The use of Technological Information contained in patent documents: the experience of Ethiopia

1
The use of Technological Information contained
in patent documents the experience of Ethiopia

• by
• Getachew Mengistie, Director General of the
  Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office

2
Introduction

• Objectives of the presentation
• Highlight the importance and value of Patent
  documents as a source of valuable technological
  information
• Share the experience of Ethiopia taking some
  success stories
• shade light on challenges intended measures

3
Patent Documents- Valuable Source of
Technological Information

• Not divulged and recent
• 2/3 rd never disclosed
• 1/3 rd disclosed long after publication in PD
• Complete and practical
• Include prior art
• Contains ways of practical application
• Immense but easily accessible
• More than 40 Million PDs about 350,000 new
  inventions/year
• Organized in a systematic way (IPC, INID
  codes)
• Not secret and can be used freely under certain
  circumstances

4
Role of PD in RD TOT

• Help to avoid duplication of effort and wastage
  of resources
• Re inventing the wheel is a serious problem of
  countries
• 30 of RD effort in Europe
• Reorient research activities
• Facilitate the selection, negotiation,
  acquisition and transfer of foreign technologies
  

5
Collection and use of PDs in Ethiopia

• Collection
• No Single Patent document prior to 1995
• Currently more than 30 million patent documents
• Type of Service
• Free
• State of the art search service, provision of
  relevant patent documents, Selected info.
  dissemination service
• Users Areas of use
• Individuals Institutions- 6-8 requests per day
  on average
• Regional distribution of users Major Users In
  Addis Ababa
• Areas of use - all sectors but two major areas
  Agriculture and chemicals

6
Promotion of the wider use of the information
source

• Tools used for popularization
• Print and electronic media
• Seminars and workshops
• IP days Exhibitions
• Establishment of Focal units in potential user
  institutions
• Setting up of A national IP information
  Advisory Center

7
Success stories

• Dozens of success stories that made use of the
  technological information contained in PDs.
• Examples of success stories
• Substitution of imported products
• Meeting RD needs
• improving existing products

8
YASCI Private Co.

• Technical problems Method and process of
  extraction of starch from local plant material
• Achievements Method and process of extraction
  of starch from Enset developed and utility model
  certificate granted. Product is being
  manufactured and marketed in Ethiopia and has
  significant contribution to the economy.

9
ZAMILLI Paint Factory PLC

• Technical problem Formulation and manufacture of
  printing ink.
• Achievement - "printing ink locally
  manufactured
• As good as the imported ones.
• 1/3 price less
• Saving of Forex , employment opportunity ,
  widening of revenue base. 

10
Nazreth College of Technical Teachers Education

• Problems Lack of or Inadequate technical
  reference material in designing developing
  prototype machines.
• Achievements Researchers and students used the
  PDs to design and develop prototypes of
  Agricultural implements and mechanical tools such
  as farmer plough, hand operated water pump, cart
  Scissors jack.

11
BEKAS Chemical Co.

• Technical problems low quality of adhesives and
  detergents
• Achievements improved products obtained
  utility model certificates

12
Conclusion

• Encouraging results have been achieved
• Need to multiply success stories overcome
  various challenges
• Plan to
• increase awareness of the value of the source of
  information develop outreach strategy and
  action program
• Increase accessibility of the source of the
  information- exploit the opportunity created by
  ICT
• Build information processing capacity.