Title slide European Patent Office The Master Classification

Title slide European Patent Office The Master Classification Database Jürgen Rampelmann IPC Forum, Geneva 13 February 2006

European Patent Office Presentation outline The Master Classification Database 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Main features MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access

Main Features of the IPC Reform Master Classification Database (MCD) Main Features q continuous revision of schemes q reclassification of documents in revised areas MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access Need to create a worldwide Master Classification Database (MCD) Commitment of the European Patent Office to extend its Doc. DB to cover MCD 3

Main Features of the MCD Master Classification Database (MCD) q New tables for IPC symbols IPC for new documents on document level Main Features IPC for backfile and reclassified documents on family level MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile q Reclassification Storage of extended ST. 8 information Classification symbol Classification level First or later symbol Action date Source of data User Access q Version indicator Invention / additional info Classification value Original or reclassified data Generating office Simple family Same set of priorities active versus inactive claimed versus artificial q Concept of Operations ("CONOPS") 4

MCD Backfile Master Classification Database (MCD) Main Features MCD Backfile IPC 1 documents 1970 - 1975 IPC 4 documents 1985 - 1990 IPC 7 documents 2000 - 2005 MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access Conversion of backfile documents Unique advanced level backfile - 54, 000 documents 5

MCD Backfile Master Classification Database (MCD) Creation of the MCD backfile Main Features q Use of ECLA symbols to create IPC symbols MCD Backfile Use of a special concordance table MCD Frontfile Reclassification ECLA-to-IPC Conversion q User Access National Offices Backfile Conversion of national backfile by offices JPO backfile EAPO backfile . . . q IPC-to-IPC Conversion "Best guess" conversion from old to new IPC only for remaining documents will be replaced by NO backfile if available 6

MCD Backfile Master Classification Database (MCD) IPC 1 -7 JP, KR, CN. . ECLA Main Features MCD Backfile DE MCD Frontfile IPC ? Reclassification IPC 8 validation User Access Roll-up Adv. to Core Default Indicators Reclassification MCD Storage on “simple” family! 7

MCD Backfile Master Classification Database (MCD) ECLA-to-IPC 8 IPC 1 -7 -to-IPC 8 Main Features MCD Backfile JPO / DPMA input Reclassification User Access Other offices 23, 000 docs MCD Frontfile 15, 000 docs 16, 000 docs 3, 000 docs Converted Backfile Doc. DB (MCD) Expected Completeness: 95% - by mid 2006 8

MCD Frontfile Master Classification Database (MCD) Office 1 Office 2 . . . Office n Main Features MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile VAL Reclassification User Access Converted Backfile Frontfile IPC VALIDATION SERVICE Doc. DB (MCD) EPODOC photo of esp@cenet 1 esp@cenet 2 Doc. DB Products IPC Services first EP in 2006 9

Reclassification Master Classification Database (MCD) q Continuous revision of the advanced level q Release cycle every three months q Reclassification after revision Main Features MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access Advanced Level Subcommittee q Authority to revise the advanced level q Offices committed to do more than 20% of the reclassification work q Currently trilateral offices q Coordination with IPC/WG when core level is affected 10

Reclassification Master Classification Database (MCD) Main Features q One document per family selected for reclassification q Working lists for ALS & other reclassifying offices (advanced level) q Working lists for all offices (core level) q Results stored on simple family level MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access 11

User Access Master Classification Database (MCD) Main Features MCD Backfile User Access to the MCD q EPOQUE / EPODOC MCD Frontfile EPO examiners Reclassification EPO Member State Offices User Access Trilateral Offices q esp@cenet General public q Doc. DB exchange products Commercial providers Other exchange clients 12

User Access - EPOQUE / EPODOC Master Classification Database (MCD) Fields Indexes Description Main Features MCD Backfile IC IC IPC (1 -7) MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access IPC Advanced, Invention ICAI ICA IPC Advanced, Non-Invention ICAN IC IPC Core, Invention ICCI ICCN IPC Core, Non-Invention 13

User Access - esp@cenet Master Classification Database (MCD) Main Features MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access 14

User Access - esp@cenet Master Classification Database (MCD) Main Features Advanced modifiers MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access q ci: selects IPC core invention q cn: selects IPC core non-invention q ai: selects IPC advanced invention q an: selects IPC advanced non-invention q c: selects IPC core q a: selects IPC advanced 15

Conclusion Master Classification Database (MCD) MCD - The backbone of the IPC Reform Main Features MCD Backfile MCD Frontfile Reclassification User Access q It’s up and running ! q IPC Reform symbols accessible to the user community q strengthens worldwide cooperation in classification 16

Thank you slide European Patent Office Thank you for your attention Jürgen Rampelmann IPC Forum, Geneva 13 February 2006