Derwent World Patents Index on Dialog (Content)

 

Q: What is the coverage of the new First Level data within the file?

A: Coverage varies by data element, patent kind (e.g. applications, granted patents, and utility models) and time. In general:

  • Original titles: Germany since 1968; EPO since 1978; US since 1975; PCT since 1978; Japan since 1975; Australia since 2004; and UK since 2004.
  • Original abstracts: Germany since 2000; EPO since 1978 in English and 2000 in French or German; US since 1975; and PCT since 1978.
  • First claim: Germany since 1968; EPO since 1991; US since 1993; and UK - database updates 198409 to 199751.
  • Inventor full name and associated address, and original patent assignee and associated address: Germany since 1968; EPO since 1978; US since 1975; PCT since 1978; and Japan since 1977 (no addresses).
  • Agent and associated address: Germany since 1968; EPO since 1978; US since 1975; and PCT since 1999.

At present, the first claim is NOT available for PCT applications. In addition, machine-assisted translations of the JP original abstract and first claim are also NOT available.

Q: Historically, Thomson Scientific included abstracts for many equivalent members of the patent family. Is this data still available?

A: Yes, this data is available at the Member Patent Level. However, in the case of GB-B, EP-B, and US-A documents, the equivalent abstract for certain time periods was actually the first or main claim and not a Thomson Scientific value-add abstract. For consistency, this data has been moved to the new claims field at the Member Patent Level and, therefore, no longer qualifies as an equivalent abstract.

Q: What additional Thomson Scientific value-add abstracts are available?

A: Approximately 750,000 additional abstracts are now available in a text searchable format for the first time. The time period covered is 1995 to 1999. These “Documentation Abstracts” were the longest form of value-add abstracts prepared at the time and have been indexed in the DO field. In 1999, Thomson Scientific introduced the Extension Abstract which has been available since that time in the XA field on Dialog.

Documentation Abstracts and Extension Abstracts are available in File 350 only.

Q: Is it possible to search using the US national patent classification system?

A: Yes. Original (Initial) US national classes, as issued on the US document at the time of publication, are available for US documents since 1975. This data is available at the Member Patent Level. At present, Thomson Scientific is NOT updating the US national classes following any USPTO reclassification cycle. The introduction of this reclassification data is a planned future enhancement. When this data is introduced, the Current US classes will be available at both the Invention and Member Patent Levels.

Q: Is it possible to search using the ECLA and F-terms patent classification systems?

A: The introduction of this data is planned as future enhancements.

Q: How is Thomson Scientific implementing the IPC Reform within DWPI?

A: Thomson Scientific will be embracing all aspects of the IPC Reform within DWPI. At the Invention Level the current IPCs for the patent family will be provided. At the Member Patent Level both the current and original IPCs for each member patent will be provided.
Dialog has only made the Invention level IPCs searchable at this time. Therefore, member level data is display only.

Q: How can I search the IPC Reform codes?

A: New IPC code indexes are being introduced for Advanced (ICA=), Core (ICC=), and Attributes (IA=); both new codes and codes assigned from version. 7 are searchable in the IC= index. The IC= index contains all IPCs irrespective of their status (e.g. Invention and Member Patent Levels, original and current, IPC Reform and IPC 1-7). At the Member Patent Level the current and original IPC Reform IPCs for each constituent member patent will again be displayed in the IC field. The IPC code indexes are created from the Invention Level IPCs only.

Q: What about pre-Reform IPC codes?

A: IPC1-7 continues to be available. As the IPC Reform reclassification data has not yet been loaded into DWPI, the IPC1-7 codes will also be found as current IPCs at both the Invention and Member Patent Levels. These IPCs continue to be searchable and displayable using the IC field.

Q: Is IPC Reform reclassification data available within DWPI?

A: No, not yet. This reclassification data will be added to the file in the coming months. IPC Reform data on documents issued since January 1, 2006, is available within the file.

Q: I understand that the introduction of the IPC Reform requires current awareness searches to be adjusted. But do I have to do anything about queries pointing to IPC1-7 data?

A: Use this link to see the most up to date information on IPC Reform changes on Dialog.

Q: Have the Title Terms and Inventor Display Codes changed?

A: Yes, changes have been made to accommodate country code display codes, used for displaying Member Patent Level data for specific countries.

AU is now the display code for Australia and inventor names are now displayed using IV.

(AU= is still used to search the DWPI standardized Inventor names (plus complete name from original filings) and there is a new IV= field that just searches the complete name from original filings).

DE is now the display code for Germany and Title Terms, are now searchable using the /TT suffix and can be displayed using TT.

Q: What additional DCR numbers are available and how have they been generated?

A: Additional DCR numbers are available in the Enhanced Polymer Indexing field (auto-generated from the Specific Compound Numbers) and in the Chemical Coding field (auto-generated from the Specific Compound and Registry Numbers).

Q: Can I search DWPI as I did before?

A: If you are only interested in the traditional view of DWPI, you can restrict searches to the Invention Level and new search and display qualifiers have been introduced to enable this. The new qualifiers for the Thomson Scientific value-add titles and abstracts include:

  • /TD – DWPI Enhanced Title
  • /DA – DWPI Enhanced Abstract
  • /NV – Novelty section of the DWPI Enhanced Abstract
  • /TF – Technology Focus section of the DWPI Enhanced Abstract
  • /DO – DWPI Documentation Abstract
  • /TA – DWPI Data ( /TD, /DA, /DO); in File 350, the /DD field also includes the /XA (Extension Abstract) field