EPO adds new search and translation tools to free 110m patent library
The European Patent Office ( EPO) has released new search tools in a bid to improve the world’s largest free collection of patent documents.
In an announcement yesterday, November 19, the EPO said the new Espacenet is a “substantially revised and improved version” of its existing patent information search tool.
It said new functions will make it easier for users to conduct searches and access more than 110 million patent documents from across the world for free.
The original Espacenet, which was released in 1998, has the primary purpose of connecting EPO users with the most up-to-date patent records worldwide.
A new feature of the 2019 edition, Patent Translate, will provide high-quality, instant translations from English, French and German into 32 European and Asian languages.
It will also allow for more advanced searching through results filtering and will deliver search results faster. The new system also features a responsive design for searching across different devices.
“The advanced search feature is flexible and dynamic, and empowers users to build customised, complex Boolean queries combining a wide range of bibliographic fields while graphically visualising the logical relations,” the EPO said.
Additionally, it will provide an improved legal status overview covering the entire patent family, the EPO said.
EPO president António Campinos said the new search tool means businesses can make more informed strategic IP decisions, and policymakers can gain a better understanding of the patent landscape.
"Patent information is an incredible resource for everyone involved in IP and with the launch of new Espacenet today, we're delivering on our commitment to making that resource more accessible,” Campinos said.
“Because ultimately, access to patent information supports effective IP, and effective IP supports the economy.”
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