IPC Workshop Geneva, February 8 and 9, 2010 IPC – A TOOL FOR CLASSIFYING PATENT DOCUMENTS RATHER THAN CONCEPTS? Pierre Buffet IPC Workshop Geneva, February 8 and 9, 2010

IPC - some issues IPC objectives Classification objectives IPC reform Check list Players: offices, users (legal, R&D, business), svice providers (on various aspects) – charts with players and links Common aim: improve efficiency, no duplicate efforts, focus on respective expertise Needs: Describing patent material (identification, technical content, legal process) Searching, navigating, processing, assembling, viewing, … Standards are essential as a link between players, a common language All players should be involved (IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) IPC: Its aim Its use Its structure Problems of accuracy for searching of updates (ongoing vs backlog) according to use (dispatching, storing, searching) (see indication of precedence p.7 of http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc_2009.pdf) Limitation due to linear dimension

IPC objectives 6. The Classification […] has as its primary purpose the establishment of an effective search tool for the retrieval of patent documents by intellectual property offices and other users […] 7. The Classification, furthermore, has the important purposes of serving as: (a) an instrument for the orderly arrangement of patent documents in order to facilitate access to the […] information contained therein; (b) a basis for selective dissemination of information […]; (c) a basis for investigating the state of the art […]; (d) a basis for the preparation of industrial property statistics […] [IPC Guide, Version 2009] Check list Players: offices, users (legal, R&D, business), svice providers (on various aspects) – charts with players and links Common aim: improve efficiency, no duplicate efforts, focus on respective expertise Needs: Describing patent material (identification, technical content, legal process) Searching, navigating, processing, assembling, viewing, … Standards are essential as a link between players, a common language All players should be involved (IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) IPC: Its aim Its use Its structure Problems of accuracy for searching of updates (ongoing vs backlog) according to use (dispatching, storing, searching) (see indication of precedence p.7 of http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc_2009.pdf) Limitation due to linear dimension

Classification objectives Arrangement of objects in a one dimension space (shelves, shoe boxes, …) To Facilitate access to the objects or To dispatch these objects (e.g. to examiners) Other use: (simple) description of contents - one viewpoint

IPC reform 11. […] Changes to the structure of the Classification and to methods of its revision and application were needed in order to ensure its efficient and effective use in the electronic environment. Binded to classification approach One dimension space (shelves) No real use of boolean capabilities Very expensive update procedure Frequent updates Need to reclassify Check list Players: offices, users (legal, R&D, business), svice providers (on various aspects) – charts with players and links Common aim: improve efficiency, no duplicate efforts, focus on respective expertise Needs: Describing patent material (identification, technical content, legal process) Searching, navigating, processing, assembling, viewing, … Standards are essential as a link between players, a common language All players should be involved (IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) IPC: Its aim Its use Its structure Problems of accuracy for searching of updates (ongoing vs backlog) according to use (dispatching, storing, searching) (see indication of precedence p.7 of http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc_2009.pdf) Limitation due to linear dimension

IPC reform Classification approach Adapted to arrange collections Limited for describing contents Need to differentiate: Documents Concepts describing the contents Concepts can be arranged in a different classification The example of Japanese F-terms

IPC reform example of F-terms Multiple viewpoint approach Adapted to boolean logic See for instance: IPC Workshop, Geneva, Feb. 4-5, 2008 Japanese Classification System (FI, F-terms) and Quality of Reclassification Susumu IWASAKI, JPO

Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological Viewpoints- (2) AA components AA04 ··Calcium oxides 4G031 AA04 15

Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological Viewpoints- (3) AA components BA24 ··Low heat expansion 4G031 BA Functions and Uses AA04 and BA24 16

Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological Viewpoints- (4) AA components Refine the search effectively! CA05 ·Granularity 4G031 BA Functions and Uses CA Structures AA04 and BA24 and CA05 17

IPC reform 13. The following major changes were introduced […]: (a) the Classification was divided into a core and an advanced level, in order to better satisfy the needs of different categories of users; Convenient for storing documents according to size of collections Complex for searching Check list Players: offices, users (legal, R&D, business), svice providers (on various aspects) – charts with players and links Common aim: improve efficiency, no duplicate efforts, focus on respective expertise Needs: Describing patent material (identification, technical content, legal process) Searching, navigating, processing, assembling, viewing, … Standards are essential as a link between players, a common language All players should be involved (IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) IPC: Its aim Its use Its structure Problems of accuracy for searching of updates (ongoing vs backlog) according to use (dispatching, storing, searching) (see indication of precedence p.7 of http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc_2009.pdf) Limitation due to linear dimension

IPC reform Very costly as changes are very frequent 13. The following major changes were introduced […]: (c) when the Classification is revised, patent documents are reclassified according to the amendments to the core and advanced levels; Very costly as changes are very frequent Check list Players: offices, users (legal, R&D, business), svice providers (on various aspects) – charts with players and links Common aim: improve efficiency, no duplicate efforts, focus on respective expertise Needs: Describing patent material (identification, technical content, legal process) Searching, navigating, processing, assembling, viewing, … Standards are essential as a link between players, a common language All players should be involved (IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) IPC: Its aim Its use Its structure Problems of accuracy for searching of updates (ongoing vs backlog) according to use (dispatching, storing, searching) (see indication of precedence p.7 of http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc_2009.pdf) Limitation due to linear dimension

IPC reform Conclusion Look for stable solutions to reduce costs Differentiate the classification of Documents (storing, dispatching) Concepts (indexing) Mr Iwasaki’s conclusion: Future: Super IPC (multi-dimensional viewpoint) ??

Overall Conclusion Recognize the role and constraints of each player Reduce costs Enhance cross-linking through: Exchange of viewpoints & expertise (WIPO, IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) Standards (WIPO – SCIT – Standards & Documentation Working Group) Check list Players: offices, users (legal, R&D, business), svice providers (on various aspects) – charts with players and links Common aim: improve efficiency, no duplicate efforts, focus on respective expertise Needs: Describing patent material (identification, technical content, legal process) Searching, navigating, processing, assembling, viewing, … Standards are essential as a link between players, a common language All players should be involved (IPOs, PDG, PATCOM) IPC: Its aim Its use Its structure Problems of accuracy for searching of updates (ongoing vs backlog) according to use (dispatching, storing, searching) (see indication of precedence p.7 of http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc_2009.pdf) Limitation due to linear dimension

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