The Department of Energy worked with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory engineers to create a new database that provides access to technologies, methods and software packages.
Launched on July 31, the Visual Intellectual Property Search, or VIPS, database allows researchers to explore and license technologies developed by the various DOE national laboratories, PNNL said.
The system hosts information on over 14,000 patents and more than 6,200 software packages, which are sourced from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the DOE and the Office of Scientific and Technical Information, the laboratory added.
To develop VIPS, the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions tapped a team of PNNL engineers led by Scott Dowson.
Dawson said his team made sure that the database works for all users interested in DOE’s intellectual property offerings.
The team built the system using PNNL-developed AI software to deliver the most appropriate information to users.
While the DOE aims to provide as much information as possible through VIPS, the database has its limitations as classified technologies were excluded from the system.
VIPS also contains technologies that were previously licensed but the agency normally makes special arrangements to accommodate potential new licensees.
