UKIPO New Patents Service: One Year to Go

On May 17, the IPO has published a transformation document which sets out what patents customers can expect over the next 12 months, and details of upcoming changes to IPO’s services as part of the One IPO Transformation Programme.

There will also be a number of important changes to the IPO’s services ahead of the new service for patents being launched in spring 2024.

As part of this, the IPO will develop APIs allowing providers of IP software to seamlessly link their products with IPO’s new systems. This would enable customers to access a range of IPO’s services directly from the IP software they use, resulting in a faster and more streamlined user experience.

In September 2023

The first new ‘One IPO’ service will launch:

new patents search service - customers will have far more options in how they search for patents

These include: keywords, owner of theIPright, date of registration, and the status of theIPright.

Customers will be able to save searches, monitor the patents they care about, and build their own patent journal.

In addition, we will begin piloting the new One IPO patents service and will be offering a small number of patents customers early access to the new service.

Customers can express their interest in taking part in the patents pilot by emailingusertesting@ipo.gov.uk.

In spring 2024

The new One IPO patents service will launch for all patents customers. This includes;

a new digital patents applications service – submit information in the order that suits you, save and go back to draft applications and see the status of your application at any time

a new customer accounts service – manage and track all of your patents in one place. Update your account information online in seconds

the first APIs. The firstAPIswill be made available – allowing providers of IP software to link their products directly to IPO’s new systems. The API scould allow you to view your portfolio of patents, details of ongoing patent applications, or renew patents from your own IP software

Autumn/Winter 2025

Trade marks and designs services launches; Digital hearings and tribunals service launches.

Changes to services

The new OneIPOservice will offer lots of benefits for allIPOcustomers, but there will be some changes to how we do things.

eOLF will be phased out for GB patent applications once our newIPOservice has launched. From spring 2024 you will no longer be able to start new international (PCT) patent applications ineOLF.eOLFwill still be available for new GB patent applications and ongoing PCT applications for a further three months, before being disabled for UKIPOfilings in summer 2024.

There will be changes to how customers submit patent applications. Attachments will have to be submitted in ODT or DocX format and patent specifications will have to be split into separate documents.

Customers will have the option to designate super administrators for their organisation. They will have responsibility for creating or removing IPO accounts within the organisation. They will also be able to control who within the organisation can view what client information or applications.

We will be changing all of our paper forms to reflect the new digital service.

Details of these changes, the reasons for them and the benefits they will bring are available in our Transformation document.

Viscount Camrose, Minister for AI and Intellectual Property, said:

Intellectual Property (IP) is vital to the success of the UK economy and a powerful enabler of innovation and creativity. As the UK economy transforms to meet future needs, so too must ourIPservices, removing barriers to innovation and supporting UK innovators as they embrace the opportunities ahead.

By delivering fast, flexible, high-quality services for the future, the ‘One IPO Transformation Programme’ will help the UK Intellectual Property Office deliver its ambition to be the bestIPoffice in the world. I am excited to mark one year to go until the IPO’s new fully digital service for patents is launched.

The Intellectual Property Office’s Chief Executive and Comptroller-General Adam Williams said:

2023 is the year that transformation becomes real as we deliver our first patent module. Now is the time to look at the changes that are coming, understand how they will affect your organisation and work with us to smoothly transition to the new service.

It’s an exciting time, and we can’t wait for our customers to start benefiting from the new One IPO service, as we deliver on our promise of providing brilliant digital services.

Daniel Chew, President of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA), said:

We are very pleased to see theIPOdeveloping innovative digital services and look forward to the improvements that they are expected to bring for our members.

With a number of changes on the horizon, it is important that our members are aware of theIPO’s timelines and how these changes could affect them. So we will urge our members to sign up for theIPO’s ‘One IPO Transformation – One year to go’ webinar next month, which should be a great opportunity to ask questions and get further information about the programme and the advantages it promises.

On Wednesday 7 June theIPOwill behosting a webinar, One IPO Transformation: One year to go, where we will explain everything that is happening over the next 12 months and customers can put their questions to us.