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How has the patenting situation changed in 2021 compared to previous years?

- It is worth noting that both this year and the previous one, the COVID-19 pandemic determines the characteristics of economic life.

However, despite this, at present there is a positive trend towards an increase in the filing of applications for registration of intellectual property objects.

For 11 months of 2021, the dynamics of filing applications for inventions by legal entities showed an increase of 2.8%.

The main contribution to the increase in the number of applications filed was made by universities and educational institutions, which provided 10.2% more applications than a year earlier (and 6.4% more than in 2019).

The trend towards an increase in the indicator of filed applications for a trademark continues: the indicator grew by 13.6% compared to the same period in 2020.

Compared to 2019, the number of applications increased by 20.5%.

In addition, for 11 months of this year, 22.8% more applications for computer programs were filed than in the previous year.

In general, the level of filing applications for inventions is returning to the pre-pandemic level, which may indicate the process of economic stabilization.

- How did the pandemic affect this process?

- The structure of filing applications has changed compared to previous years, and technical solutions related to the diagnosis or treatment of COVID-19 and concomitant diseases (complications) began to play the role of the main "locomotive".

Considering the importance of this area, since the beginning of the pandemic, namely from April 2020, Rospatent has launched a priority consideration of applications for such inventions and utility models. Patent documents are an essential source of information for researchers and businesses, as they allow them to become familiar with the results of the latest developments and innovations long before the moment the innovative product appears on the market. Consolidation of efforts and the prompt creation of such inventions should help prevent the spread of infection both within Russia and abroad. As mentioned earlier, all applications in this area are considered on a priority basis. In this regard, the term for the first action of the substantive examination on these applications is 26 days.

From April 2020 (the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic) to November 2021 inclusive, inventors have already submitted 966 applications for inventions and utility models in the field of technologies to combat viruses and related diseases.

At the same time, 424 patents for inventions and utility models were issued, including 19 patents for vaccines;

52 patents for antiviral therapy of viral infections and their complications;

50 patents for diagnostic test systems, diagnostic methods;

166 patents for disinfecting technologies;

80 patents for personal protective equipment;

12 patents for artificial lung ventilation devices (IVL);

12 patents for devices for inhalation treatment of bronchopulmonary diseases;

as well as patents for other technologies related to the fight against coronavirus infection.

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- What are the most promising Russian inventions of 2021?

- The year is not over yet.

Based on its results, we will choose the best inventions, but already now we can note the prospects of such developments as:

1. Biodegradable composite material with antibacterial effect (Institute of Biochemical Physics named after NM Emanuel RAS);

The proposed material exhibits a higher level of antibacterial effectiveness with a lower quantitative content of an antimicrobial agent, and is also characterized by a higher elasticity and degree of biodegradation - the ability to destroy pathogenic biofilms.

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Method and device for disinfection of premises (PJSC Sberbank);

The device (robot disinfector) can independently navigate in space, memorize the route of movement around the apartment and even assess the degree of surface contamination.

Its main advantage is not only an intelligent way of assessing and choosing the most effective route, taking into account the characteristics of the room and its furnishings, but also a way of assessing the duration of disinfection using UV lamps installed in the device, depending on many parameters.

For example, on the degree of purity of the air or the volume of oxygen in the room, the number of people in the room.

3. Nanostructured composition for oral delivery of insulin and a method for its production (National Research Nizhny Novgorod State University named after NI Lobachevsky).

Chemists from the University of Nizhny Novgorod have developed a composition that can solve the problem of insulin delivery.

The drug developed by them has a layered structure, including it contains gold nanoparticles.

Due to its structure and composition, the "new insulin" is several times more resistant to exposure to the caustic environment of our stomach, and also has the ability to prolonged lowering of blood glucose and reduced toxicity.

- What changes have occurred over this year in the field of inventions using artificial intelligence?

- Patent legislation of Russia allows obtaining protection for a wide range of solutions in the field of IT technologies in general and artificial intelligence in particular.

As a result, Rospatent receives applications for inventions containing an indication of the use of artificial intelligence in solving various applied and technical problems.

Applications are also received for solutions related to methods of teaching artificial intelligence.

Indeed, by its very nature, artificial intelligence is a programmed set of rules that mimics human cognitive activity.

And to get the right response, you need to tweak the artificial intelligence through training.

Despite COVID-19 and related restrictive measures, there is currently an upward trend in filing rates.

- In which services of Rospatent is it planned to introduce artificial intelligence in 2022?

- As of the end of 2021, Rospatent created 15 completely new digital products.

Our goal was to build a new client-centric model of interaction between citizens and business with the department in the digital field, where the transition from service to service for the user becomes invisible.

Thus, the entire list of provided state services was translated into a figure.

Along with the online registration of applications and contracts for the disposal of intellectual rights, all our clients received open access to the global patent fund and data on individualization tools through services with the most understandable and convenient interface.

Even a genetic search can be carried out independently without special knowledge.

Of course, in the development of digital systems, great emphasis was placed on the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies.

We consider AI solutions not to replace humans, but as a serious tool for getting rid of routine work.

Processing large amounts of information in a matter of seconds allows our experts to focus on more complex tasks that require an individual approach.

So, to build automation processes, artificial intelligence is used in Rospatent in machine translation of English-language patent documents within the patent search system, when searching for similar documents in this system, as well as in search engine services for registered brands and industrial designs.

Speaking about the prospects, further steps towards digitalization of Rospatent are enshrined in the departmental program for digital transformation for the period up to 2024 and are aimed, inter alia, at further developing the functionality of our services, studying customer experience, improving customer services and integrating them with the state IT infrastructure.

Already in 2022, the department plans to expand the areas of application of AI in the automatic classification of documents, translation of patent information from ten languages ​​of the world, prioritization of applications taking into account strategic government directions, development based on the use of unified services and marked datasets of interaction with YGISU R&D of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. The possibility of linking scientific research, experimental developments and results in the form of protectable technological solutions allows one to determine more valuable and relevant directions in science and technology, to determine sequential chains of theoretical and experimental developments with a high potential for commercialization. Additional analysis of scientific information contained in EGISU R&D, taking into account data on patent activity,will contribute to the formation of a more complete objective information picture of scientific and technological development.

In addition, as a new flagship task for the coming years, I would like to designate the creation of new tools using AI technology for researchers and entrepreneurs, which will help them to effectively go through each stage of the client journey from the moment of developing a project concept and conducting R&D to the release of a finished product on the market. ...

The solution is seen in the launch of a comprehensive mechanism for proactive identification and expert and analytical support of breakthrough national special projects.

We expect that the ongoing digital transformation of Rospatent will open up ample opportunities for researchers and entrepreneurs to realize creativity, develop innovative activities and increase income from intellectual property.

- How do the applications of Russian researchers differ from those of the West?

- There are inventors in every country, and their rights need legal protection.

Intellectual property in our time is an international instrument, in the sense that after the free movement of goods, inventions also freely “move”.

This, of course, does not mean that a patent issued in the territory of one country is valid in the territory of another.

This means that an inventor from Russia can, on the basis of his application, file a copy of it, subject to certain conditions, to the patent office of China, the United States or any other country.

At the same time, certain international treaties and conventions contain instruments both providing preferences to inventors and restrictions on them.

There are certainly some differences, and they are due to at least two reasons.

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The first is the socio-economic situation of a particular country.

At the same time, it should be noted that domestic patent law tries to include the best provisions of foreign jurisdictions, and in this regard, our law meets the best international requirements.

The second is the level of patent literacy of inventors, and this still has to be worked on.

We have a shortage of IP specialists, especially in the regions.

The department is now working to fill this gap at a new level.

Domestic applicants, as a rule, patent narrow technical solutions, a specific development.

Inventors from countries with long-standing patent systems file applications using a wide range of claims, assuming that they will be clarified during the examination.

Accordingly, the quality of elaboration of such broad materials is higher, since a wide range of claims must be confirmed.

But it should be noted that the “patent consciousness” of applicants is changing for the better.

The creation of effective, for example, biotechnological drugs, vaccines, including for their use abroad, makes us think bigger in terms of patenting.

Therefore, the creation of patents with an integrated protection system is actively developing today.