Article One Featured Researcher: Mikk Putk (Mikkp)
Posted on Fri, Sep 03, 2010
Researcher Mikk Putk (mikkp) joins Article One from his native land of Estonia. Mikk has an abundance of experience in the patent field and specifically with patent research. Mikk granted Article One the following interview in which he recounts his experience with AOP and offers some great advice regarding education materials and new research tools.
Q. How did you first learn about Article One?
Mikk: I’m not sure, but as a passionate patent information searcher I like to be in touch with latest developments in our business. So, I guess I discovered Article One via some internet news.
Q. Where do you live?
Mikk: I live in Estonia and I’m from our capital Tallinn.
Q. What, if any, background do you have in patent research or research in general?
Mikk: About 8 years in the patent field and patent research. For the last 3-4 years I have mainly focused in patent research and consulting for Estonian technology companies and R&D projects.
Q. What is your profession?
Mikk: I’m a registered Estonian patent attorney.
Q. What is your education background?
Mikk: I have a BSc in material science and a master degree in entrepreneurship and technology management.
Q. Please explain your expertise which you find most relevant to your work with Article One?
Mikk: Article One is a wonderful community that helps to think indifferent ways than a patent attorney or a regular patent researcher. As a patent attorney, I need to find the newest prior art for claim drafting or in my R&D projects I need to describe the project related to the latest patent publications. When working with Article One cases, the researcher must think the opposite way. It’s much harder to find The Oldest, The First prior art. It’s very interesting and also fun – Can I find it?
Q. What do you like best about being an Article One Researcher?
Mikk: Article One Researchers are very friendly and it’s interesting to share information and experiences in the Community forum. Every new case is interesting, but the best…maybe is that I can develop my patent searching skills and learn new effective ways to search prior art.
Q. Do you know of any good patent research educational texts, resources or websites?
Mikk: I think there are lots of good educational resources. But personally I have found as a must read:
1) Information sources in patents, By Stephen R. Adams
2) Patent searching: tools & techniques, By David Hunt, Long Nguyen, Matthew Rodgers
Additionally, different web resources like PIUG Wiki, the Intellogist Forum, European Patent Office website, etc.
It is also possible to find a lot of useful references from social networks (LinkedIn groups, Twitter).
As a patent research tool and information resource, what I like to use myself is my own search toolbar. Originally I named it IPE Patent Search Toolbar, but lately it has become something much more or just IPE Search Toolbar, because I have added lot of new features (patent and other IP related information feeds, non-patent search fields, trademark search fields, etc). It’s a small browser add-on and helps me to save time in my every day patent searches.
Q. Which Study so far have you most enjoyed researching?
Mikk: Good question J I think TS584 regarding portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive screen ("touchpad") control system. This is something really tough
Q. How do you choose which studies you participate in?
Mikk: I read the introduction and patents asserted in a patent litigation. But mostly I just pick out one and start working with it. If I find that it’s not my case, I’ll take next one and return later to previous one or just leave it for a while to wait.
Q. Which research tools do you frequently use?
Mikk: At my everyday work – Delphion and my toolbar (included tens of different free search tools).
Q. What is your primary language?
Mikk: My mother tongue is Estonian and working language is English mostly.
Q. In which language(s) do you conduct your research?
Mikk: In English and I use machine translation tools
Q. Do you conduct research in any non-English databases?
Mikk: Yes, in national patent databases.
Q. What advice would you give to a new AOP Researcher researching his/her first Article One Study?
Mikk: Be curious and creative. Keep your eyes open. If you don’t find anything or the right answer, try to think of other ways or try some other search tool. Use different resources and search criteria. And if you still can’t find anything, don’t worry – take a brake and return later. Also use the Article One Forum for Researchers advice.
Q. What would you say to somebody who was considering becoming an Article One Researcher?
Mikk: Try it!
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