Beta Feedback

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ahaslam
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2018 11:54 am

Beta Feedback

Post by ahaslam » Thu Dec 20, 2018 12:16 pm

We have chosen to provide feedback on the forum due to the feedback questionnaire being quite restrictive and repetitive when a number of observations have been made. I have however attempted to split our feedback into separate topics below.

Classification search:
  • Viewing space is limited. To assist with this, could the oversized “find patents” bar be minimised when not in use?
  • The scheme browser doesn’t allow scrolling up and down when zoomed in beyond a certain point.
  • Rather than buttons which toggle CPC features, buttons which more clearly confirm whether these features are ON/OFF would be clearer. The only change currently is a subtle icon colour change which is not at all obvious to the viewer. With the current viewer, it’s possible to inadvertently switch off important features (e.g. 2000 series groups/references) without realising.
  • Text size is inconsistent in the Definitions, where reference text is much larger than other text.
  • When using the advanced search and viewing bibliographic data, it’s useful to have the pop-up with the CPC scheme hierarchy above the selected group. However, it would be more useful with (a) display of lower groups also, and (b) active links from neighbouring symbols to display the relevant part of the scheme. The current Espacenet viewer provides feature (b).
  • The 2000 series buttons appear to malfunction. The hide button hides the 2000 series groups, but frustratingly also resets the CPC scheme view to the section/class level. A similar reset occurs when using the other 2000 series buttons, the function of which appear the same (i.e. restoring the 2000 series, although you have to navigate back to your originally viewed page after the aforementioned reset to view them).
  • The classification area ‘expand’ icons are a little counter-intuitive. In current Espacenet, these point down when an area can be expanded and up when it can be collapsed. In Beta, they only ever point up irrespective of whether an area has been expanded or not.
  • An ability to search the CPC scheme titles or definitions could be useful. The WIPO IPC viewer has better functionality in this respect.
General search:
  • It would be useful to add the ability to ‘find similar patents’ to an input patent number – perhaps based upon citation data, semantics, or both.
  • It would be useful to allow choice in the format and type of information to export.
  • It would be useful to search within a set of previous results.
Advanced mode:
  • We like that it generates an input string corresponding to the query language (in the smart search input box) which has the following advantages:
    • One can check what has been searched
    • It can be copied and pasted as a “hash” of the search, when pasted it regenerates the query language graphical input.
    • It can be used to generate templates (e.g. for top-up or prepared search queries)
  • There is a button to delete the current query, but it is difficult to select and copy longer strings: a functionality (e.g. button) to allow to copy all would be useful.
  • It is not immediately obvious how to directly access the advanced mode. Going to ‘results’ in the first instance is not intuitive.
  • There is no apparent way of selecting /low or /exact CPC classifications. Clicking on ‘low’ as instructed by the help page doesn’t change anything, whilst there’s no ‘exact’ option.
  • While the advanced search is very useful, it is not immediately apparent on how to use it.
Ranking:
  • Appears obscure - it would be nice if we could weight individual search terms manually.
Help:
  • The help could be improved by making it searchable.
  • We appear to lose the original query when using help.
  • The field identifiers within help do not include priority date (prd) which is available in advanced mode.

Kind regards & happy holidays,

Anthony Haslam, UK IPO.


Patent Information Marketing
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:16 pm

Re: Beta Feedback

Post by Patent Information Marketing » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:36 pm

Dear Mr Haslam,

Thank you for your valuable feedback which is much appreciated. We will thoroughly analyse the different points you raised.
Kind regards

Patent Information Marketing


lgraham
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Nov 22, 2019 2:52 am

Re: Beta Feedback

Post by lgraham » Fri Nov 22, 2019 2:56 am

The new Espacenet results format is abominable, unhelpful, non-user-friendly (indeed, user-hostile), non-intuitive and flatly difficult to work with. I can't imagine why anyone thought that this format would be an improvement over the previous format. Searches are difficult, results are cramped and impossible to view on a laptop, and functionality is impossible to find. PLEASE dispense with this beta version and go back to the old format. It wasn't perfect, but it WORKED.


Patent Information Marketing
Posts: 358
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:16 pm

Re: Beta Feedback

Post by Patent Information Marketing » Fri Nov 22, 2019 3:26 pm

Dear user,
Please be informed that you can still reach the classic interface by clicking on the button "Classic Espacenet" on the landing page in case you are unhappy about new Espacenet. Hopefully the coming changes will make it work better for you: There are many features to explore that were not available in classic Espacenet like statistical analysis of search results or latest legal events of all INPADOC family members.
Kind regards

Patent Information Marketing


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