Beyond Abstracts : Why Translation Still Matters
By Mark Ritter, Ph.D.
In search of resources to help the editors I manage, I recently explored a site identified as Patent Searching on the Web. It is impressive in scope, offering a wealth of resources covering everything from explanations of patent law to commercial document retrieval agencies to the names and Internet addresses of patent offices around the world.
It does not feature any links, however, to high-quality translations of patents. Abstracts in English (or some facsimile thereof) are available from many different sources, but they are only a first step for someone who really needs to find out about the technology disclosed in patent literature. As a translator and an employee of a translation company, I confess a certain bias, but I believe full-text patent translations will always remain indispensable to professionals in the field of technical analysis and development.
Detail, Detail, Detail
There is no substitute for detail. The full patent provides considerable information that never makes it to an abstract or the claims. For instance, abstracts generally gloss over the problems which prompted the invention in a few words. The author’s analyses of the shortcomings of conventional technology as presented in the complete patent can save you time in analyzing them on your own and may even alert you to some aspects you hadn’t thought of.
A Picture May Need Words
Drawings and tables don’t tell the whole story. Most German and Japanese patents of interest are really unexamined applications which frequently omit crucial reference numerals from drawings, in addition to features that may be vitally important but are “omitted for the sake of easier understanding.” Access to the detailed description provided by an accurate translation can fill in the gaps left by the drawings. In chemical patents, the examples often provide details of product names and types, manufacturers, equipment used and so on that are invaluable to an expert analyzing the reactions in question. Such information almost never makes its way to abstracts or summary tables.
Consider the Sources
Abstracts do not provide citations to potentially key sources. They may list a few related patents, but the full text also may contain citations to general technical literature as well (often already in English). Of course, you could get a copy of the patent and comb through it for titles, but it might also be helpful to know whether the context of the citation reads: “We employ the profound insights of …” or “Contrary to the completely wrong-headed theories of…”
Behind the Text
Sometimes there is more to a patent than the published text. The full file may disclose office actions, opposition proceedings and the like, all of which can provide the analyst with additional relevant technical detail.
If it appears that a patent might be relevant to your needs, but you’re not quite sure from the abstract, your most cost-effective option might be to get the whole document translated by professionals skilled in the art of IP translation.
