IPC - International Patent Classification Other Classification Systems.

IPC - International Patent Classification

Other Classification Systems

Other classification systems

Larger offices maintain proprietary classification systems:• ECLA - European Classification (EPO)

– based on IPC; English only

• USPC – United States Patent Classification (USPTO)– different philosophy; English only

• F / FI terms – Japanese Classification Systems (JPO)– FI based on IPC; Japanese, English

• DEKLA – German Classification System (GPTO)– based on IPC, German only

Harmonization of ECLA, USPC, FI by IP5 Offices

> to be included in new IPC versions.

ECLA

Internal classification of the EPO Based on the IPC, but more detailed: 134.000 entries Applied by EPO examiners to EP documents (obligatory)

and PCT minimum documents (discretionary)

> the IPC part of the ECLA of non EP docs may be different than IPC given by national IPO because the EP examiner may have a different opinion than the publishing office

Searching with the use of ECLA codes is possible on Espacenet

Access: http://v3.espacenet.com/eclasrch?CY=EP&LG=en

Brochure: http://www.espacenet.com/getstarted/classification_search_en.pdf

ECLA on esp@cenet

ECLA and IPC

ECLA = latest IPC edition• + EPO subdivisions• + EPO text additions in IPC

groups

Exceptions• IPC groups / amendments not (yet)

introduced (lack of time or not good)• IPC of former or future editions

Subdividing letters & hierarchy

G02B5/00 Optical elements other than lensesG02B5/30 . Polarising elements

G02B5/30F . . [N: comprising dielectric particles]G02B5/30L . . [N: involving liquid crystal elements]G02B5/30P . . [N: Polarisers]G02B5/30P1 . . . [N: in the form of a thin sheet or foil]G02B5/30P1S . . . . [N: comprising multiple thin layers]G02B5/30P1S1 . . . . . [N: including organic materials]

Rules:

• Alphabetic order• Letter – digit – letter - …. • 1 dot more = 1 letter/digit more

Examiners choice:

• Selection of letter• Deep subdivision

Symbol structure & presentation

A47G HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)

21/00 Table-ware (crumb trays A47L13/52; table knives B26B)

21/18 . Drinking straws or the like ([N: as integral parts of drinking containers A47G19/22B12]; for therapeutic purposes A61J15/00;

[N: adapted to emerge from drinking containers when opened B65D77/28C]) [C9804]

21/18B . . [N: combined with cutlery or other eating utensils] [N9409][C9701]

[N: ] = “Non-official“[N9409 ] = New = introduction date: September 1994[C9701 ] = Changed : January 1997

ECLA "WARNINGS"

A WARNING is introduced locally in the ECLA scheme for signalling deviations from IPC, or incompleteness:

IPC groups not used in ECLA• e.g. see Warning after G01N

Deleted / transferred ECLA groups• e.g. see Warning after H01F

Reclassification in progress• e.g. see Warning after B01D, G01N27/00

A NOTE can be used to signal use of special databases in the field e.g. see Note after B32B a Note is used instead of a Warning, because it does not impact on the

completeness of groups

Use in esp@cenet

Results in esp@cenet

IPC

ECLA

USPC

United States Patent Classification 160.000 groups Not based on the IPC Regular revision Obligatory reclassification after revision Applied only to US documents Corresponding IPC of US documents via concordance

list: sometimes of poor quality; better use ECLA on Espacenet, or IPC in ICP field of Depatisnet because they are given by EP or DE examiners.

> http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/selectnumwithtitle.htm

USPC - example

Japanese FI (File Index)

190.000 groups IPC-based Regularly revised (once or twice / year) Obligatory reclassification after revision Only applied to JP documents IPC via concordance list URL: http://www5.ipdl.inpit.go.jp/pmgs1/pmgs1/pmgs_E

Japanese F - terms

350.000 codes Very detailed indexation, supplementary to FI Independent from the IPC Revision with reclassification (once a year) Only applied to JP documents No concordance to the IPC

German DEKLA

Internal classification of the GPTO About 100.000 groups Based on the IPC, but more detailed; mostly only one

additional level of hierarchy Mostly available only in German language Applied by German examiners to German and other

patent documents Searching with the use of DECLA codes is possible on

DEPATISNET Access via Depatisnet (click on IPC tab; tick DEKLA

box)