Patent information includes a large amount of the latest technical information and is an important innovation resource. The panoramic fusion analysis of patent information and non patent information such as economy and industry can well present the innovation picture of various innovation subjects and provide effective support for the development of industrial innovation. Since China started the pilot work of patent navigation in 2013, the role of patent navigation in leading and supporting industrial innovation and development has been continuously shown, with gratifying results. It has summarized and formed new ideas, mechanisms, methods and models of patent navigation with Chinese characteristics, but it also presents some problems to be solved urgently. Based on the relevant practice of Henan Province, combined with the experience of other provinces and cities, and drawing lessons from the research results of all walks of life, this paper discusses the relevant problems.

The pilot has achieved results

The notice of the State Intellectual Property Office on the implementation of the patent navigation pilot project issued in 2013 proposed the concept of “patent navigation” and launched the patent navigation pilot project. All provinces have also carried out pilot work one after another to explore a new model of patent navigation with Chinese characteristics to guide and support independent and controllable innovation and scientific development of industries.

In 2016, Henan Province started the pilot work with the provincial experimental areas as the starting point, and identified and built 21 experimental areas in three batches, basically realizing the “two full coverage” of full coverage of prefectures and cities and full coverage of traditional advantages and strategic emerging industries. Since then, Henan Province has issued documents such as management measures and construction guidelines of the experimental area, given effective policy and financial support, and promoted the orderly development of the pilot work. Since 2019, two batches of 15 experimental areas have been identified in Zhengzhou, and Luoyang has carried out the exploration of the market demand-oriented mode of service before reward and subsidy.

Henan Province has achieved good results through multi form, multi field and multi-level collaborative patent navigation exploration: first, it has spread the concept. The value and concept of patent navigation service decision-making and supporting industrial innovation are widely accepted. Second, we have trained talents. Driven by the project, Henan patent examination cooperation center and other professional institutions have actively participated in the training of a number of localization professionals. Third, it promotes innovation. The experimental zone has prepared reports on industrial navigation and enterprise navigation, established industrial alliances, established industrial thematic patent databases, and opened enterprise accounts, which has better promoted enterprise R & D and innovation, patent creation and layout optimization, and promoted the industrial chain consolidation, supplement and strengthening of the experimental zone. Fourth, it has promoted development. During the construction period of the Provincial Experimental Zone, the output value and product sales revenue of the navigation industry achieved an average annual growth rate of 18.7% and 28.2%, which fully demonstrated the role of guiding industrial transformation and upgrading and supporting regional high-quality development.

The existing problems need to be solved urgently

The implementation of the patent navigation pilot project in Henan Province basically focuses on the experimental area and promotes the project system. There are some problems in the construction practice.

The author believes that the problem is mainly reflected in three aspects: first, it is difficult to “check the pulse”. Find out the overall situation of the leading navigation industry in the park, determine the innovation demand, and comprehensively and accurately collect and analyze data and information such as patents. There are many difficulties and heavy workload; Second, it is difficult to “prescribe prescriptions for symptoms”. Organize experts in many fields to analyze the sample data fusion, determine the hot spots, difficulties and directions of innovation, draw scientific conclusions and put forward measures and suggestions, which are demanding and difficult; Third, the application of achievements is difficult. The application of navigation achievements requires the formation of diversified achievement forms suitable for government, enterprises and other applications, as well as the effective guidance and promotion of service institutions and the cooperation of all parties. It is difficult to land and slow to achieve results.

The main causes of the problems include: first, the shortage of professionals. The shortage of talents is an important reason for the problems such as low quality of patent navigation and difficult implementation of achievements. Second, the implementation mode needs to be changed. The government led and project-based promotion mode commonly used in the construction of the experimental area is conducive to exploration, but it is difficult to ensure sustainability.

Strive to explore and improve development

In order to deepen the patent navigation work in the new development stage, the State Intellectual Property Office organized the drafting of a series of standards of the patent navigation guide and provided implementation specifications. The notice of the State Intellectual Property Office on strengthening patent navigation issued in 2021 puts forward the development goal of “building a number of relatively mature patent navigation service bases (hereinafter referred to as service bases) and building a characteristic, standardized and effective patent navigation service system” by 2025. Many provinces and cities such as Henan Province have also started the identification and construction of patent navigation service base, opening a new stage of exploration and practice of innovative development of patent navigation industry.

The author believes that the service base is an upgraded version of the experimental area and an important starting point to promote the continuous deepening of patent navigation in the high-quality development stage. The construction of service base in the new stage should realize the transformation of “three modernizations”: first, undertake the diversification of subjects. Taking Henan Province as an example, the undertaking subjects can include industrial clusters, enterprises, universities, service institutions, intellectual property information centers, industry associations, industrial alliances, etc. The diversification of undertaking subjects can provide guarantee for the gathering of various forces and the continuous promotion and deepening of patent navigation. Second, the implementation mode is market-oriented. The construction of service base should be changed to market-oriented. According to the market demand and service effectiveness, financial rewards and subsidies should be given to the best, so as to promote the market-oriented allocation of relevant elements and promote the continuous promotion and improvement of patent navigation work. Third, the implementation of navigation is sustainable. The policy design of service base should strengthen the sustainability of patent navigation, and overcome the unsustainable problems in the pilot stage through financial support and policy guidance.

In the stage of high-quality development, the deepening and effectiveness improvement of patent navigation mainly focusing on the construction of service base should be strengthened from four aspects: first, go to the concept and focus on the key points. In the construction of service base, the patent navigation work should be de conceptualized, and the entity contents of patent navigation such as industrial navigation, enterprise navigation and risk prevention should be strengthened. Second, cultivate talents and strengthen the team. We should rely on the Intellectual Property Institute to cultivate professionals, improve the ability level of service institutions, management departments and other personnel through project driving and skill training, and speed up the construction of a high-level professional team. Third, promote standards and control quality. Strengthen the training and promotion of the patent navigation guide, especially strengthen the inspection and evaluation of data completeness, accuracy and report quality, improve the multi-party quality control mechanisms such as self-evaluation, demand side evaluation and third-party evaluation, strictly control the quality of achievements, select excellent achievements to be distributed to the society, encourage the opening of thematic databases, and promote the wider application of achievements. Fourth, strengthen coordination and improve results. Strengthen the coordination of intellectual property, science and technology, development and reform and other departments, and strengthen production and reform