Frequently Asked Questions about Access to IP Australia's Mainframe Databases

The mainframe databases provide

• the CPI (Trade Marks) search facility
• the Patents Administration and Patents Indexing System search facilities and
• the Designs search facility.

You can use the 'Web to

• Search for Trade Marks with ATMOSS
• Search for Designs with ADDS
• display the full Patent specification given its Australian Patent Number

The only way to search for Australian Patents via the Internet is with the Patents Indexing System or Patents Administration on the IP Australia mainframe.

2.  How do I access the mainframe ?

The two ways of accessing the mainframe are with Java and tn3270.

You can use the Java we supply or get your own tn3270 software from a vendor.

3.  What's the difference between Java and tn3270 ?

4.  What's the difference between Jet3270 and Host on-Demand

Jet3270 has more features than Host on-Demand but it's slower to start the first time.

Feature	Jet3270	Host on-Demand
Screen Print	Yes	No
Change Screen Colours	Yes	No
Copy and Paste	Yes	No
Slow to Connect first time ?	Yes	Faster
Works with any browser ?	No. Browser must be Navigator V4 or later, or Internet Explorer V4 or later	Works with more browsers than Jet3270
Change Fonts	Yes	No

5.  How do I access the mainframe database with the Java applets ?

Do this	Jet3270	Host on-Demand
1 Click the link	Jet3270	Host on-Demand
2 Wait for the Applet to download and start ** These times are for the first connection only **	12 minutes at 9600 bps 3-5 minutes at 56000 bps	3 minutes at 56,000 bps
3 Permit the applet to connect to our mainframe		Not applicable
4 See the login screen

Problem	Jet3270	Host on-Demand
Blank black window. If the PC presenting this problem is connected to a business network, then it's most likely caused by the business firewall or network configuration. Please ask your Network/firewall administrator about this. Neither of the java applets we supply supports proxy firewalls. Your network must allow the PC a direct connection to www2.IPAustralia.Gov.AU to use Java (as if the PC had a dial-up connection to the Internet).
No new window (the new window should show the login screen) Either try the other applet, or Force the page to be reloaded (Press Shift key while clicking the Reload icon or Press Alt key while clicking the Refresh icon)

Users of Microsoft operating systems (NT, Windows) must choose, download, install and configure a tn3270 program such as one from Access IP Australia mainframe with TN3270 software.

Get a 16bit version if you have Win 3.1x or OS/2; otherwise get a 32bit version.

Check out the competitively priced products at Tucows and search for 3270

8.  I've got a Mac! Where can I get tn3270 software?

Mac users can use the Host on-Demand applet, but, if you want tn3270 you must select your own software from a vendor, license and install the software.

See also Access IP Australia m ainframe with TN3270 software.

9.  How much does it cost to search the IP Australia Mainframe Databases ?

There is no way of way of sending mainframe reports to a printer in the same way you may have been used to with a "leased line" connection or Dynacomm/Austpac.

IP Australia provides mainframe reports as attachments to Internet email.

Email printing - How it Works

If you access the Patents and Designs databases, you will be able to request prints by email whether you log on using your registered user-id or guest access.

If you access the Trade Marks database, you will only be able to request prints if you log on using your registered user-id. If you log on using guest access, then email print will not be available.

After you enter the Printer Location and Number of EM 01, you will be prompted for an email address.

The print request will be sent to that address and the search results will be attached to it.

The search results appear as a .doc file attachment. Your Email program should allow you to

• view the attachment
• detach the results and save them as a file
• launch a Word Processor (such as MS Word or WOrd Perfect) to open the results for further processing.

If your Email viewer or Word Processor does *not* use a fixed pitch font (most default to a proportional font such as Helvetica or Times Roman) the report will look funny (the columns will not line up). You should switch to a fixed pitch font such as Courier to print the document or view it as it should look.

If you require a registered user-id then email ext.enquiry@ipaustralia.gov.au (no fee) Please supply the following details: company name, user name/s in full, contact details, email address.

12.  How do I search for and access Australian Patent Data ?

• IP Australia has no comparable Internet search engine to the
  1. US Patents Office search engine
  2. IBM Patents search engine

  If you are interested in finding Patents for a specific Technology (eg all Patents containing Heliothis) then use those facilities.

• The APAS CD-ROM system, available at the State Offices or by subscription, provides a similar facility to search and display Australian Patent Abstracts.
• IP Australia are working on an Internet search engine for Australian Patents.
• You can search and access some Australian Patents via the Internet using the mainframe and the AU-B.

The general methods are

1. If you want Australian Patents for a specific technology then
   • Use the IPC to classify the technology with an IPC mark. For example, 65B 001 00 is the IPC Mark for particulate filling machinery.
   • Use the Patents Indexing System to find the Australian Numbers for that IPC mark
   • Type the Australian Patent Numbers into the AU-B System.
2. If you know the Inventors name, or the name of the company that applied for the Patent then
   • Use the Patents Administrati on System to search for the corresponding Australian Numbers
   • Type those numbers into the AU-B System.