New Delhi, Mar 6: The government is in the process of digitising all patents granted so far and will make it available for the public by early next year.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) will put the task of digitising the patent database on fast track and is likely to complete it by December 2008, making it available for online public access by January 2009, industry body Ficci said in a statement.

Nodal officers have been appointed to ensure that the work is completed as per the deadlines, it said.

Ficci has urged the government to create a database covering provisional and complete specifications, legal status of the patent application/patents, data concerning the patent applications/patents.

"Such database is required to weed out weak patents," the chamber said.

Ficci and DIPP would set up a Working Group to suggest improvements in the working of Intellectual Property (IP) offices with regard to IT enabling and networking of operations and enhancing human resource capabilities.

The group, comprising representatives from industry, legal experts and the office of Controller General of Patents, Trade Marks and Designs, would seek to gear the IP offices to meet the increasing demands of trade and industry, it said.

Improvements in the working of IP offices have become imperative since Indian Patent office has been granted the status of International Search Authority and International Preliminary Examination Authority by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), it said.

The patent office has already started e-filing of patent and trademark applications through its website. Besides workshops would be organised to sensitise users about the new system, the chamber added.