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Using Patent Classification for Searching, in particular the International Patent Classification

Using Patent Classification for Searching, in particular the International Patent Classification David Barford Consultant. Ulaanbaatar March 2015. Introduction. Patents cover all areas of science and technology - from toothbrushes to nuclear reactors, and from pharmaceuticals to hats

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Using Patent Classification for Searching, in particular the International Patent Classification

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  1. Using Patent Classification for Searching, in particular the International Patent Classification David Barford Consultant Ulaanbaatar March 2015

  2. 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

  3. 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)

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. IPC: Structure - general Section Class Class … Subclass Subclass … Main group Main group Subgroup Subgroup … Subgroup

  8. IPC: Structure – from chemistry down to cements C C04 Class … Subclass C04B … C04B 7/00 Main group Subgroup C04B 7/02 … C04B 7/06

  9. C C04 C04B C04B 7/00 C04B 7/02 C04B 7/06 Chemistry Cements; concrete; artificial stone; ceramics; refractories Lime; magnesia; slag; cements; compositions thereof…; artificial stone; ceramics; refractories; treatment of natural stone Hydraulic cements Portland cement using alkaline raw materials IPC: definitions

  10. IPC: Structure (subgroups)  More dots = lower hierarchical level

  11. 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

  12. Difference between classification systems

  13. Difference between classification systems

  14. IPC: Structure (notes and references)  Relevant symbols  Relevant symbols, definitions  Relevant symbols, definitions, versions

  15. Words or classifications? • Words • advantages • disadvantages • Classifications • advantages • Disadvantages • Words and classifications

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. IPC Official Publication

  24. IPC Terms

  25. IPC Terms

  26. IPC Catchwords

  27. IPC Catchword Scheme (ie detailed classification)

  28. Back to IPC Terms

  29. IPC Definitions

  30. Back to IPC Terms again

  31. IPC Catchword Scheme (ie detailed classification)

  32. IPC Official Publication – (2) STATS

  33. IPC STATS

  34. IPC STATS

  35. IPC STATS

  36. IPC Official Publication – (3) IPCCAT

  37. 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.

  38. IPC: IPCCAT

  39. IPC: IPCCAT (results by subclass)

  40. IPC: IPCCAT (results by main group)

  41. IPC: Bridge

  42. (4)Using words to find a classification • Search the database using words, display the results, and check the IPC that has been applied

  43. PATENTSCOPE: Results using H01S5/00

  44. Thank you for your attention! For more information, please contact: tisc@wipo.int

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