Using patent classification in particular the International Patent

Using patent classification, in particular the International Patent Classification, for searching Andrew Czajkowski Head, Innovation and Technology Support Jerusalem 21 June 2010

Contents What is patent classification History of classification systems Current patent classification systems International Patent Classification - IPC How is it structured IPC on the internet, including tools to assist in using it Why use it

What is patent classification? It is a hierarchical classification system used primarily to classify and search patent documents according to the technical fields they pertain It therefore serves as an instrument for an orderly arrangement of the patent documents, a basis for selective dissemination of information and a basis for investigating the state of the art in given fields of technology

What is patent classification? (cont’d) System for classifying technical subject matter, e. g. patent literature Specially adapted for needs of patent documentation Applied to patent documents worldwide Available in most databases for search Applied by some IP Offices to non-patent literature also ► Efficient tool for searching patent literature

History of Classification Systems 1831 American Classification 1877 German Classification 1956 European Council initiates work on International Patent Classification (IPC) 1968 Entering into force of IPC (1 st edition) 1975 Entering into force of Strasbourg Agreement 1. 1. 2006: Entry into force of Reformed IPC Eighth edition (IPC 8, IPC 2006) 1. 1. 2011: "Reformed" Reformed IPC

Patent Classification Systems IPC – International Patent Classification (WIPO) 70. 000 entries ECLA - European Classification (EPO) based on IPC; 150. 00 entries USPC - United States Patent Classification (USPTO) different philosophy; English only; 160. 000 entries F / FI terms - Japanese Classification Systems (JPO) FI based on IPC; Japanese, English; 190. 000 entries DEKLA - German Classification System (GPTO) based on IPC, German only; 100. 000 entries Harmonization of ECLA, USPC, FI by IP 5 Offices included in new IPC versions

IPC - Union Based on Strasbourg Agreement 1975 initially 13 member states presently 59 member states in addition 4 regional organizations: EPO, EAPO, ARIPO, OAPI IPC applied by over 100 countries

Structure of IPC Symbols A 23 G 9/02 ► complete group symbol; consists of different components A . . . Section (A, B, . . . H) A 23 . . . Class (any 2 digits) A 23 G. . . Subclass (any letter) A 23 G 9/02 Main group part . . . Group / Subgroup part

IPC group symbols ► Two types of groups: Main groups Subgroups of main groups A 23 G 9/00 . . . Main group xxx/00 A 23 G 9/02 . . . Subgroup xxx/yy yy ≠ 00 xxx/yyyy

IPC logical/hierarchical structure ► hierarchical top level: 8 Sections

IPC hierarchical structure H H 01 B H 02 H 01 F Section H 05 H 01 T Class Subclass H 01 F 1/00 H 01 F 3/00 H 01 F 87/00 Main group H 01 F 1/01 H 01 F 1/44 Subgroups

34 159 documents Section Class Subclass Main group One point for each subdivision Subgroups 12 th level 98 docs 607 docs ► sufficiently small numbers

Hierarchy of Subgroups ► Level of hierarchy: indicated by dots number of dots > indentation level, hierarchical level > Independent of numbering of subgroups ! G 01 N 33/483 • • Physical analysis of biological material 33/487 • • • of liquid biological material 33/49 • • blood 33/50 • • Chemical analysis of biological material, e. g. blood § 26

Numbering of subgroups Numbering does not determine hierarchical level Numbering determines sequential order of subgroups „ / “ can be interpreted as decimal point § 26 Example: y = 1/23 > 1. 23 y = 34/02 > 34. 02 G 01 N 33/483 33/487 33/49 33/50 33. 483 • • Physical analysis of biological material 33. 487 • • • of liquid biological material 33. 49 • • blood • • Chemical analysis of biological material, e. g. blood

IPC hierarchical structure Sections 8 Classes 129 Classes Subclasses 639 Subclasses Groups 68718 Groups

Complex example Section: Class: Subclass: Main group: H H 01 F One‑dot subgroup: Two‑dot subgroup: Three‑dot subgroup: Four‑dot subgroup: Five‑dot subgroup: Six‑dot subgroup: ELECTRICITY BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS MAGNETS 1/00. Magnets or magnetic bodies characterised by the magnetic materials therefor 1/01. . of inorganic materials 1/03. . . characterised by their coercivity 1/032. . of hard magnetic materials 1/04. . . Metals or alloys 1/047. . . Alloys characterised by their composition 1/053. . . . containing rare earth metals Group H 01 F 1/053 thus actually concerns: “Magnets of inorganic materials characterised by their coercivity, comprising hard magnetic alloys specifically containing rare earth metals”

IPC Versions The IPC has been periodically revised (mostly every 5 years) for improving the system and for reflecting technical developments in its contents The first edition of the Classification was in force from September 1, 1968, to June 30, 1974 Second from July 1, 1974, to December 31, 1979 Third from January 1, 1980, to December 31, 1984 Fourth from January 1, 1985, to December 31, 1989 Fifth from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 1994 Sixth from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 1999 Seventh from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2005 Eighth from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2008

IPC reform In March 1999 the IPC Committee of Experts decided to start reform of the IPC Launched in 01. 2006 within framework of Version 8 of the IPC

Principal objectives of the IPC reform Accommodation of the IPC to an electronic environment, i. e. move from paper to electronic system Division of the IPC into core and advanced levels (discontinued from January 2011) Creation of the Master Classification Database Reclassification of search files according to revision changes Introduction in the IPC of electronic information and tools facilitating classification and search

WIPO Standard ST. 10/C Document classified in the advanced level: (51) Int. Cl. B 28 B 5/00 (2006. 01) B 28 B 1/29 (2007. 04) H 05 B 3/18 (2008. 07) Italics Advanced Level Bold Invention Information Version Indicator Non-bold Additional Information Document classified in the core level: (51) Int. Cl. (2006) B 28 B 5/00 B 28 B 1/00 H 05 B 3/10 Regular Core Level Bold Invention Information Non-bold Additional Information

IPC homepage General Information, Guide Scheme FAQ

IPC homepage Access: http: //wipo. int/classifications/ipc/en/ General information on IPC; Guide (comprehensive information) Information on revision projects (e-forum) and meetings IT support: downloads (PDF, XML), file specifications, DTDs Classification tools: IPCCAT, TACSY

Browse or search the IPC

Browse or search the IPC (cont‘d) Bridge (magnifying class symbol) links to: ECLA; USPC Other language versions of IPC Databases (PATENTSCOPE®, esp@cenet)

IPCCAT IPPCAT is a linguistic tool that allows to enter short descriptions of technical subject matter, e. g. a summary or abstract, and retrieve suggestions where such subject matter could be classified The tool is based on a neural network that was trained with a large set of patent documents that were classified by experts.

TACSY Access: via IPC home or http: //www. wipo. int/tacsy/ Natural language search of IPC: you need not know precise terminology Takes shorter keyword combinations up to 15 -20 words Results given down to subgroups

TACSY IPC natural language search: www. wipo. int/classifications/ipc 8

Searching Patent Information Text searching: Databases containing abstracts Full-text databases Classification-based searching: IPC Other classifications

Text-based Searching Advantages: Ease of use All invention details may be retrieved Disadvantages: Problem of synonyms Various languages; searching Chinese, Korean, Japanese patents (significant proportion of newly filed applications) Inconsistent terminology

Classification-based Searching Advantages of using IPC in comparison to only using keyword searching: Language independent Terminology / ”jargon” independent Standardized application to documents Concept search Available for (old) patent documents where no full text of claims / description is available > allows for more complete search results than pure text searching

Searching of patent information Classification adds information value to patent documents Combination of classification-based and text searching gives best results

PATENTSCOPE Interface – search criteria

Symbols present on front pages of patent documents

Symbols presented in database content

Symbols presented in Search Reports

Thank you for your kind attention! patentscope@wipo. int