By way of a quick update on our last post on the newly-released Design Manual (which is still open for comments, by the way), we note that the Intellectual Property Office has made the status of Designs applications accessible online. The design applications search facility, which you can access here, is a bit like the “old” trademark search database, and requires inputting the design application number to obtain any results.
You will recall that our last post had mentioned that the Designs Wing was in process of becoming fully automated, and this appears to be step one of that plan. Without doubt, this could have been a much better database, offering a free text or classification search, like the UK IPO does, but something is surely better than nothing!
I expect that next on the cards will be an electronic filing facility for designs. My interaction with agents suggests that the e-filing services for patents is being used fairly commonly, but that trademark e-filing services are yet to become an attractive option (correct me if I am wrong). We have to see how the design e-filing service will be received, as and when it opens up.
Our regular reader Jaya Bhatnagar sends in this comment via email, which I reproduce with her permission:
Three cheers for the DESIGNS WING. I am really proud of the developments that have recently taken place. have been a regular visitor to the Patent office, Kolkata since 1997 and all that I can say is ” WHAT A CHANGE”
Instead of public search they should have added to the status link(because we can only know the status of application that too we need to know the draft number)
i really dont understand ……..why should i be happy with this database.
and what way its going to help me??????