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3.19.
Under the provisions of the 1977 United Kingdom Act and the EPC, the UKPO and the EPO respectively are required to make a full search of the prior art and examination of patentability before the patent is granted. A system of search and examination before grant is adopted by many patent systems but other methods of grant are also used. The various types of patent system are examined in chapters 4 and 5.
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3.20.
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Public benefit of disclosure
As a published patent or patent application contains full details of the invention including a description, the claims and any relevant drawing, such patent documentation provides a major source of technical information to many users. This applies whether or not the technical information is protected under the patent.
Technical information centres
3.21.
The role of any technical information centre is to store and allow access to all of the technical information required by its users. The information held will differ depending on the requirements of its users.
Patent documents are the major component of information stored in most technical information centres. Non patent literature such as articles, scientific reviews, disclosures and technical works also form an important part of the available information. The role of technical information centres is discussed in chapter 15.
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3.22.
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Patent Office as a user
Patent offices which carry out search and examination require a technical information centre in order to serve their main purpose which is to make a search and examination of patents applied for to that office in order to establish whether a patent should be granted.
An example of other users
3.23.
One of the main tasks of a researcher starting on a project is to obtain as much information as is possible about previous work done on the same or related subjects. The researcher by searching patent documentation can reduce the risk of duplicating work already accomplished and tested and can also learn about methods, instruments and results relevant to his own activities.
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3.24.
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There would be a wide range of potential users of such a technical information centre if, as a result of the services it provides, it would be possible to carry out state of the art searches, searches as to the novelty of new inventions and infringement searches.
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