Thomson Scientific, a unit of The Thomson Corp., this week launched Thomson Innovation, an intellectual property research and analysis solution. This new tool will enable researchers to simultaneously search worldwide editorially enhanced patent data, Asian patent data translated into English, scientific literature and business and news sources.

Thomson collaborated with more than 1,800 customers to design the new product. As a result, these customers will receive the ability to search patents and scientific literature at the same time. They will also have access to expanded Asian patent coverage, which includes translations of Japanese full-text and additional editorially enhanced abstracts of Chinese data. Also part of the product is a fully integrated searchable database that combines the Derwent World Patent Index with full-text patent data.

Thomson Innovation also supports strategic intellectual property decisions through analysis and visualization tools, such as charting, citation mapping and search result ranking as well as the integration of business and news resources. The tool also boasts enhanced collaboration capabilities, such as customizable folder structures that enable users to organize, annotate, search and share files.

Thomson Innovation will be launched in phases, with the first release (with global, full-text patent sources, including Japan), currently available. This will be followed by the inclusion of Derwent World Patent Index, scientific literature, business information and news. Additional enhancements are slated to launch during 2008.

Integrated. Global. Two words that mean so much today. Thomson Innovation is truly a collaboration of the two. Customers today demand integrated solutions that enable them to accomplish their goals in one place without the need to move from one platform to another. This is obviously a great thing for service providers because it's a model that can naturally help boost customer retention and loyalty. Simply put: if customers can get everything they need from your company all in one place, they won’t be motivated to seek out the services of a competitor.

Creating this product with global content is also a smart move by Thomson. In a press release announcing the launch, Thomson noted an increase in patenting activity in Asia. So clearly, the market is there for this international content. Because the Internet continues to eliminate borders, more and more online services will continue to launch with global components. It is quickly becoming the rule, not the exception.