers. Please equate company with
respondent since I had a few responses without organizations being
mentioned.
Is the downloaded image pdf quality? All respondents mention high quality
images with few problems.
2. Does the library / information center do the download or does the
researcher? At many companies either the library will download or give the
user the choice of doing it themselves. One company requires the user to
download if the patent is available from their preferred vendor.
3. Are the costs for the patents paid by the library/ information center or
by the requester's department? Costs are paid by the library, although
two respondents said the costs were charged back either directly or as
overheads.
4. Is ordering cost effective in
a) turn-around time for delivery via the Internet yes (mail delivery for
large patents 2-3 days also acceptable)
b) patron satisfaction / acceptance very good; except for the
technologically impaired who cannot fathom do it yourself, Comments were
that some departments ordered their own documents and users seemed happy to
be able to get the patent themselves.
5. Do the Net vendors have the patents available when you need them -Mostly
Yes (most respondents had a backup service for occasions when the primary
provider was having problems or the net was slow).
and are the banners with the patent ranges available kept up to date? Not
everyone needs patents as soon as issued, so this was not a seen as a
problem; US , EP, WO documents usually available in 5 working days of
publication.
6. Who is your primary Internet supplier and how satisfied are you with the
service?
Micropatent was the primary provider for respondents. Additional providers
were: Corporate Intelligence Corporation (producer of choice for some legal
users because of post-issuance documents): Dialog for hard copy of large
documents; Derwent Patent Explorer and Patent Bank*
Can you pay a flat fee for downloads or do you pay per patent? Most pay per
patent either because their use is not enough for a flat rate or because
they do not yet have experience to justify a flat rate. Four companies have
a flat rate contract, at least one used the per patent approach until use
justified flat rate.
7. Documents ordered per year Most respondents who answered this ordered
more than 500 patents per year
Miscellaneous comments: Ordering directly obviated problems with CD
software, networking CD's and other costs associated with them.
Downloaded pdf files can be sent to patrons faster than interoffice mail.
Download time: Comments on data-transfer rates of 50Kg/sec not available
from 9-5; the net could be slow as well - especially during US business
hours
Micropatent supplies detailed statements by Email and accepts charge card
for payment.
Micropatent response to customers' technical requests or suggested
improvements cited as very slow; also customers relations overseas re
address/account rep. changes were not up to US
*I had not heard of Patent Bank from Corporate Intelligence Corporation
(www.patentimaging.com) The Patent Bank order screen accepts patent numbers
only. The price for US patents is very good. A trial subscription is
available. I called customer service when I could not access the site as a
guest. Response was prompt and helpful.
File wrappers are available electronically from Patent Imaging Corp. with
the caveat that they could become expensive at $150 per wrapper for
non-subscribers as the wrappers would include wrappers from all related
applications. Corporate Intelligence Corporation is scanning wrappers to
increase their collection.
Anne E. Backman
Senior Research Information Scientist
Zeneca Pharmaceuticals
1800 Concord Pike
Wilmington DE 19850-5437
anne.backman@phwilm.zeneca.com
Phone: 302-886-8211 fax: 302-886-5369