Workshop Abstracts and Biographies

PIUG Course- Essential Patent Search Techniques For IP Professionals

John Zabilski, Chair of the PIUG Education Committee

Abstract

Build a strong foundation of essential patent information and techniques for effective patent searching.

Learn necessary patent law concepts, bibliographic search skills including ways to identify expert witnesses, comprehensive keyword approaches for specific search types, and basics of alternative strategies including classification, citation and semantic searching.

While this course is ideal for newer searchers including paralegals and patent agents it also provides a strong refresher for more experienced IP professionals. Included are practical applications and opportunities to reinforce concepts with interactive search examples.

Some of what is included in this course:

• Types and parts of patent publications
• Basics of U.S. Patent Law
• Essential International Patent Law
• Patent timelines covering publication stages
• Identifying patent search resources
• Database coverage, content and structure
• Search approaches including bibliographic, keyword, classification, citation, full-text and indexed content
• Building comprehensive search statements using search operators and command language techniques including nesting, truncation, wildcards and stemming
• Contrasting search features across free and commercial resources
• Necessary steps for different search types: Patentability, Freedom to Operate and Validity
• Practical search examples and opportunities to apply these techniques

Biography

Previously John held several positions for over 40 years at Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), a division of the American Chemical Society (ACS, including indexing (database building), development (database creation), training and consulting on how to search for patent information. John has provided onsite and online training in the agrochemical, biotech, chemical, pharma and polymer areas for many organizations including 3M, AbbVie, Corteva, Dow, Eli Lilly, Lubrizol, P&G, Pfizer and multiple universities. Some of his personal milestones include training at 10 patent offices around the world, contributing to presentations for the WIPO Technology Innovation Support Centers (TISC), and presenting at AALL, ACS, PIUG, SLA and world online meetings including the China Patent Annual Conference in Beijing.

John is a Registered U.S. Patent Agent and a Qualified Patent Information Professional (QPIP)

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Explore the IP Universe with BizInt Smart Charts for Patents

John Willmore, Vice President, Product Development

Abstract

It's not just about doing the right query -- you need to integrate the key data from all your sources and deliver results in the right format, for maximum impact. Come to our workshop to see how the latest BizInt Smart Charts features help you explore the IP Universe with reports and visualizations targeted to FTO analysis, CI landscapes, IP sequence summaries, chemical structure review, and more.

Biography

John Willmore is a co-founder and Vice President, Product Development, for BizInt Solutions, Inc. where he manages the development of all aspects of the BizInt Solutions product line. John has over 25 years of experience in processing, analyzing and integrating IP information, and has worked closely with the leading patent database publishers over that period. John spends his free time enjoying woodworking, playing amateur ice hockey, and doing dog sports with his longhaired dachshunds.

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Minesoft Mastery: New Features and Advanced Search Tips

Daniel Lowe, Lead Software Developer

Abstract

This workshop will cover recently introduced features and developments in Minesoft’s products as well as advanced tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Boolean and AI powered search. Recently added and underutilized search operators will be demonstrated to show how these can be used to tackle challenging search strategies.

Biography

Daniel Lowe has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Cambridge. His past work has focused on chemical name to structure conversion and text mining of chemical names, reactions and properties. At Minesoft, Daniel is involved in a wide variety of areas including patent data handling, custom indexing to facilitate chemical and physical quantity indexing, patent family tree generation and chemical search.

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Maximizing AI for Comprehensive Landscape Analysis

Sharon Shofner-Meyer, COO, DorothyAI and Pati Pietek, Patent Attorney & Analyst, DorothyAI.  

Abstract

• Recognizing the critical role of landscape analysis, integrating patents, market data, and industry data in strategic decision-making
  
• Exploiting the capabilities of AI-driven tools for all-encompassing landscape evaluations, extending beyond patents alone
  
• Strategies for synergizing patent data with market insights and Activ8 Alignment principles to unveil trends, competitors, and innovation voids
  
• Showcasing real-world case studies illustrating the potency of AI in conducting thorough landscape analyses across a spectrum of data sources

Biographies

Sharon Shofner-Meyer: Sharon is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the technology sector, specializing in developing innovative solutions for the intellectual property (IP) industry. For the past decade, Sharon has been dedicated to advancing technology within the IP realm, serving as the President at DorothyAI, where she leads the company in pioneering AI-driven solutions for the IP landscape.

Throughout her career, Sharon has held key leadership positions at prominent organizations including Novum IP, Thomson Reuters, and LookingGlass Juries, where she played instrumental roles in driving technological advancements and business growth. Her extensive expertise spans strategic planning, product development, and market expansion within the technology and IP sectors.

In addition to her executive roles, Sharon is actively involved as an investor and board member for both companies and non-profit organizations, leveraging her vast experience and insights to support the growth and success of diverse ventures. 

Pati Pietek: Pati Pietek is an experienced Patent Attorney and Analyst. Pati conducts thorough research and analysis of patents across diverse industries, including chemical, biological, biotech, pharmaceutical, medical devices, and mechanical domains. Pati excels in offering actionable insights to support a wide array of clients. Moreover, she actively contributes to the development of intellectual property strategies and plays a pivotal role in facilitating informed decision-making processes within the organization.  

During her tenure at Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl, LLC, Pati demonstrated her prowess by conducting meticulous research on relevant patent laws, regulations, and case precedents. She adeptly formulated effective legal strategies for litigation cases, managing all aspects of patent litigation from drafting legal documents such as complaints, motions, briefs, to trial preparation. Pati also provided invaluable legal counsel to clients, offering expert advice on patent rights, potential infringement issues, and litigation risks.

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Boost Your Search Strategies With CAS

Scott Hertzog and Darryl French, Customer Success Specialists, CAS

Abstract

Join CAS to explore the latest features, functionality, and content in CAS STNext. Our Customer Success team will share an inside look at what’s new with CAS STNext, preview what you can expect to see from CAS in the coming year and share tips and resources to help you boost the efficiency of your search strategies.

Biographies

Scott Hertzog: Scott is a Customer Success Specialist based out of Charlotte, NC and covers the southeast and mid-Atlantic US. He joined CAS after working as an intellectual property searcher for CAS IP Services, as well as for the Scientific and Technical Information Library within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He started his career as a patent examiner in the coating composition art. Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Arizona.

Darryl French: Darryl French has been a proud member of PIUG for three years. After graduate school in chemistry, he worked as a document analyst and structure editor at CAS with a focus on polymeric materials. After a tenure at CAS of four years, he transitioned to working as a STIC searcher at the USPTO in the electrical engineering and chemical arts areas. Once again after four years, Darryl rejoined CAS as a Customer Success Specialist. For the last several years he has trained in such CAS tools as the CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform and CAS STNext.

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Navigating PATENTSCOPE: Unveiling New Features and Refreshing Essentials

Sandrine Ammann, Marketing & Communications Officer, WIPO

Abstract

Join us for an immersive workshop at the annual PIUG conference as we delve into the latest advancements and essential features of PATENTSCOPE, WIPO's global patent database. Building on our successful virtual participation in 2022, this workshop is designed to provide both a refresher on existing functionalities and an exploration of the newest tools available.

Throughout the session, attendees will gain insights into navigating PATENTSCOPE with ease,  and leveraging its powerful search capabilities to extract valuable patent information. We will showcase recent updates and enhancements, ensuring participants are up-to-date with the platform's evolving landscape.

Additionally, attendees will receive a sneak peek into the exercises booklet designed to reinforce learning and practical application of PATENTSCOPE features. Plus, we will unveil exciting details about the upcoming WIPO Academy course focused on patent databases and PATENTSCOPE, offering participants a pathway to deepen their knowledge and expertise.

Lastly, don't miss our brief update on WIPO's latest activities, providing valuable context and insights into the Organization's ongoing efforts to promote innovation and intellectual property worldwide. Whether you're a seasoned patent professional or new to the world of intellectual property, this workshop promises to equip you with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the dynamic realm of PATENTSCOPE effectively.

Biography

Sandrine joined WIPO as a translator of PCT published application abstracts. After obtaining a degree in management and communications, she moved on with her career and is now responsible for the promotion of the WIPO Global Databases.

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The Right Guideposts for Navigating Patent Disputes: How Patent Data Can Help You Improve Your Assertion and IPR Outcomes

Laura Bantle, Esq., Lead Solution Consultant, Clarivate

Abstract

Deciding when to assert, or how to respond to an assertion, requires a careful risk versus reward calculation. 

Historical patent case data can help you better understand your opponent’s position, evaluate likely outcomes and help tip the odds in your favor. 

Join Laura Bantle, Esq., Lead Solution Consultant at Clarivate as she shares: 

• Real world examples of how a different approach to patent analysis could have changed the outcome 
• What to look for in patent case data to better understand your opponent’s position 
• Approaches for improving your invalidity search results

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AI-Powered Biotech Patent Analysis in Emerging Markets

Sharon Shofner-Meyer, COO, DorothyAI and Donna Haynes, Owner & CEO, Haynes Application Art.  

Abstract

• Overview of global biotech and pharma industry expansion and the increasing focus on IP strategies in emerging markets
• Role of AI in patent analytics and strategy development
• Unique challenges in patent analysis and strategy development and the importance of advanced analytics in addressing these challenges
• Leveraging AI Tools, patent data and market data to provide a 360° view of the landscape
• Identifying opportunities and prioritizing patent filings

Biographies

Sharon Shofner-Meyer; Sharon is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in the technology sector, specializing in developing innovative solutions for the intellectual property (IP) industry. For the past decade, Sharon has been dedicated to advancing technology within the IP realm, serving as the President at DorothyAI, where she leads the company in pioneering AI-driven solutions for the IP landscape.

Throughout her career, Sharon has held key leadership positions at prominent organizations including Novum IP, Thomson Reuters, and LookingGlass Juries, where she played instrumental roles in driving technological advancements and business growth. Her extensive expertise spans strategic planning, product development, and market expansion within the technology and IP sectors. 

In addition to her executive roles, Sharon is actively involved as an investor and board member for both companies and non-profit organizations, leveraging her vast experience and insights to support the growth and success of diverse ventures. 

DonnaHaynes: Donna Haynes is an accomplished Intellectual Property Attorney specializing in patent preparation, counseling, and post-grant proceedings, with a focus on global portfolio management. Graduating magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, she earned accolades such as serving as Chief Articles Editor for The Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy and receiving the University of Houston Institution for Intellectual Property & Information Law Award for Distinguished Accomplishment. Admitted to practice in Texas and before key legal entities, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Donna's expertise has been honed through roles at prestigious firms like Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, and McDermott Will & Emery. As Owner and CEO of Haynes Application Art, she continues to shape the landscape of intellectual property law.

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Aptean GenomeQuest 2024 PIUG Workshop

Stephen Allen, Senior Solutions Consultant for GenomeQuest & LifeQuest

Abstract

Join the GenomeQuest team at our PIUG workshop to see the latest enhancements to our Sequence Searching and Full-Text platform.  New functionality was added in early 2024 to streamline workflows for both sequence and text searching.  We will use real world examples to demonstrate these new functions and the integration of the IP sequence searching with the document searching, resulting in targeted, rich reports.

Biography

Steve Allen joined Aptean GenomeQuest in September of 2017, he is the Senior Solutions Consultant for GenomeQuest & LifeQuest.  Steve previously worked at Dupont and his background includes work in a patent group and work as a computational biologist in an agricultural discovery group.  Steve has been working with sequence data of one form or another for over 30 years.

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Shifts in Biotech Patent Searching: Risk Mitigation Response Strategies to Better Protect Your Portfolio

Laura Bantle, Esq., Lead Solution Consultant, Clarivate

Sam Winders, Account Director, PatSnap

Abstract

PatSnap is excited to present to PIUG two totally novel and groundbreaking search strategies which have been developed in-house by the PatSnap Development team over the last 12 months. In our first search strategy we will demonstrate our brand-new Degenerate Sequence Search which leverages an innovation of the BLAST Algorithm to search across over 1 trillion potential biosequence combinations, and how it can help reveal unique hits which cannot be retrieved by any other biosequence software. In the second strategy we will demonstrate our proprietary Chemically Modified Sequence search which will become a “need to have” for any IP Professional or scientist working within RNAi, peptides or any other modality defined by chemical modifications to protein or nucleotide sequences. Finally, we demonstrate a composition range search for a LNP leveraging PatSnap Materials which combines manually curated data with a vast AI driven extraction of over 10,000 unique property unit measurements, which offer search professionals unprecedented search capabilities for FTO and invalidity.

Biography

Sam Winders is the lead representative for the healthcare and life sciences team at PatSnap. One of the organization’s longest serving employees, Sam works closely with our leading customers and the PatSnap product development team to ensure that our customers’ needs our met and that PatSnap continues to rapidly expand the technical frontier within the evolving patent information space.

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