European Patent Office and Google deliver new patent translation service
"Google said the system would prove useful even if results were not always "perfect"."Using alternative but similar words in the same language may lead to different interpretation, so how would a "Not Perfect" language translation be interpreted?
Any thoughts?
ReplyDeletehow would a "Not Perfect" language translation be interpreted?
I guess it depends on how you perceive the role of the patents system. If the fundamental compact is the protection is granted in exchange for the sharing of knowledge, anything which helps people benefit from the sharing of knowledge is a good thing. Whilst the translations may be imprecise, particularly with technical subject matter, it may at least help people identify which patents of interest, to be subject to more rigorous examination.
If, of course, the patent system is something which must be queried simply to avoid infringement — which, increasingly, seems to be the reality — then, as you say, the value may be limited, particularly in the US and other jurisdictions where additional damages may be awarded for knowing / willful infringement.
(The translation of expired patents, of course, as a source of solutions to problems, is perhaps a different case, although is related to the first point I make above — identifying potential solutions, and then getting a better translation for detailed information, might be very much worthwhile.)
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