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Using Patent Classification for Searching, in particular the International Patent Classification
David Barford
ConsultantUlaanbaatar
March 2015
Introduction
Patents cover all areas of science and technology - from toothbrushes to nuclear reactors, and from pharmaceuticals to hats
How can we divide this vast field of invention into smaller, more manageable chunks?
Let’s start with eight chunks or sections
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Sections A to D
Section A: HUMAN NECESSITIES (eg agriculture, food, clothes, furniture, brushes, furniture, sports and games)
Section B: PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING (eg manufacturing, metal working, moulding, printing; railways, other land vehicles, aircraft)
Section C: CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY (eg inorganic chemistry, organic macromolecular chemistry, metallurgy)
Section D: TEXTILES; PAPER (eg threads, yarns, spinning, weaving)
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Sections E to H
Section E: FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS (eg buildings; earth or rock drilling; mining)
Section F: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING;HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING (eg engines, pumps, heat exchangers)
Section G: PHYSICS (eg instruments, controls, computers, nucleonics
Section H: ELECTRICITY eg circuits, generating electricity, communications
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Searching
If, when a patent document is published, the relevant code A, B, C, D, E, F, G or H is printed on the front page, we can use this when searching
So if we are interested in cements of a particular composition , we only need to search code C, the code under which chemicals, including cements, are classified
Unfortunately, we soon find that literally millions of documents carry code C
So we need much more detail than a mere eight sections
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International Patent Classification (IPC)
The IPC is based on this eight section structure, but each section is divided into classes, these are further divided into subclasses, which are then divided into main groups, and finally into subgroups.
This is called a hierarchical structure:
Section
Class
Subclass
Main group
Subgroup
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IPC: Structure - general
Section
Subclass
Class Class
Main group Main group
Subclass
Subgroup Subgroup
… Subgroup
…
…
IPC: Structure – from chemistry down to cements
C
Subclass
C04 Class
C04B 7/00 Main group
C04B
Subgroup C04B 7/02
… C04B 7/06
…
…
IPC: definitions
C
C04
C04B
C04B 7/00
C04B 7/02
C04B 7/06
ChemistryCements; concrete; artificial stone;
ceramics; refractoriesLime; magnesia; slag; cements;
compositions thereof…; artificial stone; ceramics; refractories; treatment of natural stone
Hydraulic cementsPortland cementusing alkaline raw materials
IPC: Structure (subgroups)
More dots = lower hierarchical level
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Major patent classification systems
International Patent Classification (IPC)
http://web2.wipo.int/ipcpub/#refresh=page
Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
Japanese Patent Classification (FI/F-terms)
European Patent Classification (ECLA) and the US Patent Classification (USPC) replaced by CPC from 01.01.2013
Difference between classification systems
Language availability Number of entries
IPC English and French (w/ national versions)
~70,000
CPC English only ~250,000 Based on IPC
FI/F-terms English and Japanese ~190,000 Based on IPC
Difference between classification systems
Applied by (offices) Applied to (collections)
IPC Over 190 patent offices worldwide
PCT, European, Japan, US, and other regional and national collections
CPC European Patent Office and United States Patent and Trademark Office
European, PCT, Japan, US, and other regional and national collections
FI/F-terms Japan Patent Office Japan
IPC: Structure (notes and references)
Relevant symbols Relevant symbols, definitions Relevant symbols, definitions, versions
Words or classifications?
Words
advantages
disadvantages
Classifications
advantages
Disadvantages
Words and classifications
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Words – advantages
can be used in most databases
easy to use
infinitely flexible
can use singly or – using operators - in specified combinations/orders/separations
in many databases, the user can select whether to search the full text or restrict to titles/abstracts/claims
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Words - disadvantages
different languages
synonyms (cellphone, cell phone, mobile phone; lift, elevator)
homonyms (beam - optical or building?; mouse – computer or transgenic?)
alternative spellings (color and colour)
specialist terminology
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Classifications - advantages
independent of language
independent of synonyms and homonyms
independent of alternative spellings
independent of terminology
independent of typographic errors
available for (old) patent documents for which little or no searchable text is available
specially adapted for patent documents
comprehensive and detailed; a spot-on classification term – if there is one - can be the quickest and best way of doing a search
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Classifications - disadvantages
not universally applied – except for the IPC
can be complex and challenging to understand beyond an elementary level
may not have any terms which are a good fit for a particular search
may be applied with varying skill and accuracy by different authorities
may generate too many hits if used at a general level
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Words and Classifications
Can use words to find classifications by doing a quick word search and looking at the classifications that have been applied to the best hits
Can use the two in combination, eg
“B62K19/04 AND magnesium“ – to search for bicycle frames made of a magnesium alloy
“G02B AND beam“ – to search for optical beams
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Scenario
You have been requested to retrieve patent documents related to semiconductor lasers and have decided to use IPC classification for this purpose.
Photo source: NASA
Tools(I) Terms
Catchwords
Definitions
Scheme (ie detailed classification)
(2) STATS
(3) IPCCAT
(4) Using words to find a classification. Search the database using words, display the results, and check the IPC
IPC Official Publication
IPC Terms
IPC Terms
IPC Catchwords
IPC Catchword Scheme (ie detailed classification)
Back to IPC Terms
IPC Definitions
Back to IPC Terms again
IPC Catchword Scheme (ie detailed classification)
IPC Official Publication – (2) STATS
IPC STATS
IPC STATS
IPC STATS
IPC Official Publication – (3) IPCCAT
IPCCAT: Note
IPCCAT is intended to be used on full sentences or longer texts.
You can use it for shorter texts, but remember to put a period (full stop) after your search terms.
IPC: IPCCAT
IPC: IPCCAT (results by subclass)
IPC: IPCCAT (results by main group)
IPC: Bridge
(4)Using words to find a classification
Search the database using words, display the results, and check the IPC that has been applied
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PATENTSCOPE: Results using H01S5/00
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