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Overview of IPC Reform Impacts on STN
STN is actively implementing IPC 8 data into its patent databases. STN developed and implemented a framework for post-Reform data into CASM/CAplusSM and USPATFULL/USPAT2 and has incorporated this framework into other STN databases. The framework provides access to new additional information provided with IPC 8, as well as, enabling file crossovers and providing multifile searching capabilities. All IPC code-containing patent databases on STN and in STN® AnaVist will be able to accommodate patent documents with new IPC 8 codes (also referred to as IPC symbols). The use of IPC 8 codes by patent-issuing organizations was initiated the week of January 1, 2006, when IPC Reform went into effect. The majority of patent databases on STN now include patents issued with IPC 8. See the IPC Code Searching Capabilities chart for the latest information.
One of the key changes introduced with IPC 8 was the patent-issuing organization's ability to assign IPC codes at the Core or Advanced level. The WIPO site includes a list of which offices are assigning at the Core or Advanced level. For more information about Core and Advanced codes, visit Finding and Searching Core and Advanced IPC Codes, a Patent Interchange article in the May/June 2006 STNews issue.
IPC 8 Rolled-up Core codes are now being added to the International Patent Code Initial Classification (/IPCI) field in many STN patent databases. Rolled-up Core codes are IPC codes added to patents containing IPC codes at the Advanced levelwhen a patent document contains an IPC code assigned at the Advanced level, the corresponding Core level IPC code is automatically added to the IPCI field of that record in most STN patent databases. The addition of Rolled-up Core codes provides you with an advantage in searching and retrieving results. You now have the means to consistently retrieve information on a particular area of technology across all patent-issuing organizations and countries, no matter what their policies are for assigning IPC codes at the Core, Advanced, or both levels. IPC code information in patent records originates from two sources:
While you can search specifically for IPC code information, including Rolled-up Core codes, in the /IPCI or /IPCR field, most IPC code searches should be done using the /IPC super field. Please note, in the CLASS display, each Rolled-up Core code will have [C*] as the bracketed data following an IPC code. In the IPC.TAB display format, Rolled-Up Core codes in the IPCI portion of the record have Core* in the LEVEL column. These displays also have RC (Rolled-up Core) in the CC column (supplies information about which patent-issuing organization supplied the IPC code) and Machine in the Assignment column. RC is the code that is used when CAS is the party responsible for adding a Rolled-up Core code to a patent document. Rolled-up Core codes in the IPCR portion of a record show EP in the CC column, since they have been provided by the EPO. As in the IPCI portion of the record, they show Core* in the Level column and Machine in the Assignment column.
The 2007.01 update of the IPC thesaurus has been implemented in most IPC code-containing databases on STN. A complete list of STN patent databases enhanced with the IPC thesaurus is available in the IPC Code Searching Capabilities chart. The updated thesaurus is based on WIPO IPC 8 Classification. The STN version of the IPC thesaurus provides enhanced IPC code range search capabilities, dates, and/or thesaurus editions when codes were valid, and identification of Core and Advanced level IPC codes. Implementation of the IPC thesaurus in STN databases that did not previously contain this information enhances your searching opportunities in these databases.
The CA/CAplus family of databases has been significantly enhanced with the inclusion of available IPC code information for many patent family members, including the backfile. Searching on IPC codes in the CA/CAplus family of databases now provides additional search results, in many cases.
IPC reclassifications will be more dynamic in the post-Reform era. The EPO has announced that it expects to produce reclassification as often as quarterly in 2007. The volume of changes per reclassification cycle is not yet known but expected to affect only a portion of the records will require an update per each reclassification cycle. The data will be implemented in certain STN databases in their IPC Reclassification (IPCR) fields to keep them up-to-date. Policies will vary depending on the editorial policies of the database producers.
A database with over 50 million reclassifications was delivered by the European Patent Office (EPO) in late December 2005. The implementation of this data in CA/CAplus, FRANCEPAT, INPADOCDB, and USPATFULL/USPAT2 is complete. In September 2006, the EPO delivered a second edition of its Master Classification Database. It contains much more information for the reclassification of Japanese patents, and additional IPC metadata. This data has been loaded to CA/CAplus and USPATFULL/USPAT2 and is under way in FRANCEPAT, INPADOCDB, and DWPISM.
January 17, 2007 Updated 5/21/2007 2:38:40 PM
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