Cluster Maps of Patent Applications Karlheinz Skowronek / USPTO My project utilizes patents data to identify the most appropriate examiners for patents applications to drive quality at the USPTO

Today’s application matching process is semi-manual and pseudo-random USPC is no longer updated Incoming application receive a US Patent classification (USPC) List of cases is forwarded to the manager Manually Assign cases to Examiners USPC has been replaced with Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system Semi-manual assignment: -slow -inaccurate -inefficient My project utilizes patents data to identify the best examiners for patents applications to drive quality at the USPTO Any classification system is designed to develop expertise.

Patent Classification Data Visualized

Semiconductor Manufacture H01L21/00

H01L 21/00 Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof ({testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment, or reliability measurementsH01L22/00; multistep manufacturing processes for passive two-terminal components without a potential-jump or surface barrier for integrated circuits H01L28/00; } processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of devices provided for in groups H01L31/00 - H01L51/00 or of parts thereof, see these groups; single-step processes covered by other subclasses, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. C23C, C30B; photomechanical production of textured or patterned surfaces, materials or originals therefor, apparatus specially adapted therefor, in general G03F) Edge weight= 8.5-500 Fiscal year 2015 filings = 400K H01L21 represent 2.5% filings

Recommendation Engine + Process Automation = Workflow Improvement Unassigned applications Recommendation Engine Allowed and Examined Applications Examiner Fingerprints Application CPC picture Classification Data on allowed and examined application is used as a proxy for an examiner expertise. Assignment Recommendations ID Best Examiner Matches

ID Best Examiner Matches Currently Expertise-based Assignment Examiner Fingerprints Application CPC picture No finger print – pseudo random ID Best Examiner Matches

Putting the right examiner on an application drives quality at the USPTO Overall process is more automated (modernized) Pattern matching based on knowledge management (expertise proxy) Patent applications are matched more accurately to the most appropriate examiner by fingerprint

Karlheinz Skowronek Karlheinz.Skowronek@USPTO.GOV

Currently Expertise-based Assignment

Expertise-based Assignments of Patent Applications Software Used Examiner’s Automated Search Tool Golden Anaconda/ Python (os) Expertise-based Assignments of Patent Applications Slack (os) GitHub (os) Waffle (os) Excel Gephi (os) Atom (os)