The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has just launched a new service which allows small businesses to check their patent applications online for free.
The Online Patent Information and Documentation Inspection Service (Ipsum) has been set up to allow users to keep track of the progress of their patent application and its status. The service will also help users understand why a patent was rejected and will allow businesses to search for information on European patents.
Before the service was introduced, businesses were forced to pay £5 for each document requested and delivery of the documents could take up to ten days, which meant that details were often out of date by the time the information had arrived.
The service has been designed to be quick, easy to use and accurate with the information it provides.
Dan Taylor, spokesperson for the IPO, explained: “Firms simply need to tap in their patent application number to access the documents, and all information is updated in real-time.
“The service will really save time and hassle, as there is no need to chase the IPO for updates on applications.”
In support of the new service, the minister for IP Baroness Wilcox commented: “[the Ipsum service would give] businesses instant access to the information they need so they can understand the progress of patent applications and save money.”
The unusual name of ‘Ipsum’ was picked following an IPO staff competition. The word is derived from Latin meaning ‘the very thing itself’ and is a reference to the Latin origin of ‘patent’ and that the service allows users to see the patent documents themselves.
