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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 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 • How can we divide this vast field of invention into smaller, more manageable chunks? • Let’s start with eight chunks or sections
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)
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
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
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
IPC: Structure - general Section Class Class … Subclass Subclass … Main group Main group Subgroup Subgroup … Subgroup
IPC: Structure – from chemistry down to cements C C04 Class … Subclass C04B … C04B 7/00 Main group Subgroup C04B 7/02 … C04B 7/06
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
IPC: Structure (subgroups) More dots = lower hierarchical level
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
(4)Using words to find a classification • Search the database using words, display the results, and check the IPC that has been applied
Thank you for your attention! For more information, please contact: tisc@wipo.int