A new online patent access system will enable IP offices in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom to share a digital library of patent search and examination reports.

 

The Centralised Access to Search and Examination system (CASE),  a pilot system to provide their patent examiners easier access to one another's search and examination results, was launched recently by the intellectual property (IP) offices of Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom, along with World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO).

 

The aim of the system is to reduce the time and effort that patent examiners in the participating countries spend on processing duplicate applications filed in multiple offices. The duplication of work is a contributing factor to the growing patent backlog that is estimated to cost the global economy more than $12 billion* for every year of extra delay caused by backlogs.

 

CASE is a direct result of the Vancouver Group Mutual Exploitation initiative which was established in 2008 by IP Australia, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and the Intellectual Property Office of the United Kingdom.

 

More information is at http://www.cipo.ic.gc.ca