IP Australia’s online patent searching system, AusPat, now provides full text searching of Australian patent records dating back to 1904 .

 

The expanded service is the result of the conversion of millions of records stored in paper, microfiche and different digital files, carried out under the Patent Backcapture project.

 

The Backcapture project collected records dating from 1904 to 2008 and converted them into a consistent, digital and text searchable format.

 

AusPat now has data from over 37 million documents in total including 7,300 volumes of books, and 620,000 microfiche films.

 

Prior to the Backcapture project, the specifications contained in books, microfiche and CDs were stored in various locations throughout IP Australia’s premises. In total these collections occupied approx 228 m2 of floor space.

 

The service can be accessed from IP Australia here