1. Using IFI’s Concordance of IPC to US Classification to enhance patent analysis IFI CLAIMS ® Patent Services Darlene Slaughter ACS National Meeting San Diego, CA April 4, 2001

2. Patents as a source Readily available Well structured –Requirements of patent offices Additional organization –Standardization –Indexing –Abstracting

3. Gathering data for analysis Free text search Indexing systems Classification search –IPC –USPTO class

4. Free text Advantages –Simple to do –No detailed research needed Disadvantages –False drop –Missed references –Not always available

5. Indexing systems Advantages –Precise, controlled retrieval –Intellectually assigned Disadvantages –Familiarity with system required –Limited coverage –Limited access

6. Class search Advantages –Precise retrieval –Does not rely on wording or language –IPCs cover international patents Drawbacks –Limited to patent references –Requires careful class selection

7. Class searching in CLAIMS ® US classes, for US patents –More accurately assigned –Current Use IFI IPC/US concordance as reference Compare free text to class results

8. Polymers used in dental prosthetics Start with US class on known reference Use IPC/US concordance to find additional relevant classes Search in CLAIMS ® US Patents database Analyze patenting companies Compare to free text

9. Free text in CLAIMS – first try 1.dental? or dentist? or denture? or tooth or teeth 2.polymer? or plastic? or resin?

10. Wrong teeth! Stator pole teeth for a claw pole stepping motor Method for the manufacture of a machine part with external teeth Plastic sprocket wheel with replaceable teeth

11. Class Search Tool from IFI Concordance of IPC to US Class Dual concordance Match at US subclass/IPC subgroup level Percentages help select best match

12. Browse class manuals Full text of class manuals –7 th Edition IPC manual –Current US class manual, updated bimonthly Concordance updated bimonthly

13. 433/212.1

16. Class hierarchy text – class 433 is dentistry

18. Click H to see IPC hierarchy text

19. Click % to switch to IPC

20. check US class 523-116

21. Click on H to see class text…

22. Covers both dental and polymer…

24. Dental plastics

25. Class search Dental polymers 523/115, 116, 117, 109, 120; 106/035 Dental prosthetics 433/167-228.1 Polymers 522-528 424/486, 487 or polymer? or plastic? or resin?

26. US patent search results 2380 references with classes 3440 references with free text 2025 with free text, not with classes 965 with classes, not with free text

27. Free text without classes LIGHT EMITTING ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH ORAL CARE COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING COENZYME Q10 DENTAL INSTRUMENT CRYSTAL GELS USEFUL AS DENTAL FLOSS….

28. Classes without free text BONE SUBSTITUTE COMPOSITION COMPRISING HYDROXYAPATITE AND A METHOD OF PRODUCTION THEREFOR Class: 523115000 Class Cross Ref: 424423000 GLASS IONOMER CEMENT; BLENDS Class: 523116000 Class Cross Ref: 523117000; 524030000; 524494000; 524551000; 524555000; 524558000; 524815000; 524816000; 524818000; 524829000; 524831000; 524832000; 524833000 SINGLE-SOLUTION ADHESIVE RESIN FORMULATIONS Assignee: American Dental Association Health Foundation Class: 522182000 Class Cross Ref: 522028000; 522048000; 522064000; 522908000; 523115000; 523116000

29. Companies Free text 105 Colgate-Palmolive Co 36 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Co 27 Procter & Gamble Co The 24 Bayer Ag De 24 Gillette Canada Inc Ca 19 Warner-lambert Co 18 Dentsply Research & Dev 16 Ivoclar Ag Li 15 Johnson & Johnson 12 G-C Dental Industrial Corp Classes 71 Minnesota Mining & Mfg Co 62 Bayer Ag De 58 Dentsply Research & Dev 51 G-C Dental Industrial Corp 39 American Dental Assoc Health Foundation 34 Kuraray Co Ltd Jp 30 Jeneric/pentron Inc 29 Ivoclar Ag Li 26 GC Corp Jp 26 National Research Dev Corp 24 Warner-lambert Co

30. Improve analysis quality What data sources are available? Best way to define data set? Tools to improve accuracy? Analyze and interpret!

31. 31 IFI CLAIMS ® Patent Services 3202 Kirkwood Highway Wilmington, DE 19808 Help desk : (800)331-4955 web site : www.ificlaims.com email : info@ificlaims.com fax : (302) 998-0733