WIPO's Technical Assistance to IP Offices

WIPO’s program of technical assistance to IP offices aims to provide offices of all sizes and from all regions with business systems to enable them to participate effectively in the global IP system. 

 The program is targeted at IP offices and national/regional institutions from developing and least developed countries. 

 

Objectives

WIPO’s technical assistance program is designed to help IP offices to provide better services to their stakeholders. There are three broad objectives:
  • Efficiency. IP Offices need to provide efficient services for the examination and registration of applications for IP rights. WIPO’s software solutions provide the tools needed to automate and standardize the business processes for IP administration.
  • Online services. Stakeholders (applicants, agents, researchers, local industry, policy makers, etc) are increasingly demanding online services such as search systems, online registries and online filing systems.
  • Integration into regional and international systems. For countries that are members of the PCT, Madrid or Hague systems, WIPO offers assistance to exchange data and documents electronically and to receive and transmit notifications electronically, where possible. Data exchange is also used for regional IP systems and for regional or international databases.

IP Office Business Software Solutions

All IP offices have similar business processes and face similar challenges in processing applications for IP rights. WIPO provides generic and customizable solutions that support the main business processes including reception, classification, examination, publication, notifications, registration and digitization of all documentation.
 
Detailed technical documentation and support are available from the wiki.
 
There are currently four software solutions offered:
  • IPAS (Industrial Property Administration System). This system is workflow-based and highly customizable. It supports all the major business processes of an IP office.
  • AIPMS (Arab Industrial Property Management System). AIPMS is similar in functionality to IPAS but supports the Arabic language (right-to-left orientation). It is being gradually phased out as more language support is added to IPAS.
  • WIPO EDMS. This is an electronic document management system, based on the open source Nuxeo platform. It enables offices to create a fully electronic dossier to reduce or eliminate paper-based workflows.
  • WIPO Scan. This provides tools for automating the digitization workflow, including indexation, quality control, and formatting of electronic documents according to WIPO standards.
 
The software solutions are all designed to be modular and may be used together or integrated with other systems. For example, an office may use IPAS and integrate it with a different EDMS system.
 
Similarly, all systems have open interfaces (application programming interfaces, or APIs) which enable them to be integrated with other systems such as financial management systems, external payment systems, online filing systems or online publication systems.
 
Two new modules are currently under development:
  • WIPO File. This system will enable online submission of applications and supporting documents by applicants and agents. It will be modular and extensible and can be developed into a full online filing system by integrating with local payment and authentication systems.
  • Publication Server. The publication server will help offices to provide online access to published documents, and to easily exchange published data and documents with international IP systems, such as PCT and Madrid, and with regional and international IP databases.
 
WIPO’s software products are all based on open source technologies are free of license fees. Licenses may be required for the supporting systems software, such as operating systems and database management systems.
 

Project Management and Methodology

WIPO’s technical assistance projects are organized as cooperative projects between WIPO and the IP office. The aim is to assist IP offices to increase their capacities as much as possible using WIPO software solutions and to create projects with long-term sustainability. The following principles are applied:
  • The process is demand-driven and starts with a request from an IP institution.
  • An initial assessment determines the suitability of WIPO solutions for the office, and identifies required resources, project strategy and any pre-conditions.
  • A cooperation agreement sets the high-level framework for cooperation.
  • Standard terms and conditions clarify the use of WIPO-provided software solutions.
  • Project management responsibility is shared, and a project plan establishes the roles and responsibilities of WIPO, the IP office, and any external contractors.
  • Both parties commit to providing the necessary resources to execute the project.
  • Infrastructure (servers, networks, etc) is the responsibility of the IP office. WIPO can provide recommendations and technical specifications and can assist the office to seek external funding.
  • WIPO transfers knowledge to the IP office to the extent possible, through on-site training of users and technical staff and through regional workshops that are organized according to demand and available resources.
  • WIPO provides third-level support to offices (software support and maintenance), but first and second-level support (user helpdesk, troubleshooting, local maintenance) must be provided by the office.
 
Projects are initiated based on a request by the IP office concerned. This is followed by an assessment of the needs, capabilities and suitability of WIPO software solutions for the IP offices. If both parties agree to initiate the project, a project plan is created to clarify the roles and responsibilities, resource requirements and expected outcomes.
 
WIPO provides for the development, maintenance and support of the software solutions. WIPO also has a network of experts based in Geneva and in all regions of the world to provide on-site assistance, advice and project management services to offices.
 

Statistics

 

The Program in WIPO

WIPO’s technical assistance program falls within Strategic Goal IV – Coordination and Development of Global IP Infrastructure. Within the WIPO Program & Budget, technical assistance to IP offices is part of program 15 – Business Solutions for IP Offices. Assistance is provided in accordance with the mandate of the WIPO Convention (Article 4(v)), provisions of WIPO-administered treaties such as the PCT, and the recommendations of the WIPO Development Agenda, particularly recommendations 8 and 10.

 

Global Infrastructure

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