IPC vs. CPC compared

Third IPC Workshop (WIPO)

Roberto IASEVOLI, EPOCPC Implementation Group 25 February 2013

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Outline

• History• Governance and operations• Documentation coverage• Scheme: availability and layout• Definitions: availability and layout• What / how / where to classify• Database• Allocation standard• Revisions• Questions & Answers

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History

date IPC CPC

1971 Strasbourg Agreement

2006Jan

IPC Reform• "invention" vs. "additional"

information• "advanced" vs. "core" level• reclassified documentation• additional layer of the IPC

(Definitions)

2010Oct

bilateral agreement EPO-USPTO for the launch of CPC

2011Jan

Simplified IPC Reform• classification in "full IPC" vs.

"main-group only" instead of "advanced" vs. "core" levels

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History (cont'd)

date IPC CPC

2013Jan

17th version of the IPC launched 1st version of the CPC launched

2013 Apr

next version of the CPC expected

2013 May

next version of the CPC expected

... ...

2014Jan

next version of the IPC expected next version of the CPC expected

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Governance and operations

IPC CPC

IPC Union members, under the supervision of WIPO

EPO & USPTO

operations are described in the CONOPS documentation

operations are described in the CPC OPS documentation

Committee of Experts (IPC/CE)

meetings are physically held yearly at WIPO

CPC Implementation Group (CPC IG) to hand over to CPC Joint Board (CPC JB) in operation phase (July 2013)

meetings are (physically or VICO) held quarterly/monthly

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Governance and operations (cont'd)

IPC CPC

IPC revisions are expected to take place yearly

CPC revisions are expected to take place up to monthly

revisions are worked out by the Revision Working Group (IPC/WG)

meetings are physically held twice a year at WIPO

revisions are worked out by the Joint Editorial Board (EB)

meetings are (VICO) held weekly

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Documentation coverage

IPC CPC

almost all of worldwide published patent documents after 1975 (entry in force of the Strasbourg Agreement)

minimum PCT documentation available in EN, FR, DE (and NL)

+ whole of US patent documentation

+ CPCNO allocations: EPO member states can send their allocations in CPC format, to retrieve them later in EPOQUE

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Scheme availability

IPC CPC

• www.wipo.int/ipcpub • www.cpcinfo.org

• www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/index.html

• worldwide.espacenet.com/classification

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IPC scheme layout

Sections A-H

• 631 subclasses• ~ 71 000 symbols• invention or additional information

Indexing codes• additional information only• as a rule numbering starts at 101/00

– but C07D main groups start at 201/00 ...

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CPC scheme layout

Sections A-H Section Y

Main trunk• 647 subclasses• ~ 160 000 symbols• invention or additional information• {...} used to distinguish CPC text from IPC one

• 6 subclasses• ~7 300 symbols• including former

USPC "XRAC's and digests"

• tagging of emerging cross-sectional technologies

• additional information only

Indexing codes ─ 2000 series• ~ 82 000 symbols • former "breakdown" and "orthogonal" ICO• include IPC indexing codes• additional information only

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Y a.k.a. the 9th section of the scheme

IPC CPC

ideas over a 9th section of the IPC, to cover emerging technologies, cross-sectional in the sense that the new schemes would span over many schemes of the A-H sections, was explored at the time "Nanotech" was discussed in the IPC

"Nanotech" was the trigger to have in ECLA the 9th section for tagging of emerging technologies

later Y01 (Nanotech) was moved to B82Y

the 9th section of the IPC could not be created because of the high IT impact on certain offices

Y section stays in CPC for tagging of emerging cross-sectional technologies

now includes also former USPC XRAC's and digest (Y10S)

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Definitions availabilityIPC CPC

• www.wipo.int/ipcpub • www.cpcinfo.org• www.uspto.gov/web/patents/

classification/index.html• worldwide.espacenet.com/classification

Definitions are "one click away" next to the IPC symbol they relate to

Definitions are expected for all subclasses (except indexing schemes) and main-groups, at least

Definitions are currently available as XML/PDF files at subclass level

a D marks their availability in the IPC page a D marks their availability in the espacenet page

available also on USPTO classification resources

plan to have all IPC subclasses (except indexing ones) covered

currently ~1/3 of the total is ready

plan to have all of CPC subclasses (except indexing ones) and main-groups covered

all ready by mid 2013

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Definitions layout

IPC CPC

a Template exists to structure information in the best way

XML schema mirrors the Template structure

a Template exists which is almost identical to the IPC one

XML schema is compatible with the IPC one

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What / where / how to classify

IPC CPC

the IPC Guide provides the required information on the proper usage of the IPC

the CPC Guide does not exist (yet),but the CPC follows IPC Guide"unless differently stated"

what: contribution over the prior art; other features interesting for search ...

where: function-oriented vs. application-oriented places ...

how: invention vs. additional information; indexing schemes ...

what: contribution over the prior art; other features interesting for search ...

where: reflect IPC practice to a very large extent, unless differently stated in the CPC Definitions

how: invention vs. additional information; indexing schemes ...

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Database

IPC CPC

MCD• the master database for the IPC,

collecting allocations sent by all offices worldwide

• MCD is the authoritative source of the IPC classification data

• it also generates reclassification working lists (RWL) for all offices at each IPC revision

CPC-DB• a "dual master" database with

synchronization, to ensure independence of operations of the two offices, while offering refreshed access to the shared allocations

• CPC-DB is the authoritative source of the CPC classification data

• database "products" are not exported from CPC-DB but from the local databases, e.g. DOC-DB/XML is fed by DOC-DB

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• “Dual master" databases with data synchronization• CPC-DB will be the authoritative source for CPC classification data

CPC database (CPC-DB)

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Allocation standard

IPC CPC

Standard 8 (ST8) based on ST8

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Allocation standard — from the IPC ST8 ...

, Y

A

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Allocation standard (cont'd) — ... to the CPC one

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Revisions

IPC CPC

yearly (ready 6 months in advance)

worked out by the IPC/WG

up to monthly (ready 6 weeks in advance)

worked out by the CPC EB

platform: IPC IEF platform: CPC collaborative environment

the following deliverables are expected:• Scheme / Definition project changes

– en français aussi !• CRL (cross-reference list)• Compilation of changes

– stems from the two above• RCL (revision concordance list)• RWL (reclassification working lists) for

all participating offices• CI (Catchword Index)

the following deliverables are expected:• Scheme / Definition project changes

• CRL (cross-reference list)• Compilation of changes

– stems from the two above• RCL (revision concordance list)• RWL (reclassification working lists) for

CPC offices• CICL (CPC-IPC concordance list)

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Questions & Answers

....

Thank you !!