Plans to Accelerate Revision and Publication Procedure of the IPC IPC Workshop February 2013 Geneva Ning XU IPC Section - WIPO
Outline Current IPC Revision Procedure Current IPC Publication Procedure Impact of the Five-Year Plan Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure Proposed Future IPC Publication Procedure
Current IPC Revision Procedure The responsibility of the IPC revision was given to one unique body (IPC Revision WG) The WG meets twice yearly May / June November / December
Current IPC Revision Procedure (cont.) Revision requests from IP5 CHC (F projects) or Trilateral projects (A projects) - automatically included in the IPC revision program with priority. Revision requests from other Offices – included with conditions (C projects): Numerical criteria – size & growth rate Commitment to reclassification (PCT Min.) Approval by the CE
Current Situation Very few revision requests have been submitted directly to the CE: Only those without need for reclassification - accepted Whereas those creating new subdivisions – rejected Currently, no more C revision projects
Current Situation The total number of new subdivisions during 2007 to 2013 decreased Cost of Reclassification Reduced expense in Classification by Offices ……
Distribution of Revision Projects
Current IPC Publication Procedure IPC yearly publication (January 1) Scheme Compilation of amendments Revision Concordance List (RCL) Catchword Index (CI) IPC Definitions
Current IPC Publication Procedure (cont.) Early publication (July 1) Scheme Compilation of amendments Revision Concordance List (RCL) Validity File Possibility to publish twice a year Never requested Users satisfaction - annual publication
Current IPC Publication Procedure (cont.) Final Adoption by the CE (February) One more year between the completion of the work by the WG and the publication WG/Nov CE /Feb Pub./Jan 2015 WG/May 2013 EarlyPub Jul.1,2014
Increased number of revision projects Increased workload of the WG Need to shorten the revision period Needs to involve more Offices in the substantial revision work Impact of the Five-Year Plan
The IPC revision procedure will remain unchanged at initial stage The CE will decide next year whether changes are needed to, e.g.: increase the number of working days of the WG create special Task Forces Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure
Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure (cont.) The responsibility of the IPC revision is given to the WG Revision projects – with priority Areas to be revised – prioritized – to be adopted by the CE Revision requests in these areas – directly to the IPC/WG – treated with priority Revision requests in other areas – to the IPC/CE with evidence Definitions within the revision projects – to be created with conditions
Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure (cont.) The formal adoption of the amendments by the IPC/CE Electronically Immediately after the IPC/WG – to be scheduled in early May
Current procedure: Proposed future procedure: reduced by 6 months Proposed Future IPC Publication Procedure WG/Nov CE /Feb Pub./Jan 2015 WG/May 2013 EarlyPub Jul.1,2014 WG/May 2014 CE adopt. May 2014 Pub./Jan 2015 WG/Nov EarlyPub Jul.1,2014
Thank you ! IPC Workshop February 2013 Geneva