IPC REFORM

Objectives and principal Features

Antonios FarassopoulosAntonios Farassopoulos

World Intellectual Property World Intellectual Property OrganizationOrganization

IPC Forum 2006IPC Forum 2006

GenevaGeneva

Modern History of the IPC 1956 - Council of Europe initiates work on1956 - Council of Europe initiates work on

European Patent Classification European Patent Classification 1968 - 1st edition of the IPC1968 - 1st edition of the IPC 1971 - Strasbourg Agreement concerning the IPC1971 - Strasbourg Agreement concerning the IPC 1975 - Strasbourg Agreement entered into force1975 - Strasbourg Agreement entered into force Every five years - a new edition of the IPCEvery five years - a new edition of the IPC 2000 - 7th edition of the IPC 2000 - 7th edition of the IPC

Purposes of the IPC

Primary purpose: effective search tool for Primary purpose: effective search tool for the retrieval of patent informationthe retrieval of patent information

Other purposes: Other purposes: – selective dissemination of informationselective dissemination of information– investigation of the state of the artinvestigation of the state of the art– preparation of industrial property statisticspreparation of industrial property statistics

Worldwide Application of the IPC

55 States-members of the Strasbourg Union55 States-members of the Strasbourg Union IPC is appliedIPC is applied::

– in more than 100 countriesin more than 100 countries– by five international organizationsby five international organizations

IPC Crisis at the end of the XX century

IPC - a tool for manual searchingIPC - a tool for manual searching IPC - a compromise between large and IPC - a compromise between large and

small patent offices small patent offices – not sufficiently detailed for large officesnot sufficiently detailed for large offices– too complex for small offices too complex for small offices

IPC - need to consult several editions IPC - need to consult several editions

IPC Advanced Seminar (December 1998)

Discussions about the IPC futureDiscussions about the IPC future

Seminar Conclusions

IPC retains its value as the only world-IPC retains its value as the only world-wide patent classificationwide patent classification

Methods of revision and use of the IPC Methods of revision and use of the IPC should be radically changedshould be radically changed

IPC should become a tool for searching IPC should become a tool for searching electronic informationelectronic information

Launch of the reform

In March 1999 the IPC Committee of In March 1999 the IPC Committee of Experts decides to start reform of the Experts decides to start reform of the ClassificationClassification

In March 2000 the strategic plan for the In March 2000 the strategic plan for the development of the IPC is approveddevelopment of the IPC is approved

Strategic Goals of the Reform

Integration of the IPC with the systems of Integration of the IPC with the systems of electronic informationelectronic information

Creation of a universal search tool for all Creation of a universal search tool for all patent officespatent offices

Establishment of a global system of Establishment of a global system of generation, processing and distribution of generation, processing and distribution of classification dataclassification data

Principal objectives of the reform

Division of the IPC into core and advanced levelsDivision of the IPC into core and advanced levels Creation of the Master Classification DatabaseCreation of the Master Classification Database Reclassification of search files according to Reclassification of search files according to

revision changesrevision changes Introduction in the IPC of electronic information Introduction in the IPC of electronic information

and tools facilitating classification and search and tools facilitating classification and search Accommodate the IPC to an electronic Accommodate the IPC to an electronic

environmentenvironment

Core level

Volume - 18, 000 groups (all main groups Volume - 18, 000 groups (all main groups and some 1, 2 dot gr. based on file size)and some 1, 2 dot gr. based on file size)

Use: - search in small national patent filesUse: - search in small national patent files- dissemination of patent information- dissemination of patent information- patent statistics- patent statistics

Revision according to the traditional Revision according to the traditional procedure (IPC/CE)procedure (IPC/CE)

Revision cycle - three yearsRevision cycle - three years > more stable

Advanced level

Initial volume in 2006 - 70, 000 groupsInitial volume in 2006 - 70, 000 groups Revision by a Special Subcommittee Revision by a Special Subcommittee

according to accelerated procedureaccording to accelerated procedure Use - search in international patent files Use - search in international patent files

(PCT minimum documentation)(PCT minimum documentation) Continuous revisionContinuous revision

> accelerated revision, more dynamic

Core and advanced levels May be used on the choice of patent officesMay be used on the choice of patent offices Are fully compatible Are fully compatible

Electronic information in the reformed IPC

Classification definitionsClassification definitions– subclass definitionsubclass definition– Interrelations with other subclassesInterrelations with other subclasses– classification rules within the subclassclassification rules within the subclass– informative references informative references – definitions of technical termsdefinitions of technical terms

Chemical formulae; drawingsChemical formulae; drawings Standardized sequence of main groupsStandardized sequence of main groups

Master Classification Database

Hosted by EPO; extension of existing DocDBHosted by EPO; extension of existing DocDB Classification data on the worldwide patent Classification data on the worldwide patent

collectionscollections Complete IPC data according to current versionComplete IPC data according to current version Complete information of the core level by rolling-Complete information of the core level by rolling-

up of advanced level symbolsup of advanced level symbols Bridge to full text databasesBridge to full text databases Access via Espacenet, Epoque, national systems Access via Espacenet, Epoque, national systems

Unique Advanced Level collection

DOCDB – 54,000,000 documents

Conversion of back file (mainly using ECLA + JPO input)

IPC 1Documents

1970 - 1975

IPC 4Documents

1985 – 1990

IPC 7Documents

2000 – 2005

Immediate reclassification after partial revision

(carried out for the world by trilateral offices)

+

MCD in 2006

Electronic exchange of data Reclassification for each new AL versionReclassification for each new AL version

– PCT min by trilateral officesPCT min by trilateral offices

– propagation of reclassification to all family propagation of reclassification to all family membersmembers

– lists of remaining documents to be lists of remaining documents to be reclassified by respective officesreclassified by respective offices

Delivery of reclassification data to the Master Delivery of reclassification data to the Master Classification Database Classification Database

New ST.8: Recording IPC dataNew ST.8: Recording IPC data

Ne

w S

T.8

new symbol lengthnew symbol length– old: A01B123/12345old: A01B123/12345– new: A01B0123/123456new: A01B0123/123456

version indicatorversion indicator– attribute: YYYYMMDDattribute: YYYYMMDD

invention / additional ~ non-inventioninvention / additional ~ non-invention– attribute: (I) or (N)attribute: (I) or (N)

advanced / coreadvanced / core– attribute: (A) or (C)attribute: (A) or (C)

original / reclassifiedoriginal / reclassified– attribute: (B) or (R)attribute: (B) or (R)

action dateaction date– attribute: YYYYMMDDattribute: YYYYMMDD

human / machine propagated / generated by human / machine propagated / generated by computercomputer

– attribute: (H), (M) or (G)attribute: (H), (M) or (G)

Document classified in the core level:

(51) Int. Cl. (2006)B28B 5/00B28B 1/00H05B 3/10

Document classified in the advanced level:

(51) Int. Cl.B28B 5/00 (2006.01)B28B 1/29 (2007.04)H05B 3/18 (2008.07)

Italics Advanced Level

Version Indicator

Regular Core Level

Non-bold Additional Information

Bold Invention Information

New ST.10/CNew ST.10/C

Publications of the IPC

Printed publication - only the core levelPrinted publication - only the core level Internet publicationInternet publication - on the user’s - on the user’s

choice, display is possible: choice, display is possible: – only to the core level or to the complete only to the core level or to the complete

text of the Classification (advanced level)text of the Classification (advanced level)– only tо the official text or with the only tо the official text or with the

inclusion of electronic informationinclusion of electronic information XML files (scheme, validity file, RCL , XML files (scheme, validity file, RCL ,

Catchword Index)Catchword Index)