Searching DARC Markush

Whatever the search software offered, however, the database was of utmost importance. The DARC system not only offered a means to search generic structures in the short term, it also offered a way to record all of the information about structures found in patents, through a new and flexible input system. This capability was of incredible import to Derwent we could build a database that would not only serve the users today, but in future could be of more utility as search software was further developed. As opposed to the fragmentation code, there should never be a question of time-ranging. Moreover, though we assume that Markush DARC is a system not only of today but of tomorrow, we are building a database that can be converted and adapted to other search systems that may be offered by other organisations. 

The future system that will be offered to the chemical searching community represents the high level of investment and effort expended by both Derwent and INPI, in the creation of standards by which chemicals in patents are indexed. However, no database is effective if there is not a system by which it can be searched, and here is where full credit is due to the Telesystemes DARC team. Markush DARC is available today, a testament to the excellence and ingenuity of Jean-Claude Roussel, Technical Manager of the DARC team, his current staff, and the people that created DARC as a flexible piece of software in the past. 

Markush DARC represents a system from which we can progress. Derwent and INPI have built in essential information into the database that allows for future expansion of capabilities. These capabilities include generic search, translation of generic expressions to specifics and specifics to generic expressions, and sophisticated limitations in search results. Derwent believes that the Markush DARC system should be viewed as not only a product of today, but also as an embryonic representation of what the future holds. 

Schmuff has published a comparison of MARPAT and Markush DARC software. To generalize, at this stage both commercially available systems have similar capabilities in terms of retrieval and overall functionality. Both systems have the ability to represent in their databases and queries generic nodes typical of Markush structures in patents. Both systems have translation capabilities between generic node.s and specific nodes in database records and queries, and both systems have the ability to highlight elements in the database record that caused the retrieval. The similarities no doubt reflects the Sheffield connection, which both Questel and STN supported, but also the demands the patent searching community, which the developers of both systems consulted with extensively. 

MARPAT contains up till now, in addition to the Registry database, 200,000 Markush structures. The CA abstract number and therefore the reference to the patent is mentioned with each structure. MARPAT is one of the only two information sources worldwide, which allow structure searching only in patents and ascertain the most obscure substance which could be concealed in a Markush structure. Without the support of computer programs the systematic interpretation of Markush structures would often be impossible. The second database, which offers similar possibilities, is Markush DARC (Sect. 7.8). 

QUESTEL and STN are the only hosts providing the graphic structure search using the Generic DARC System. Under the same command mode Derwent s Markush Dare file, containing the Markush structures is available. Regrettably, there is no nomenclature file text on QUESTEL which would allow searches for substance names und molecular formulae. 

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