Search options available in STN databases - FIZ Karlsruhe
Search options available in STN databases - FIZ Karlsruhe
Search options available in STN databases - FIZ Karlsruhe
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26 Patent statistics<br />
26.1 Introduction<br />
180<br />
Guide to <strong>STN</strong> Patent Databases<br />
To create useful patent statistics time series, <strong>in</strong>ventor and applicant statistics, country statistics, technology field<br />
statistics, citation statistics there are a number of preconditions:<br />
Suitable <strong>databases</strong>. The required fields must be <strong>available</strong>. They must be consistently filled throughout the<br />
time period to be analyzed. They must be filled <strong>in</strong> such a way that the entries are useable, i.e. they need to<br />
be structured and standardised. Multiple entries <strong>in</strong> one field should not occur.<br />
Good database knowledge. The <strong>databases</strong> are differently suitable for patent statistics. National patent<br />
<strong>databases</strong> are suitable only for statistics concern<strong>in</strong>g a particular country while us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
<strong>databases</strong> patent statistics for several countries can be created. The dynamics concepts of the <strong>databases</strong><br />
should always be considered. Some <strong>databases</strong> conta<strong>in</strong> only one document per national publication<br />
sequence, others <strong>in</strong>clude further publications of the same patent application <strong>in</strong> various ways. In this case<br />
the suitable fields must be chosen, e.g. to <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>in</strong>to the analysis only the latest document of the national<br />
publication sequence. The patent family size may also <strong>in</strong>fluence the statistics result. There are certa<strong>in</strong><br />
analyses, e.g. citation statistics, where only few <strong>databases</strong> are suitable at all.<br />
Good search<strong>in</strong>g knowledge. A market or technology field analysis will always be preceded by a subject<br />
search us<strong>in</strong>g classification and text search. It is up to the searcher to either use the documents from an<br />
exist<strong>in</strong>g subject search or to prepare a special search strategy for the purpose of statistical analysis.<br />
A competitor analysis will always be preceded by a carefully performed name search.<br />
Us<strong>in</strong>g suitable statistics tools. <strong>STN</strong> International offers a number of tools:<br />
SELECT can be used to create rank<strong>in</strong>gs. Creation and display of the lists can be tailored us<strong>in</strong>g a number<br />
of <strong>options</strong>.<br />
ANALYZE and TABULATE can be used to create statistical tables, that may then be displayed, sorted<br />
and edited accord<strong>in</strong>g to needs or that can be exported to Excel for post-process<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Mit Analyze Plus werden die statistischen Tabellen <strong>in</strong>klusive Sortieren, Editieren und Visualisieren<br />
menügeführt erstellt.<br />
Us<strong>in</strong>g ANALYZE Plus it is possible to create the statistical tables guided by menus, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g sort<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
edit<strong>in</strong>g, and visualization.<br />
<strong>STN</strong> AnaVist is an <strong>in</strong>teractive analysis and visualization tool. A precondition for this is that the data <strong>in</strong><br />
the <strong>databases</strong> are standardised.<br />
The first precondition for an analysis of patent applications or granted patents is a suitable sample. It is only with an<br />
appropriate search result that a mean<strong>in</strong>gful result can be obta<strong>in</strong>ed with the statistics tools. Wrong documents <strong>in</strong> the<br />
search result will lead to a false analysis result and cause mis<strong>in</strong>terpretations. One cannot po<strong>in</strong>t out often enough<br />
that a profound knowledge of the <strong>databases</strong> and search strategies is <strong>in</strong>dispensable to perform statistical analyses. It<br />
is only too often that errors are found even <strong>in</strong> the technical literature.<br />
Below the <strong>STN</strong> tools for patent statistics are presented and their uses for the creation of statistical analyses are<br />
discussed. The tools are either used on-l<strong>in</strong>e (<strong>in</strong> part the free <strong>STN</strong>GUIDE database can be used) or the tables and<br />
diagrams can also be edited off-l<strong>in</strong>e. There may be fees for connect time to the <strong>databases</strong> and <strong>in</strong> some cases for use<br />
of the tools, but there is no need to download, and thus pay for, the documents to be analysed.<br />
26.2 The SELECT command<br />
The SELECT command extracts terms from source documents, counts their occurrences, and creates a list of terms<br />
ordered by descend<strong>in</strong>g occurrence.<br />
=> SET ICFORMAT ON<br />
=> SEL L1 1- IPC.F<br />
E1 THROUGH E439 ASSIGNED<br />
The command is used with the follow<strong>in</strong>g parameters: