Elaboration os special systems improving novelty searches of investogations by international cooperation in ICIREPAT

Abstract

Some of the national patent offices performing novelty searches have founded in 1961 an international organization, the International Cooperation in Information Retrieval among Examining Patent Offices (ICIREPAT), with the alm to rationalise literature searches and to solve problems of mechanization of literature searches by division of labour. Any member of the organization is free to choose a special technical field in which it intends to elaborate a mechanized system of research, i.e. to compile a keylist of concepts, to analyse the relevant patent specifications of its country and to provide them with codes according to the keylist and, lastly, to record the patent specifications on punched cards. The other members of ICIREPAT, showing interest in the special system developed in this way, use the same code for the patent specifications of their own country. Some special systems have already been worked out, othere are in process. ICIREPAT regularely organizes conferences, where the problems related to the improvement of the special search systems are discussed and reports are given on the results achieved. The patent offices of the Soviet Union and of Czechoslovakia are also members of this important international organization.