Thomson Reuters Derwent World Patents Index Celebrates 50 Years as the World's Most Trusted Source of Patent Information

SEVILLE, SPAIN and ALEXANDRIA, VA – The Intellectual Property (IP) & Science business of Thomson Reuters, the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, today announced the 50th anniversary of Derwent World Patents Index^® (DWPISM), its flagship, proprietary database that is the world's most trusted source of patent information. This announcement marks the start of a yearlong celebration in honor of DWPI, as well as the inclusion of the 50th data source in DWPI: Indonesia.  On this milestone anniversary, DWPI continues to provide professionals with authoritative, editorially enhanced patent data from 48 worldwide patent authorities and two literature sources.  

Originating in 1963, the Thomson Reuters DWPI database enables professionals to more easily research and understand the world’s innovations through editorially curated, English-language abstracting and indexing of patent documents. Today, DWPI covers more than 23 million inventions (basic records/patent families) detailed in over 50 million patent documents and is used by more than 40 patent offices worldwide.

DWPI’s reliable and enhanced patent data contains many key features that distinguish it as the most trusted source of patent research information available. Patent records contain descriptive titles, abstracts summarizing an invention’s novelty using industry terminology, and corrections to important bibliographic information, including misspelled assignee and inventor names, erroneous priority data, missing classification codes and more. An expertly trained staff of several hundred editors applies over 5,000 rules to normalize, standardize, correct and enhance patent records resulting in approximately 6,000 corrections each week.

DWPI also features unique coding and indexing systems that are intellectually and consistently applied across all patent authorities and technologies allowing for precise, relevant and accurate retrieval of information.  The intensive editorial process and quality checks result in authoritative and accurate patent data giving users insights that might otherwise be missed.

“Originally created to streamline patent research for the pharma sector, today DWPI provides the world’s most comprehensive collection of global patent data in English,” said Cynthia Murphy, senior vice president for the IP Solutions business of Thomson Reuters.  “Montagu Hyams, the founder of what is now called Derwent World Patents Index, laid the fundamental groundwork for what has become the most trusted source of patent information, and we will continue to enhance Monty’s vision by providing our customers with unparalleled access to the world’s patent literature.”

“I never imagined that the efforts that commenced from a desk in my London home, named `Derwent' would attain such global coverage and appeal,” said Montagu Hyams. “I am proud that the value-added approach I took from the outset is appreciated and that such a wealth of patent intelligence has accumulated. Thomson Reuters  has built on my work to provide the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative patent database, and that is wonderful for a 95-year-old to know. ”

Derwent World Patents Index provides a complete view of activity in emerging and growing markets with global patent coverage in English, including the Asia-Pacific region. The country coverage was recently enhanced with the inclusion of records published by the Indonesian patent office. The latest addition brings the coverage in DWPI to 50, further extending the global footprint of its editorially enhanced content. The new Indonesian coverage includes all patent applications and short-term patents published from January 2011 to present.

Learn more about the Derwent World Patents Index.

Thomson Reuters
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