e-learning centre of the European Patent Academy

Do you want to learn how to apply the criteria for clarity as well as the methodology for determining unity of invention in line with EPO practice (Guidelines and case law)?

This course provides you with the information you need on these topics, while giving examples of relevant Boards of Appeal decisions related to clarity and unity of invention.

This distance learning course is intended for search champions nominated by their national office to help their local peers with the new Common Search Tool.

This course comprises recorded lectures in which expert examiners present their CPC technical fields.

The lectures are based on the presentations delivered during the CPC field-specific trainings that took place from 2018 onwards. The events were aimed at staff who use the CPC in classification at national offices in both member states and non-member states.

This distance learning course is offered to patent examiners at national IP offices and comprises a series of ten live virtual classroom (VC) sessions on the use of EPOQUE Net. They will help to broaden skills of EPOQUE Net users at national offices. Practical cases will be provided as short assignments prior to each VC. Solution(s) proposed by participants and the tutor(s) will be therein discussed. Tips and tricks on efficient use of the EPO's professional patent search tool will be brought to participants. Features of possible new roll-outs will also be included in the course.

During the VC sessions, participants have the possibility to communicate live with the experts and ask questions. 

Registration

This distance learning course is offered to patent examiners at national IP offices who have started to use the EPOQUE Net tool. The course comprises on-line material, such as e-learning modules and will be articulated around a series of 6 virtual classroom (VC) sessions. The course has a focus on the hands-on experience, translated in the form of assignments, exercises and examples. The material will help EPOQUE Net users at national offices to efficiently perform searches using EPOQUE Net. The tutors are experienced EPO examiners.

Registration

This course offers CPC field-specific training for examiners for in these technical fields:  

This course offers CPC field-specific training for INPI examiners for selected sub-classes:

This course offers CPC field-specific training for UKIPO examiners for selected sub-classes: 

- G06F21 
- H04L67 
- A61K 

The course is aimed at professional representatives seeking to improve their practical expertise. Basic experience in oral proceedings is recommended. It is not open to EQE candidates.

This seminar series focuses on patenting in the medical field and includes three complementary seminars, each of which comprises two online sessions: theoretical session (also open to patent attorneys) and practical session for examiners only. Topics covered are diagnostics, clarity in chemical inventions and novelty for pharmaceutical cases. Participants may register for one or more seminars within the series.

Registration

The workshop aims to train examiners performing ISA/IPEA responsibilities on the updated PCT International Search and Preliminary Examination Guidelines (ISPE) and practice, from an EPO practice point of view.

OW06-2022 is restricted to examiners from the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil and the National Institute of Industrial Property of Chile.

The workshop addresses patenting issues related to the applications of quantum technologies. After a general introduction to quantum technologies, the workshop focuses on their applications to the fields of sensing and computing. 

Participants will be senior patent examiners working in the fields under discussion. The objective of the workshop is to foster an exchange of practices between the participants.