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REGISTER PLUS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. SEARCHING

2.1. SIMPLE SEARCH

2.2. ADVANCED SEARCH 2.3. TROUBLESHOOTING2.4. POSSIBLE NUMBER FORMATS AND SEARCH TERMS2.5. WORKED EXAMPLES FOR SEARCHING

3. LOOKING AT THE SEARCH RESULTS

3.1. RESULTS LIST3.2. DIFFERENT DATA VIEWS3.3. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DATA VIEWS

4. OTHER FEATURES

4.1. USING RECENT ITEMS4.2. PRINTING4.3. DOWNLOADING DOCUMENTS4.3.1. DOWNLOADING XML-DATA4.3.2. DOWNLOADING IN PDF FORMAT4.4. VIEWING THE PATENT (APPLICATION) IN ESP@CENET4.5. BOOKMARKING LINKS

5. EPC 2000: CHANGES TO REGISTER PLUS

5.1. NO REFERENCES TO EPC RULES5.2. NEW INFORMATION IN THE REGISTER5.3. NEW INFORMATION ON EP-A AND EP-B PUBLICATIONS

6. WORKED EXAMPLES FOR SEARCHING

6.1. EXAMPLE 16.2. EXAMPLE 26.3. EXAMPLE 3

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Register Plus

1. INTRODUCTION

Register Plus is the place where the EPO stores all the publicly available information it has on European patent applications as they pass through the grant procedure.

Register Plus contains procedural information on all European patent applications from the moment they are published. It also contains all the public documents in the EPO's file (often called the "file wrapper").

The service provides direct access to both the European Patent Register (online procedural data) and Online Public File Inspection. It also allows you to access the data in esp@cenet and Open Patent Services (patent family information and INPADOC legal status).

You can use Register Plus to: • find out what stage in the procedure a European patent application has reached• see if a European patent application has been granted, or will be granted soon• check whether any oppositions to a European patent have been filed• read the correspondence between the EPO and the patent applicant/attorney• batch process and store these documents and correspondence offline for later use.

2. SEARCHING

Register Plus offers a "Simple search" and an "Advanced search" option. The default search option is "Simple search" which allows you to find matches for one search category only. The "Advanced search" allows you to find matches for a combination of search categories. Whenever you wish you can switch between the two search options by simply clicking on the relevant symbol in the frame at the top of your screen.

2.1. SIMPLE SEARCH

In the "Simple Search" mode, select the category from the drop down list you wish to search in and enter your search term in the adjacent field. You can enter up to four search terms. You may use AND, OR and NOT to qualify your search terms. The default operator depends on the search category. Find below which category uses which default operator.

The following search categories are available:

Publication number ORApplication number ORDate of filing ORDate of publication ORPriority number ORPriority date ORApplicant ANDInventor ANDRepresentative AND

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Opponent ANDIPC Classification code AND

2.2. ADVANCED SEARCH

Click on the "Advanced Search" button to open the advanced search interface. This interface gives you a choice of three search fields with the same categories as in "Simple Search". In each field, you can enter up to four search terms combining them with AND, OR and NOT. The default operator depends on the search category and is the same as in the simple search option.

The default operator used to combine different search fields is AND.

Use the "Reset" button before you start a new search.

2.3. TROUBLESHOOTING

If no files are found matching your search terms, please try the following:• Make sure your spelling is correct.• Make sure you did not use any diacritical characters such as ü, ö, etc. and/or accents

such as é, è, etc.?• Make sure your application/publication numbers are in the correct format (see 2.4).• Make sure the category you select is appropriate to the kind of data you enter.• Try entering fewer search terms.

2.4. POSSIBLE NUMBER FORMATS AND SEARCH TERMS

The following number formats are valid for your search.

Search category ExampleEP publication number - EP1023455Publication No. WO publication number• WOyynnnnn for publications until WO0251230• WOyynnnnnn for WO02051231until WO03107732• WOyyyynnnnnn for publications from 1 January 2004 onwards - e.g.

WO2008149449EP application number - 99203729 (eight digits)PCT application number -for PCT/US/1998004141 please type WO1998US04141for PCT/IB2008/012345 please type WO2008IB12345 (remove theleading zero "012345"

Application No.

esp@cenet data format• EP19990402065• WO1998US04141

Priority No. EP20070006671Date of filing yyyymmddDate of publication yyyymmddPriority date yyyymmdd

Note: You don't have to provide a complete date. Search terms such as 200706 or simply2007 are also valid.

Applicant Last name, first nameInventor Last name, first name

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Representative Last name, first nameOpponent • Last name, first name of opponent to find a specific opponent

• 01 to find all oppositionsClassification (IPC) IPC classification code - e.g. G09G5/00, H04L25/49M3B

2.5. WORKED EXAMPLES FOR SEARCHING

Example 1 searches for an Applicant and Date of Filing - go to 6.1Example 2 uses Applicant, Publication No. and Classification (IPC) - go to 6.2Example 3 shows how to search for all available oppositions to a specific patent application - go to 6.3

3. LOOKING AT THE SEARCH RESULTS

3.1. RESULTS LIST

The results list displays up to a maximum of 20 items per page. To view the additional pages, click the numbered buttons in the lower part of the page. Each item contains the categories application number, publication number, applicant and IPC class.

To view a particular document in the search results list, click on the title to see the details of the application

Use the button "Search results" to go return to the results list.

3.2. DIFFERENT DATA VIEWS

The different data views are giving you access to a different type of information about the file you are interested in. Any time you wish to return to the results list, click the "Search Results" button.

About this file

File history

Status

Most recent event

This screen contains bibliographic and procedural status information plus the file history if available.Use the "Show history" button to view changes that have occurred to a file during its lifetime. The file history displays in addition to the current data any old version of the same data stored in the Register back end database

For a list of possible status go to 3.3.

1) This date refers to the publication of the event in the Register.2) This date refers to the publication of the relevant document in the EP Bulletin.3) This date refers to the issue of the EP Bulletin, in the given example Bulletin of

week 6, year 2009.

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Publication To view the patent (application) you can either open the document in esp@cenet ( 4.4) or open the link under publication (e.g. A1 Application with search report).

Legal status This screen shows the most important legal events in the European procedure, plus any information available to the EPO on the fate of the European patent once it passes in the responsibility of the designated states following grant.

Event history This screen lists events for the current file in chronological order. Citations This screen contains a list of documents found during the patentability search for

the European patent application or cited by the applicant. The citations are grouped by their origin (cited in "Search" or "By applicant") and by category "Patent literature" or "Non-patent literature").

Patent family This screen displays a list of patent documents from around the world that are linked to the European patent application by a common priority number.

• Patent family member - Extended (INPADOC) family• Equivalent - All priority numbers are the same (in esp@cenet to be found

under "also published as" on the bibliographic data view)• Earlier application - Earlier application which may or not be claimed as a

priority (possibility since EPC2000)All documents

This screen shows a complete list of the contents of the file at the EPO, together with links that open each document in the viewer. Click on the selected document title to open it in PDF format. When a document is opened, only the first page is displayed. If you wish to save or print a document with more than one page, you must first click "Load all pages".

To organize the documents, you can use the following filters : • Search/Examination• Sent by the EPO• Received by the EPO

3.3. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DATA VIEWS

Date formatDates in square brackets refer to the issue number of the EP Bulletin:e.g. [2009/02] means EP Bulletin published in week 2 of year 2009. Note: The reference to the EP-Bulletin is limited to EP-documents.

Possible status

International application publishedApplication publishedExamination requestedGrant of patent intended

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Application refusedApplication deemed to be withdrawnPatent grantedOpposition procedure runningNo opposition filed within time limitOpposition procedure closedOpposition rejectedPatent revokedPatent maintained in amended form

The status "The patent has been granted" does not exclude the possibility of ongoing oppositions proceedings.

Possible Category of Cited DocumentsX particularly relevant if taken aloneY particularly relevant if combined with another document of the same categoryA technological backgroundO non-written disclosureP intermediate documentT theory or principle underlying the inventionE earlier patent document, but published on, or after the filing dateD document cited in the application L document citer for other reasons& member of the same patent family, corresponding document

4. OTHER FEATURES

4.1. USING RECENT ITEMS

Register Plus provides a list of recently opened files, as well as recent searches.

"Recent files" displays files opened as a result of a previous search. Click "Open" to reopen the concerned document.

"Recent search" displays the previous search terms entered.Click "Search" to restart the same search.

4.2. PRINTING

Printing displayed pages in data views In the data views "About this file", "Legal status", "Event history", "Citations", "Patent family" or "All documents", click the "Print" button to print the current page.

Note: When printing the "About this file" screen, the title of the patent application will not be displayed on the printout, only the publication number is shown.

Printing documents from the results listIn the "All documents" view click on the required item to open it in the PDF document viewer. Then click "Print" in the PDF toolbar.

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As an default option, only the displayed page will be printed. If you wish to print a document with more than one page, you have to "Load all pages" first, then use the printer range options to select the pages you wish to print.

If you wish to print more than one document from the results list, select the required items and click on the "Download selected documents" button.

Once you have downloaded the PDF-document containing all the selected items, click "Print" in the PDF- toolbar.

4.3. DOWNLOADING DOCUMENTS

4.3.1. Downloading xml-Data

In the data views "About this file", "Legal Status", "Event History", "Citations" or "Patent Family", click the "Download XML Data" button and follow the prompts to save the document.

4.3.2. Downloading in PDF format

In the "All Documents" view you can download selected documents in PDF format. Therefore click the check box(es) to select document(s), click the "Download selected documents" button and follow the prompts to save the document.

4.4. VIEWING THE PATENT (APPLICATION) IN ESP@CENET

If you want to see the patent application itself, click on the "Open in esp@cenet" button. In esp@cenet you can download and/or print the application in PDF-format.

4.5. BOOKMARKING LINKS

In order to save a direct link to a chosen file, right-click on the document title in the "About this file" view and save the shortcut in your browser favourites.

5. EPC 2000: CHANGES TO REGISTER PLUS

The EPO has set up a special information service for enquiries relating to the EPC 2000 and the impact it will have. Send your questions to epc2000comm@epo.orgFurther information: http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legislative-initiatives/epc2000.html

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5.1. NO REFERENCES TO EPC RULES

With the EPC 2000 in force, the Register no longer cites the number of a specific rule, e.g. Rule 51(4), but instead uses words to give the gist of the relevant rule, e.g. "Dispatch of communication of intention to grant".

5.2. NEW INFORMATION IN THE REGISTER

Since the entry into force of the EPC 2000, Register Plus includes the following additional entries:• If the patent's period for opposition expires without an opposition being filed: "No

opposition filed"• If an error is corrected in the European patent specification: "Patent specification

corrected on (date)"• Date of despatch of supplementary European search report• Date of despatch of first examination communication• Date of receipt of request for re-establishment of rights• Refusal of request for re-establishment of rights• Opponent's name, address and country of residence or principal place of business• Name and business address of opponent's representative• New documents coming to light after the European search report was drawn up• For international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for which the

European Patent Office acts as designated Office:the international filing numberthe international publication numberthe international publication date

• Date of request for limitation or revocation of the European patent• Requester's name, address and country of residence or principal place of business• Date of petition for review by the Enlarged Board of Appeal• Petitioner's name, address and country of residence or principal place of business• File number of the petition for review

5.3. NEW INFORMATION ON EP-A AND EP-B PUBLICATIONS

A publications will carry additional information in order to take account of new situations introduced into the pre-publication phase by EPC 2000 (e.g. "late filed" claims; request for re-establishment of rights in respect of the priority period).There will be a new B publication (B3) for approved limitations of granted European patents.

6. WORKED EXAMPLES FOR SEARCHING

6.1. EXAMPLE 1

Advanced search using the categories "Applicant" and "Date of filing":

Select the search category "Applicant" and enter your search term, e.g. "aventis pharma". Note: Only items matching both "aventis" AND "pharma" are found.

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In the second field, select the search category "Date of filing" and enter a date in the format YYYYMMDD. You may only enter the year (YYYY), or the year and the month (YYYYMM). In order to reduce the items in the results list, it is recommended to enter year and month. If you know the exact filing date, you may also use it.

To see the details of an item, click the link in the "Application No." column.

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The Data View opens, displaying the information for the selected application number. To return to the list of items, click "Search Results".

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6.2. EXAMPLE 2

Advanced search using the categories "Applicant", "Publication No." and "Classification (IPC)".

Select the search category "Applicant" and enter "Land Rover". Items matching both "Land" AND "Rover" are found.

If you wish to see only EP publication numbers, and exclude all WO numbers type "EP NOT WO" in the "Publication No." field.

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To reduce the number of items to the classification category "B60 G07", type the IPC symbol in the third search field and select the search category "Classification (IPC)".

6.3. EXAMPLE 3

Advanced search using the categories "Applicant" and "Opponent":

Select the search category "Applicant" and enter your search term, e.g. "BASF". If you wish to see all the patent applications that have been opposed, type "01" in the search field "Opponent".

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