Steve van Dulken's Patent blog: UK Consultation on copyright exceptions

Steve van Dulken's Patent blog: UK Consultation on copyright exceptions

New Secretary

Last weeks PATLIB UK AGM saw Duncan Jones from Birmingham PATLIB take over the role of Secretary for the next two years - congratulations to Duncan and thanks to Chris Brown of Manchester PATLIB for her work on behalf of PATLIB UK.

Young inventors challenge

A group of young inventors from Leeds will have the chance to meet one of the world’s best at a special event this week.*http://newsfeed.leedsvirtualnewsroom.co.uk/2009/12/bright-sparks-given-chance-to-meet.html*

Staff from Leeds PATLIB have been working with a group of local school children with the idea of giving them an insight into what patenting is all about. Over the course of a school term twelve year nine children from Horsforth Secondary School have been finding out about IP and taken through the process that many inventors go through.

Working in pairs the children came up with some ideas of their own which they felt would be useful inventions. Through five interactive (and very lively!) workshops they then learned about the World of Inventions (an intro to IP); Patent Searching; Applying for (or how to write) a Patent; Choosing a Name (trade marks); and Market Research.

Most of the sessions were delivered by Leeds PatLib staff although in one session we also enlisted the help of a “real” inventor to try to give a flavour of what it’s really like.

Trying to come up with something which doesn’t add to existing schoolwork for the kids is a bit tricky but the result has been a file produced by each of them on what they have done in each session. We are also about to file patent applications on the six inventions.

In a few weeks time we will be having the final session at which each pair have been asked to do a short presentation on their inventions and what they have done. Their work will be on show and there will be a small invited audience of parents, teachers and library staff. Also there will be our star guest – multiple award-winning local inventor Emily Cummins who will also be handing out prizes to the best team of junior inventors.

They’ll be judged on their contribution to the sessions, their files and their presentations as well as the inventions themselves. They will all actually get something - the challenge has been supported through Europe Direct Leeds.

They’re a great bunch of kids – very quick and enthusiastic. It’s certainly been an experience and an awful lot of work – but well-worth doing.

Ged Doonan

Leeds PATLIB

Historical US on PTDLA website

Dear All,

For information - my colleague Steve Van Dulken brought the following website to my attention today.

Patent and Trademark Depository Library Association

http://www.ptdla.org/history

They have added the following historical data to their website;

Historical Patent and Trademark Databases

• Design Patents to 1873
• Disclaimer Patents 1837-1873
• Extension Patents to 1865
• Improvement Patents to 1861
• Reissue Patents 1838-1873
• Trademarks 1870-1873
• Utility Patents 1-65000
• Utility Patents 65000-100000
• Utility Patents 100001-146119
• X-Patents (names, dates, PNs only)
• X-Patents (with added fields)

See you all at the AGM!

Maria

Maria Lampert
PATLIB London

New Secretary

After 2 years excellent service the present Secretary Chris Brown is standing down after this years PATLIB AGM*


We are looking for a volunteer to take on the role of Secretary for the next two years - this is a great opportunity to get more involved with PATLIB UK and to influence how the PATLIB UK community develops in the future. The role involves liaising with the Chair , the UKIPO and the PATLIBs , collating the annual reports and organising the AGM with the help of the Chair.

Please contact Maria or Chris is you would like more information.

* This years AGM will be hosted by Newcastle PATLIB and is taking place on Wednesday 2nd December with the training day on Thursday 3rd December

European Inventor Award 2010

European Patent Office is advertising its "European Inventor Award". Anyone can submit a proposal, deadline 12th September 2009. Details here:

http://www.epo.org/topics/innovation-and-economy/european-inventor.html

Entry forms and selection criteria can be found online at:
http://www.epo.org/topics/innovation-and-economy/european-inventor/participating.html

the four categories of the European Inventor Award:
-Industry
-SMEs/research
-Non-European countries
-Lifetime achievement

Dates and deadline:
Closing date for entries 12th September 2009
Announcement of nominees February 2010
Award Ceremony in Madrid April 2010

www.epo.org/european-inventor

Hello all,

We have recently been in discussion with Cally Robson from 'She is Genius' -
http://www.shesingenious.org/ They provide information, advice and support for women interested in innovation. I believe that she has worked with the BL and we are interested in working with her in the future.

Thanks,
Matthew
Birmingham Patlib