Transcript Patent and Trademark Depository Library Program: An Overview Tom Turner United States Patent and Trademark Office ALA Washington June 2007

Patent and Trademark
Depository Library
Program: An Overview
Tom Turner
United States Patent and Trademark Office
ALA Washington June 2007
 PTDLP
 PISD
 CISG
 OCIO
 USPTO
 DOC
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 PTDLP—Patent
and Trademark
Depository Library Program
 PISD—Public Information Services
Division
 CISG—Customer Information
Services Group
 OCIO—Office of the Chief
Information Officer
 USPTO—United States Patent and
Trademark Office
 DOC—Department of Commerce
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USPTO Business
 Examine
patent applications
and grant patents;
 Examine federal trademark
applications and register
federal trademarks;
 Disseminate information
about patents and
trademarks.
At one time…
Old Patent Office,
Washington, D.C.
Public Search Room,
Old Patent Office
USPTO Headquarters Alexandria
New USPTO campus,
Alexandria, Virginia
What is a PTDL?
PTDL is the acronym for a
“Patent and Trademark
Depository Library”
 Authorized under
35 United States Code 12
 A library officially
designated by the USPTO

35 USC 12:
“The Director may
supply copies of
specifications and
drawings of patents
and published
applications for
patents in printed or
electronic form to
public libraries in the
United States which
shall maintain such
copies for the use of
the public…”
Selected Milestones of PTDLP
1871 - Printed patents offered to libraries on a
depository basis.
1977 - 1st Patent Depository Conference with
the original 22 PTDLs.
1982 - CASSIS on-line database is started.
1989 - Full CASSIS CD-ROM implementation.
1990 - PDLP becomes PTDLP.
2000 - Complete patents DVD back file provided.
2003 - PubWEST databases offered to all PTDLS.
2006 – Program includes 85 member libraries.
Types of PTDL Libraries
Public Libraries
Academic Libraries
State Libraries
Special Libraries
Total
31
45
8
1
85
Service Points May Vary by PTDL
 Patents
 Science/Technology
 Law
 Government
Documents
 Engineering/Physical Sciences
 Business
 General Reference
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www.uspto.gov
www.uspto.gov/go/ptdl/
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PTDL Research Assistance
Commonly asked patent
questions...
How do I do
a patent
search?
How do I apply
for a patent?
Where can I find a
list of patent
attorneys?
Do you have info on
invention promotion
firms?
How much does
it cost to get a
patent?
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“Why should I go to a library;
this is all on the Internet, right?”

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Patent searching is complex and not intuitive.
An inventor is searching through over 7 million
U.S. patents if their invention is novel and nonobvious.
Also, the prior art that should be also be searched
includes foreign patents and non-patent literature
such as journal articles, conference proceedings
and dissertations—all places that public
disclosures of new inventions can be
documented.
Learning how to do a search can save money.
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Common Misconceptions in
Searching Patents and
Trademarks
Novice patent searchers incorrectly
assume that they can do a through
patent search by searching with
keywords.
 Novice trademark searchers incorrectly
assume that they can do a good
trademark search by searching only the
exact mark they plan to use.

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Services of a PTDL




Information on not only how to obtain a
patent, but how to have commercial
success with one’s invention with library’s
business resources
Assistance with preliminary patent and
trademark searching (showing How to
Search using generic examples)
Assistance to small businesses on how to
establish a business and how IP protection
can help their business
Liaison for inventor groups
PTDL Database Workstations
Cassis2 Patent & TM Database
(Classification and Search Support Information System)
Searching Patents: PatFT & AppFT
(Patents Full Text and Applications Full Text)
Searching Trademarks: TESS
(Trademark Electronic Search System)
PubWEST: Patent Databases
(Public Web-based Examiner Search Tool)
Users of PTDLs

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
Inventors
Attorneys
Patent Professionals
Entrepreneurs
Musicians
Students/Faculty
Researchers/Engineers
Information Brokers
Historians
Genealogists
PTDL Program Services
Train PTDL staff
 Market PTDL services and standards
 Annual Training Seminars for PTDLs
 Liaison between PTDLs and USPTO

PTDL Program Services


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Support PTDL public seminars and programs
E-Mail and toll-free telephone access to USPTO for
PTDLs
Fellowship program
Develop educational materials via PTDLP Commons
Provide technical and research assistance
PTDL Training & Seminars
PTDLS’ Obligations to USPTO

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Provide free access to the collection.
Assist the public in efficient use of patent and
trademark information.
Attend the Annual PTDL Training Seminar.
Maintain and protect the integrity of the collection.
Acquire a minimum 20-year backfile of U.S.
patents.
Retain all depository items until disposal is
arranged through PTDLP.
$50 annual fee.
PTDL—D also stands for



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Delivering programming and expert one-on-one
reference services geared to the needs of
independent inventors and small businesses
Driving the local economies with increased
intellectual property activity
Delineating a focal point for customers looking for
information on intellectual property protection
Designating that library as an official cooperative
partner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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Visit us at ALA Booth 3967
Patent and Trademark Depository
Library Program
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Madison West, 4A20
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
E-Mail: [email protected]