https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/events/search-matters-2023

Search Matters 2023

Online
English
Free
Image
Search Matter key visual

Searching for sustainability

Online conference for patent search professionals

Find out more about the best search strategies for these fascinating technological areas in insightful lectures and interactive workshops.

Who should attend?

Patent search professionals from business, academia and IP firms.

Event details

Past event
MAY
23
8:50 - 13:00 h
Online
MAY
24
8:50 - 13:00 h
Online
MAY
25
8:50 - 13:00 h
Online

Programme

Tuesday, 23 May 2023

08.50 hrs

Join the session

09.00-10.00 hrs

Opening of event and welcome to the day

Steve Rowan, VP patent granting process, EPO
 

Plenary 1: International achievements in patent information and tools: past, present and future

Paul Schwander, Director of IT Co-operation Partnerships, EPO

10.00-10.15 hrs

Break 

10.15-11.15 hrs

Keynote Speech: Science-based Solution Pathways for Climate Neutrality

Phoebe Koundouri, Professor at the School of Economics and Director of Research laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)

11.15-11.30 hrs

Break 

11.30-12.30 hrs

Workshop session 1
 

Workshop 6: 10 most frequently asked questions about patent information at the EPO

Vesna Vajsbaher, patent information data specialist, EPO
 

Workshop 9: Retrieving efficiently valuable information from international patent office cooperation using Global Dossier and Common Citation Document

Alan Bacon and Robert Pötzsch, examiners, EPO

12:30-13:00 hrs

End of day

Wednesday, 24 May 2023

08.50 hrs

Join the session

09.00-10.00 hrs

Plenary 2: 10 years in the CPC

Pierre Held, administrator, Dir. Classification and File Management, EPO

10.00-10.15 hrs

Break 

10.15-11.15 hrs

Workshop session 2

 

Workshop 5: Prior art cited from Internet

David Wienema, examiner, EPO
 

Workshop 7: Unitary Patent-related information in the EPO's patent information data, tools and services
Yolanda Sánchez García, Product Marketing Manager, and Patrick Le Gonidec, Service Live Cycle Manager in Patent Information, EPO
 

Workshop 11: Search and Use of Designs as Prior Art for Patents

Domenico Golzio, IT director, EPO, and Guido Moradei, Quaestio - Patent Information Partners

11.15-11.30 hrs

Break 

11.30-12.30 hrs

Workshop session 3

 

Workshop 10: Finding relevant prior art in 30 min

Martijn Lantsheer, examiner, EPO
 

Workshop 4: SEARCH presentation

Paula Larisa Patras, IT Co-Operation Search project, EPO and Barnaby Hoyal, IT Partnerships Administrator, EPO

12:30-13:00 hrs

End of day

Thursday, 25 May 2023

08.50 hrs

Join the session

09.00-10.00 hrs

Plenary 3: AI-driven patent classification for a sustainable world  

Alexander Klenner-Bajaja, head of Department Data Science, EPO

10:00-10.15 hrs

Break 

10.15-11.15 hrs

Workshop session 4

 

Workshop 1: Access to sustainable technology in Japanese patent documentation, using classification and indexing

Adam Cohen, administrator Dir. Quality Audit and examiner, EPO and Christoph Wirner, examiner, EPO
 

Workshop 3: The Chinese IP high-speed train: "accelerated examination" at CNIPA

Jenny Olausson, examiner, EPO and Jutta Haußer, IP know-how, EPO
 

Workshop 8: Searchers and Finders

Joris van Lith, administrator Directorate Quality Audit, EPO

11.15-11.30 hrs

Break 

11.30-12.30 hrs

Workshop session 5

 

Workshop 2: Inventor teams and their interrelated patents
Alain Materne, examiner, EPO, and Gershom Sleightholme, senior expert, EPO
 

Workshop 8: Searchers and Finders

Joris van Lith, administrator Directorate Quality Audit, EPO

 

Workshop 12: The EPO's new Fire-fighting platform

Christian Soltmann, Patent Knowledge division, EPO, and Patricia López, examiner, Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM)

12.30-13.00 hrs

Closing remarks

Xavier Seuba, PD Patent Intelligence

 

Workshops

Workshop 1: Access to sustainable technology in Japanese patent documentation, using classification and indexing

Speakers: Adam Cohen, administrator Dir. Quality Audit and examiner, EPO and Christoph Wirner, examiner, EPO

This workshop aims to optimise the prior art retrieval of sustainable technology in Japanese patent documentation, via Japanese Fl classes and F-term indexing terms - alone and combined with keyword searches. In addition to explaining the philosophy behind FI and F-term classification, we also present strategies for efficient and complete searches in Japanese documentation using publicly available sources and search tools. The workshop will cover the following topics: 

  • The underlying "philosophy" of the Japanese Fl classification and F-term indexing systems, and their concordance with the IPC
  • The dynamics of Japanese Fl and F-term systems relating to clean and green IP: amended and new schemes, as well as the reorganisation of existing classes/terms 
  • Publicly-available sources for Japanese patent and non-patent documentation, with a focus on J-PlatPat 
  • Search engines, search syntax and search strategy for examples taken from clean and green IP 

If you already have a basic understanding of classification, finding appropriate codes and using them in simple search strategies, this workshop is for you.

Workshop 2: Inventor teams and their interrelated patents

Speakers: Alain Materne, examiner, EPO, and Gershom Sleightholme, senior expert, EPO

Beyond patent families, there are other closely interrelated patents and patent applications. Firms who wish to be active in a particular area of technology need to ensure that their products will not infringe existing patents or existing patent applications which might later be granted. This requires an adequate patent search to uncover all interrelated patents and applications. Frequently, these are from a single applicant, but often with multiple inventors, or networks of inventors, and concern similar, but not identical subject-matter. This workshop presents simple-to-use but effective techniques which anyone can apply, using inventor names to retrieve such related applications. Since for prior art searches, the inventor names can also be used to search for academic literature by the inventors as authors, techniques for finding related scientific articles will also be demonstrated. These techniques are based on ones used at the EPO to find similar applications at the pre-search stage, which have proven their value in widespread systematic use for over twenty years using tools the Office has developed. Examples from various fields of technology, including green technologies, will be presented using Espacenet. A novel use of figures in determining relationships will also be shown.

Workshop 3: The Chinese IP high-speed train: "accelerated examination" at CNIPA

Speakers: Jenny Olausson, examiner, EPO and Jutta Haußer, IP know-how, EPO

Over 60% of all patent information entries currently originate in China, but monitoring of IP activities originating in China has become increasingly time-consuming, despite advances in AI technologies like machine translation engines and proximity search.

Recently, this trend has gained a new dimension: thousands of national CN patent applications are being granted within just a few months from the date of filing. This new "IP high-speed train" creates fresh challenges for applicants, patent searchers and examiners alike.

In this presentation, we will discuss the impact of this development from the perspective of both an EPO examiner and a patent searcher. We will explore questions such as: how can you effectively monitor your competitor's patent filing in light of this new trend? How can you challenge these rapidly granted patents? What are the implications for priority? And, how quickly can you obtain information on these patent applications in English?

To answer these questions, we will present case studies and provide practical guidance on recognising quick grants, searching the CNIPA's official gazette and other related topics. Beyond a deeper understanding of the challenges posed by the "IP high-speed train" in China, you will also learn more about practical strategies to address them.

Workshop 4: SEARCH presentation

Speakers: Paula Larisa Patras, IT Co-Operation Search project, EPO and Barnaby Hoyal, IT Partnerships Administrator, EPO

Are you a Searcher or a Finder? Find out in this workshop.

SEARCH is a patent prior art search tool aimed at patent search professionals. This tool is the result of the EPO's technology leap to a state-of-the-art patent search platform for patent examiners at the EPO and national patent offices. Currently being piloted by around 300 examiners in 20 EPC patent offices worldwide, SEARCH is now leveraging the scalability of a best-in-class secure cloud platform capable of delivering a service to some 2 000 patent examiners who are currently using EpoqueNET.

At Search Matters 2021 we presented a proof-of-concept version of SEARCH. In 2022 we released an update with the first cloud service. Over the past year we have moved to a full pilot with many active examiners. The tool now provides all of the data sources needed by examiners to do a complete search. The platform implements bestinclass encryption to deliver the highest possible levels of security, marking a major step towards the migration from EpoqueNET to SEARCH

This year we will present the current version of SEARCH, show how the project has developed in the last 12 months and offer a glimpse of where we plan to go with this powerful tool.

Workshop 5: Prior art cited from Internet

Speaker: David Wienema, examiner, EPO

Over the last years, the number of citations relating to internet e.g. YouTube videos, Wikipedia and archive websites has significantly increased. Searching on the internet is often an efficient way for examiners and patent information professionals to find relevant prior art in the form of a pdf, a website, a video, and so on. In this workshop, general guidance will be provided as to the applicable legal framework regarding standard and burden of proof according to EPO practice.  We will analyse the conditions under which these different kinds of prior art may be relevant and how to search each of them efficiently. We will explore ways of citing YouTube videos. A number of practical methods and computer tools for determining the publication date of an internet disclosure will be presented. The information and practical tips provided in this workshop will make you better equipped to meet the challenges posed by this particular type of prior art.

Workshop 6: 10 most frequently asked questions about patent information at the EPO

Speaker: Vesna Vajsbaher, patent information data specialist, EPO

"Ten most frequently asked questions about patent information at the EPO" is a session for all potential, new and professional users of patent information data at the EPO. When users start working with patent information data in our datasets, tools and services, they usually ask a similar set of questions. 

 In this session we reply to the ten most frequently asked questions and cover issues that users often experience when dealing with EPO's patent information data. They range from: "How can I transform PCT application format to work in EPO's tools?" to "Which is the best tool or service to use when I want to search using Inpadoc legal events?" or "Why is a certain document not part of a DOCDB simple patent family, but is listed in extended family?" On top of tips, alternatives and workarounds that will make your life easier, we will also explain how to help average users and searchers who need support in using patent information.

Workshop 7: Unitary Patent-related information in the EPO's patent information data, tools and services

Speakers: Yolanda Sánchez García, Product Marketing Manager, and Patrick Le Gonidec, Service Live Cycle Manager in Patent Information, EPO

The Unitary Patent - one of the most significant new developments in the IP world since the launch of the European Patent back in the 1970s - is expected to be introduced in June 2023.

Data relating to unitary effect will be curated and reported in the EPO's many patent information tools and services, providing users with an additional layer of patent information. This presentation covers some of the EPO patent information products that will provide UP-related information, namely the European Patent Register, Espacenet, European Patent Bulletin and EP Bulletin Search. 

You will learn how to search for patents with unitary effect and get a look at some of the UP data that will be displayed in these products. We will also introduce the new "Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge" EPO website, which provides an overview of the various EPO tools and services that will offer information on the Unitary Patent.

Workshop 8: Searchers and Finders

Speaker: Joris van Lith, administrator Directorate Quality Audit, EPO

In this presentation two extreme mindsets of a search examiner are worked out: the Searcher and the Finder. The approaches, advantages and disadvantages of each mindset will be discussed. Finally a way for obtaining the advantages of both mindsets within the same search is proposed. The primary aim of the presentation is to make examiners aware of their own mindset, so that they don't subconsciously mix both mindsets. The secondary aim is to encourage examiners to actively control their own mindset, resulting in an improved quality and efficiency of the search.

Workshop 9: Retrieving efficiently valuable information from international patent office cooperation using Global Dossier and Common Citation Document

Speakers: Alan Bacon and Robert Pötzsch, examiners, EPO

This interactive online workshop focuses on efficiently retrieving documents and information that have been cited by other intellectual property offices (e.g. IP5) for patent family members or similar applications. This information can be helpful in searches done in order to prepare the filing of an opposition or a new patent application, for example. To this end, the possibilities of Global Dossier and Common Citation Document will be explored together with the audience. The audience will be shown using practical examples how and what kind of valuable (sometimes hidden) information can be retrieved and how this information should then be understood. This source of information is of high interest for search professionals, because it can deliver further relevant documents for the underlying case and allows the search professional, for instance, to fine-tune their search and focus on other key features. Selected examples will be given from the field of green technologies.

Workshop 10: Finding relevant prior art in 30 min

Speaker: Martijn Lantsheer, examiner, EPO

The presentation will start with a discussion on participants favourite (different) public search tools and why it helps them find prior art quickly. Then the importance of being able to build up search strategies that effectively narrow down the search result will be shown, starting from an example. Finally the workshop will comprise a guided group exercise in doing a search.

Workshop 11: Search and Use of Designs as Prior Art for Patents

Speakers: Domenico Golzio, IT director, EPO, and Guido Moradei, Quaestio - Patent Information Partners

Designs are intended to protect the appearance, the aesthetic of products even though they must have a functional purpose. In accordance with the European Patent Convention patents are granted to inventions in all fields of technology and we do not consider them as inventions, among other things, aesthetic creations and presentation of information. This may suggest that Designs are not suitable as prior art. EPO examiners actively cite Designs as prior art as anticipating novelty and inventive step as part of the "Problem Solution Approach". Moreover Designs, besides being used as complementary to patents, appear to be used as substitutive in certain technical fields like animated graphical user Interfaces. All this point out that a comprehensive patent prior art search must include also Designs.

Searching Designs is a complex task due to their structure. Designs can be searched by using keywords, however, with very few exceptions, the only text available in the majority of Designs is the title, which is often quite vague. Designs can be searched using the "Locarno Classification" which was created for administrative purposes and refers only to the product to which the design is applied, not to its appearance.  Image search by visual comparison of thousand designs however is time-consuming and "intelligent" search engines based on advanced image recognition technology are currently offered by very few platforms.

There are specialised sources for that and a few AI-based tools already available on the market offering reverse image search, not only browsing the web but also registered design databases.

Workshop 12: The EPO's new Fire-fighting platform

Speakers: Christian Soltmann, Patent Knowledge division, EPO, and Patricia López, examiner, Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM)

With its technology platforms, the EPO makes access to information about important technical fields and emerging technologies available in a user-friendly way to researchers, inventors and companies. On these platforms, patent information users find numerous search concepts for relevant technologies. These search concepts have been developed, and are updated on a regular basis, by EPO subject-matter experts and other specialists.

The first technology platform of this kind was the EPO's Fighting coronavirus platform, which was set up in 2020, followed by the Clean energy platform published in November 2022.

The next technology platform of the EPO will be the Fire-fighting platform. Forest wildfires represent a severe hazard to the environment, society and economy. As their frequency and intensity increase, their implications are becoming global. However, the pace of innovation is also increasing in many areas, such as fire detection and prevention, fire extinguishing and protection equipment.

This presentation explains the rationale behind the new Fire-fighting platform, and how it was created. We will show how the search concepts for relevant technologies were developed by subject-matters experts at the EPO and national offices, and how they were translated into meaningful Espacenet search statements. The presentation will be complemented by a demo of the Fire-fighting platform and its features.

 

Plenary Talks

Keynote Speech

Science-based Solution Pathways for Climate Neutrality

Speaker: Professor Phoebe Koundouri

Plenary 1: International achievements in patent information and tools: past, present and future

Speaker: Paul Schwander, Director of IT Co-operation Partnerships, EPO

The European Patent Office has a longstanding history of collaborating with other patent offices worldwide, particularly in the field of patent information, and of developing common tools for examiners and external users. 

In this presentation we will share a number of fascinating stories linked to major international achievements in the field of patent information and tools. By bringing recent and older accomplishments vividly to life, we will give you a richer, more comprehensive understanding of their significance. We will also explore the potential for further developments in the near future through continued co-operation activities.

Plenary 2

10 years in the CPC

Speaker: Pierre Held, administrator, Dir. Classification and File Management, EPO

Plenary3: AI-driven patent classification for a sustainable world

Speaker: Alexander Klenner-Bajaja, head of Department Data Science, EPO

The European Patent Office (EPO) has developed a highly advanced auto-classifier for classification under the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system that is driven by artificial intelligence (AI). This AI-based tool not only classifies huge backlog collections automatically, but also offers classification support for examiners that increases quality and consistency. 

In this presentation we will provide detailed insights into the technology underpinning our AI-driven classifier, specifically for the Climate Change Mitigation and New Emerging Technology special inventories of the CPC, Y02 and Y04. 

We will also reflect on the first year of the auto-classification of documents, with a focus on Y02 classes, and demonstrate the versatility of our AI pipeline, showcasing its ability to adapt to other use cases.

 

Speakers and panellists

Adam Cohen, GB, administrator (50%), Directorate of Quality Audit, examiner (50%), Mobility and Mechatronics, EPO The Hague. BA, MA and PhD in electrical and information sciences/photonic engineering from Cambridge University. Worked in Japan, Canada, the USA and the UK. Joined the EPO as an examiner in 2003. Also involved in EPO IT projects, geographical outreach and communication quality projects. Coaches new examiners and is an expert on Japanese translation queries. Former committee member of the Asian Patent Expert Group.

Alain Materne, FR, examiner, Information and Communications Technology, EPO Berlin. Degree in electronic engineering from ENSEA in Cergy-Pontoise (FR), completed with a thesis project at Berlin's Technical University. Worked in the electronics industry at Wandel & Goltermann in Reutlingen, Germany, prior to joining the EPO in 1988. Develops various ranking scripts in ooRexx for retrieving related files and prior art.

Alan Bacon, GB, examiner, Mobility and Mechatronics, EPO The Hague. MA in chemistry from the University of Oxford, St. Peter's College, UK, 1982. PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Southampton, UK, 1985. Joined the EPO as an examiner in 1985 and has been working in the field of printing ever since. Member of the Classification Board since 1990. Tutor and trainer of new EPO examiners, lecturer with the European Patent Academy. Has given numerous presentations at Search Matters and Examination Matters, and has represented the EPO at various occasions worldwide.

Alexander Klenner-Bajaja joined the EPO in 2014 as member of an IT team working on automated search. In 2019, he became the head of the newly created Data Science department. The data science team is creating solutions using artificial intelligence to solve challenges in the patent grant process such as automated classification of applications and automated prior art search.

Barnaby Hoyal is an IT Partnerships Administrator who joined the EPO in 2005. He is a chemical engineer with a background in consultancy and project management, who currently leads a team of examiners working in the field of absorbents and nonwovens. As a patent examiner and team manager, he has also worked in the fields of gas separation, microfluidics, absorbents and nonwovens, fuel cells and battery technology. From 2012 to 2016 Barnaby worked with Directorate International Co-operation to provide training in search for many national patent offices and co-ordinated IT-related activities in the IP5 programme. In 2020, working with the EPO's IT Co-operation Directorate, he initiated a project to bring new search technology to the EPC contracting states and continues to support it.

Christian Soltmann is a product manager in the Patent Knowledge division of the EPO. He holds a PhD in materials science and a MAS in intellectual property. He joined the EPO in 2013 and is today involved in the maintenance and further development of the EPO's worldwide legal event data (INPADOC) service. Moreover, he is involved in knowledge transfer activities such as EPO patent insight reports and the EPO's technology platforms, and in training activities of the European Patent Academy

Christoph Wirner, DE, examiner, sector Information and Communications Technology, EPO The Hague. In charge of prior art searches, examination and opposition procedures in the field of semiconductor technology. Member of the Asian Patent Expert group (APEG) Committee. Member of the CII group on computer implemented inventions. Member of the DG1-DG5 International Cooperation Taskforce on data exchange. Promoted the use of the Japanese Fi/F-term classification and the access to patent documentation from Asia. He is also a member of the EPO's Japanese language expert group.

David Wienema is an examiner in the field of electronics who joined the EPO in 2015. He is regularly invited to participate in events and has given presentations to external stakeholders on PCT Direct, patent granting at the EPO and accelerating the procedure for Chinese applicants during missions in Canada, Japan and China. David is an Ansera/Search expert and a deputy CKT agent in his directorate.

Domenico Golzio holds a degree in Physics. After working as an electronic engineer in telecoms, automotive and aerospace industries he joined the EPO as a Patent Examiner in the field of ICT. He has been the Director of a Search and Examination Unit, led the Directorate developing tools for Prior Art Search and Patent Information and was a Director in the CIO/CTO Office. His research works cover various aspects of IPRs, including the relationship between patents and innovation, patent information, international patent portfolios, and comparison between different patent systems. He is lecturing at various Universities.

Gershom Sleightholme, senior expert, Team Diagnosis and Electrical Automotive Parts, EPO Berlin. Holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Melbourne and a doctorate from the University of Cambridge. Worked for several years in the steel and automotive industries and in the British civil service prior to joining the EPO in 1996.

Guido Moradei is a registered Italian and European Design attorney whose activity is focused on providing information and consultancy in the Design matter, CEO of two companies dealing with IP information and prosecution. He is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the World Patent Information journal and editor of the special issue about Industrial Design Intellectual Property and Information Retrieval. Often a speaker or chairman in international conferences and meetings, he authors papers and collaborates with IP Offices in advisory bodies like the SACEPO/PDI (EPO), and the WIPO Committee of Standards and as an advisor in IP-related projects. Guido is a Qualified Patent Information Professional (QPIP) and a proactive member of the community of IP information specialists: AIDB president, former board member of the CEPIUG and PIUG member for more than 20 years.

Jenny Olausson studied pharmacy at the Universität des Saarlandes. After completing her PhD at the medical faculty of the Universität des Saarlandes, she joined the EPO in 2006 as an examiner in the field of second medical use. Since 2016, Jenny is a member of the Asian Patent Expert Group at the EPO and frequently giving presentations on Asian prior art related matter.

Joris van Lith, NL, Administrator Directorate Quality Audit, EPO The Hague. Obtained a PhD degree in integrated optics from Twente University. Joined the EPO in 2007 as an examiner. Coached many new examiners and is very active in knowledge sharing within the EPO. Current responsibilities include internal quality audits of search reports and grants.

Jutta Haußer studied Japanese and Chinese studies at the University of Munich (Germany) and holds a PhD in Japanese Studies. She has spent several years in Taiwan and Japan. From 1992 to 2005, she was assistant professor at the University of Munich, LMU. She joined the European Patent Office in 2007. As a member of the EPO's Asian patent information team, now Worldwide IP Knowledge, she is responsible for facilitating access to and monitoring patent information from Japan, China, Brazil and other jurisdictions. She regularly gives seminars on Asian patent information.

Martijn Lantsheer, NL, examiner, Mobility and Mechatronics, EPO The Hague. Studied aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology and is a qualified European patent attorney. Joined the EPO in 2012 as an examiner and is involved in search, examination and opposition.

Patricia López is a patent examiner in the field of mechanics at the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (OEPM). She holds a degree in chemical engineering from the Complutense University of Madrid and a master’s degree in renewable energy and energy efficiency from the University of Zaragoza. Patricia is one of the authors of the study “Patents and forest fire control” and has collaborated with the EPO in the Fire Fighting Platform.

Patrick Le Gonidec joined the Patent Information branch of the EPO in 2002. He is service live cycle manager for the following products:

  • European Publication Server
  • Global Dossier
  • Global Patent Index (GPI)
  • EP full-text search
  • EP Bulletin search

Pierre Held, FR, administrator, Directorate Prior Art and Classification, EPO The Hague. Pierre holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Strasbourg. He Joined the EPO in 1997 as a patent examiner and moved to Directorate Classification in 2004. He is a member of the EPO-USPTO bilateral Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) Joint Governance Board and of the Asian Patent Expert Group. As project leader of the CPC cooperation project under EPO's Strategic Plan, he manages EPO's international classification activities. Pierre is also a trainer and presenter at in-house and external events.

Robert Pötzsch, DE, examiner, Healthcare, Biotechnology, Chemistry, EPO The Hague. Studied chemistry at TU Dresden, Germany, and ENSC Rennes, France. PhD from the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden. Research stays at McMaster University Hamilton, Canada, and UC Santa Barbara, USA. Joined the EPO as an examiner in 2013. Experience in opposition. Passed the EQE in 2018.

Vesna Vajsbaher has been working at the EPO since 2004. She has been a member of the patent data services team for the last 14 years. Previously, she was part of the Asian patent information team, specialising in Korean patent information. She is a patent information data specialist responsible for user support for all bulk data sets, as well as technical and user support for the EPO's Open Patent Services (OPS) web services. She is also a member of the EPO's newly founded patent knowledge experts pool.

Yolanda Sánchez García joined the EPO in 2002. As Product Marketing Manager for the European Patent Register, she is responsible for promoting the application, providing training and giving presentations at a wide range of events and conducting market research. She is also actively involved in planning and developing new Register services and features, including the Federated Register, Register Alert and the future Unitary Patent Register, which reflect feedback from user consultations. Yolanda holds a PhD in organic chemistry (Universidad de Barcelona and Molecular Research Institute, Palo Alto, California), a postdoctoral degree (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Munich) and a postgraduate degree in marketing.

Paula Larisa Patras joined the EPO in 2009. She has an electronics and telecommunications degree and background in network testing, technical pre-sales, product, and project management. As a patent examiner Paula worked in the field of wireless networks for over 12 years. She also acted as product manager of the EPO-internal non patent literature (NPL) acquisition tool. In 2020 Paula was selected deputy project manager for the IT Co-Operation Search project, and later in 2021 took over the project manager role. In 2022 Paula moved to the IT Co-operation Directorate and is currently fully dedicating to managing the IT Co-Operation Search project, bringing new search technology to the EPC contracting states.

Paul Schwander is currently Director of IT Co-operation Partnerships at the European Patent Office, where he manages the EPO's patent information and IT co-operation activities with national offices across the globe. Previously, he was a director both in external product and services and in information acquisition, with responsibility for overseeing EPO search and patent filing services for external users and managing the acquisition of technical prior art databases.  During his career, he has also served as an EPO Liaison Officer, with responsibility for patent information co-operation at the Belgian Patent Office and the European Commission, where he created and managed the IPR Helpdesk. He holds a degree in electrical engineering from CentraleSupélec and a Patent Law degree from CEIPI (Center for International Intellectual Property Studies).

Phoebe Koundouri is Professor at the School of Economics and Director of Research laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability - ReSEES at the Athens University of Economics and Business, Professor at the Department of Technology, Management and Economics at the Technical University of Denmark - DTU. She is the Director of the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) and the EIT Climate-KIC Hub Greece at ATHENA Information Technology Research and Innovation Center, President of the European Scientific Association of Environmental and Natural Resource Economists (EAERE). She is also Chair of the UN SDSN Global Climate Hub, co-chair of SDSN Europe & SDSN Greece. She is Member of the Nominating Committee for the Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences, Member of the World Academy of Arts and Sciences (WAAS), Member of the Academia Europae, Member of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) Board, Member of the National Climate Change Committee of Greece, of the Ministry of Energy and the Environment, Member of the writing team of the 10 year Greek Development Plan (Pissarides Report) and President of the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Aephoria (AE4RIA). Prof. Phoebe Koundouri is included within the official Stanford University list of the Top 2 % of world scientists, with 15 published books and more than 500 published peer reviewed scientific articles, book chapters, research and policy reports. Prof. Koundouri acts as a scientific advisor to the European Commission, World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, OECD, UN, NATO, WHO, as well as national governments around the world, and has directed more than 100 research projects.

More information

The EPO is committed to fostering innovation by sharing patent knowledge and supporting innovators in finding technologies that contribute to a smarter, safer and more sustainable world. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed as a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future". Set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, the aim is to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

All eight technological communities at the EPO are related to these global goals.

Find out more about the best search strategies for these fascinating technological areas in insightful lectures and interactive workshops.

Registration fee conference

EUR 0,00

On the occasion of the 50 years of the EPC the attendance to this years' conference is free of charge.

Venue

Online conference

Event language

English

Technical requirements

To attend this online event you need a computer or mobile device with a high-speed internet connection. If using a computer, you can access Zoom from your web browser (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Chromium (Microsoft) Edge) without downloading any additional software. However, to take advantage of all Zoom features (like typing your questions in the Zoom Q&A panel or downloading files from the chat), we recommend installing the Zoom desktop client app on your computer (Windows and Mac versions available).

To join via mobile device, simply download the Zoom mobile app for your iOS or Android device from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Information on how to join the session will be sent on the day before the event.

We recommend using a headset to enhance your Zoom experience.

Please see the Data Protection Statement of the European Patent Office on processing personal data when using Zoom in virtual events, including oral proceedings by VICO.

Presentation material and certificate

Please be informed that only the keynote speech as well as the plenaries will be recorded and that the recorded material will be used for documentation and promotional purposes. The recordings will be made available in an online course room after the event. All presentations will be available in the course room after the event.

Organised by

European Patent Academy
European Patent Office
Bob-van-Benthem-Platz 1
80469 Munich
Germany

patentevents@epo.org

Event code

BC12-2023