Eugenio Archontopoulos

Eugenio Archontopoulos is examiner at the European Patent Office (EPO) in the field of computer-implemented inventions (CIIs) carrying out the examination of patent applications in the technical areas of distributed systems, operating systems, program development and graphical user interfaces.
He is often involved in presenting the latest EPO policy and about CIIs in various fora.
He authored several publications on this theme and about i.a. the legal status of Internet citations as prior art and the topics concerning the search and classification of patent applications regarding computer programs.
On the issue of economic and strategic studies he has been collaborating with the chief economists of the EPO on several issues: the elasticity of patent fees, the voluminosity of patent applications, patent filing and prosecution strategies, strategic forecasting, the patent statistical database, patent trolls and thickets.
Before joining the EPO in 1999, he received the M.Sc. degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia after carrying out a research project on hot-electron lasers at the Eindhoven University of Technology.

1. Patents
2. Software patents
3. Computer-implemented inventions
4. Workload management
5. Time management
6. Public speaking
7. Patentability
8. Lecturing
9. Patent strategy
10. Presentation skills
11. Negotiation
12. Patent Analysis
13. Intellectual Property Strategy
14. Intellectual Property

• Italian

  (Native or bilingual proficiency)

• English

  (Full professional proficiency)

• German

  (Professional working proficiency)

• French

  (Professional working proficiency)

• Dutch

  (Elementary proficiency)

• Prior art search tools on the Internet and legal status of the results: a European Patent Office perspective

  • World Patent Information (Elsevier)
  • June 2004
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos

  Retrieving relevant prior art from the Internet has become an important aspect of the search procedure at the European Patent Office, concerning all fields of technology. This article offers not only an overview of the tools available to the examiners, but also a detailed insight of the potentiality of such on-line searching for applicants and representatives, for efficiently identifying and retrieving pertinent documents by means of the existing search tools. Further, particular legal aspects in relation to Internet citations are presented, in the light of some decisions of the Technical Board of Appeal, with emphasis given to the issues related to the date of availability to the public of an Internet disclosure, its conformance and its possibly non-prejudicial nature.

• When small is beautiful: Measuring the evolution and consequences of the voluminosity of patent applications at the EPO

  • Information Economics and Policy (Elsevier)
  • June 2007
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos, dominique guellec, Niels Stevnsborg, Bruno van Pottelsberghe, Nicolas van Zeebroeck

  The joint increase in the number and size of patents filed around the world puts patent systems under pressure. This paper addresses issues in measuring the voluminosity of patent applications and highlights patterns in its evolution. The results, based on a database of 2 million EPO applications, show that the average size of applications has doubled over the past 20 years and that this is mainly associated with PCT applications having a US priority. Voluminosity indicators are influenced by geographical origins and technological areas and strongly impact the workload of the EPO, justifying the need for regulatory and policy actions.

• Patent inflation in Europe

  • World Patent Information (Elsevier)
  • March 2008
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos, dominique guellec, Bruno van Pottelsberghe, Niels Stevnsborg, Nicolas van Zeebroeck

  Patent filings worldwide have been subject to a combined growth in terms of the number of applications filed and their size. This is putting patent systems under tremendous pressure, as witnessed by the evolution of backlogs at several patent offices. The present article presents an analysis of the evolution in patent voluminosity observed at the European Patent Office (EPO) over the past two decades. The results demonstrate that the average size of applications has doubled during this period and that the largest influence comes from applications filed via the PCT route and/or with a US priority application. Voluminosity indicators are clearly influenced by geographical origins and technological areas. The increasing voluminosity has a significant impact on EPO workload and processing efficiency. There is therefore a justified need for regulatory action. Evidence from recent changes in US patent fee policy is shown to have a significant knock-off effect on voluminosity indicators.

• Citations from the Internet - Entgegenhaltungen aus dem Internet - Documents cités sur Internet

  • Epidos News (European Patent Office)
  • April 2004
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos

  All patent searchers use the internet for patent searching, but how relevant are documents found on the internet when it comes to assessing the prior art?

• Computer programs: from design to runtime

  • Search and Documentation Working Methods (European Patent Office)
  • April 2006
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos

  The past fifteen years have shown a dramatic increase in both the number of inventions for which protection has been sought from patent offices around the world and the share of such applications directed to programs for computer, which have traditionally been difficult to interpret, search and prosecute.
  This paper gives an insight into the classification schemes, the documentation and the tools, which support the examiners dealing with patent application in the fields of programs for computer, and the European Patent Office to closely follow and react to the technological and legal changes in this quickly developing field.
  There is a strong need to better cope with the available prior art, manage the risks and evaluate the consequences incurred when filing in this particular field, during the whole life of an application, thus saving unnecessary resources.
  Applicants and the public can not be left in the dark: whether to perform a meaningful search or not is a fact that only the Search Division can decide.

• Design and first results on a vertically integrated transistor-laser structure for high-speed low-chirp modulations

  • Compound Semiconductor Devices and Integrated Circuits
  • 1999
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos, Roger C. P. Hoskens, Boris Ljevar, Valery I. Tolstikhin, Theo G. van de Roer

• Inventions in the Computing Sector

  • Growing Business with IP
  • July 10, 2008
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos

  Innovation in the software sector is prospering and the patent systems worldwide offer advantageous opportunities of valorization while often presenting hindrances. The time scales involved in obtaining patents are not always suited to the – generally short – product life of software-based inventions; yet increasingly major developments are patented and licensed to great effect. Mastering these issues is the key to succeed in the current highly competitive environment.
  Many innovative devices and processes indeed incorporate or use computer programs. Such inventions are in principle patentable, even though programs for computeras suchare excluded from patentability in Europe. By means of positive and negative examples a summary of the latest practice is presented to arrive at a common understanding of the issues at stake. Particular focus is given to the comparison between the European and the US approach.

• Financial evaluation of patents

  • EPO Gazette
  • December 2004
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos

  What can the Patent System in Europe do to help you and the financial sector as a whole? Basel II and patents. Use of intellectual property to secure venture capital. What can the Patent System in Europe do to help you and the financial sector as a whole?

• Spot the difference: a computer-implemented invention or a software patent?

  • European Policy for Intellectual Property
  • September 8, 2011
  Authors: Eugenio Archontopoulos

  The patent systems worldwide offer advantageous opportunities of valorisation for innovations in the software sector.
  Major developments are indeed increasingly patented and licensed to great effect, notwithstanding the often-­‐long timescales involved in obtaining patents and the hindrances represented by the misleading understanding of the patentability criteria of computer-­‐implemented inventions.
  Mastering all these issues is the key to comprehend the nature and significance of computer-­‐ implemented inventions and succeed in the current highly competitive and dynamic environment.

Websites:

• Company Website
• Company Website
• Portfolio

Groups and Associations:

IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology, IEEE Computer Society, Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs), Federazione Italiana Sport Equestri (Italian Equestrian Federation), Federation of American Scientists (FAS), European Policy for Intellectual Property association (EPIP). Former member of: IEEE Photonics Society, IEEE Electron Devices Society, IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society.

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  + Angel Investing + Venture Capital + Private Equity + Entrepreneurship IN ITALY
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  AIR - Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca
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  Alumni Liceo Scientifico "Manfredo Fanti" - Carpi
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  Alumni Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia
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  Chatham House
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  Competitive Intelligence, Corporate Intelligence and Investigation
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  EUROPEAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY POLICY
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  Equine Enthusiasts
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  European Patent Office
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  ICOMO La fabbrica delle idee - network per l'innovazione
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  IP Intelligence
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  IP Legislation & Politics Observatory Group
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  Information Technology & Intellectual Property Law Group
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  Innov'azione
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  Intellectual Property Networking
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  Intellectual Property Professionals
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  Intellectual Property Strategists
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  Intellectual Property Valuation
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  Intellectual Property in Italy
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  International Relations Professionals
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  Italian Professionals Netherlands
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  Italiani di Frontiera
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  MindManager Enthusiasts
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  Model European Parliament Italia
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  ModenaIn - New Way To Make Business in Modena
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  Partnership for Growth (650+)
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  Patent Informatics Group
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  Patent Landscaping Innovations
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  Patent Professionals
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  Patent Valuation
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  Professional People in Urbe (PPU) - Business Club
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  Rete Alta Tecnologia Emilia-Romagna
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  SciencXchange
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  Software Patent Protection
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  Technology Transfer in Italy
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  The Official IEEE Group
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  This Business of Horses

Honors and Awards:

Referee for "World Patent Information" (Elsevier)