Report:PatBase/Viewing Results/Flagging Results

Flagging Results

In PatBase, results are flagged using three different checkbox systems. Family records are flagged using a checkbox that appears to the upper right of a family record on the hit list, beside two other icons that represent a folder shortcut option and a link to "add a record to one or more folders which are not open, without opening and closing the folder."^[1]

The family record check box.

Upon flagging a family record in this way, it must immediately go into a saved results folder. A prompt screen will appear the first time a check box is selected, prompting the user to select or create a folder into which all proceeding flagged records will be saved. Users may choose an existing saved folder, including any "shared" folders within their own company account (this option not pictured below).

This prompt screen will appear when the first record’s check box is selected. The chosen folder will then be “saved” and any further checked references will be immediately saved into it.

This system offers the advantage of saving the documents in real time: because they are saved immediately, flagged documents are never lost due to a browser window crashing or being accidentally closed.

As of October 2011, users can now add up to five folder shortcuts to all records in the hit list, and the user can then select the checkboxes within the shortcuts to automatically add the record multiple folders at one time.^[2]

Select the blue folder icon to open the "Folder Shortcuts" menu and add up to five folder shortcuts to all records in the hit list.

The main checkbox that was originally used to add family records to an open folder is no longer displayed while the shortcuts are active. If a folder is currently open and also displayed as a shortcut, its shortcut is shaded blue. Users can add or remove additional shortcuts as they work, and according to the PatBase Manual:^[1]

Folder shortcuts will remain valid as long as you are working within the same browser. Once you close all your windows within the browser and log back into PatBase in a new browser you will need to reselect folder shortcuts as preferred.

Select the checkbox in the folder shortcut to automatically add the record to that folder. The user can select to add the record to multiple folder shortcuts at one time, since up to five shortcuts can be displayed simultaneously.

The last checkbox system exists for flagging individual publications within a family record. Each individual family member has a small checkbox which appears to the right of the publication number, along with the PDF and legal register links.

Each individual publication in a family has its own check box, which appears in the family window for each bibliographic record. Family data is only shown in certain display formats.

Once tagged, these publication numbers are immediately placed into the “PDF basket,” where they are saved for later download or export. Users can export these individual flagged publications, and according to the PatBase Manual:^[1]

When exporting as CSV, XML, Excel, HTML Table, RIS there are two options to choose from: Family or Publication Report

• Family - exports data grouped into families
• Publication - exports data by individual patent number(s)
  

Select which one of these you would like by clicking on the corresponding tab. An option is provided for the selection of which fields you would like to export. Check the boxes. Once the fields have been checked click on 'Export'. The fields will remain as they were checked until changed.
Several options are available: Export all family members from all countries, or specify the country(ies) of origin, or export only one member per family from a preferred country.
In addition, users can export selected family members only, by adding them to the PDF order basket before requesting the export. This option is only available for the publication based export; if there are no documents in the basket it is automatically disabled.

If documents from the hit list are individually flagged in the family list and the format selected for export is "Other Formats (CSV, XML, Excel, HTML Table)," a menu with the Family/Publication tabs will pop up after the user selects "Export" in the initial export menu.

If the use selects the "Other Formats" options and then clicks Export on this menu, they will be taken to the Family/Publications tabbed menu.

The user can then select the Publication tab, select the relavent document fields for export, and choose the option at the bottom of the menu "Export selected members only (only the members selected in the PDF basket)."

Select the option "Export selected members only (only the members selected in the PDF basket)" to export documents selected in the family tables of the hit list.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "PatBase Manual." PatBase website (restricted), http://www.patbase.com/Manual.pdf . Accessed December 7, 2011.
2. ↑ "PatBase user news." PatBase website (restricted), http://www.patbase.com/wnewinfo.asp?i=173. Accessed December 7, 2011.