IPC reform how will commercial products be affected

1
IPC reform - how will commercial products be
affected?

• Rob Willows
• VP Patent Office Relationships,
• Thomson Scientific
• and
• Chairman, PatCom Technical Working Group

2
Agenda

• Introduction to PatCom
• Major issues generated by the introduction of
  IPC8
• Key actions being taken by commercial data
  providers to make IPC8 data available to users

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Introduction to PatCom

• PATCOM, the European Commercial Patent Services
  Group, is an association of commercial patent
  information providers in Europe who work to
  ensure a fair balance between the free
  information services of patent offices,
  commercial value-added patent information
  services, and users interests.Affiliated to
• Coalition for Patent and Trademark Information
  Dissemination (USA)
• Patent Information Online Service Council (Japan)

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PatCom Members

• Thomson Scientific
• Univentio-Lexis
• Fiz Karlsruhe
• Questel-Orbit
• INCOM
• IFI Claims
• RWS
• Minesoft

• Patolis
• Dialog
• WPS
• NERAC
• CAS
• Technische Universität Ilmenau

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The general scope of the IPC Reform project

• To make the IPC a better search tool for
  retrieving patent information by combining
  elements and criteria of classification of the 3
  different classification schemes of the
  Trilateral Treaty Offices and WIPO (i.e. ECLA,
  USPC, F-terms WIPO IPC 7)
• Harmonize the classification work and enhance the
  use of the IPC for IPOs and public
• Steady and permanent reclassification of the
  backlog file in the databases
• Introduce a two-tier approach for the use of the
  IPC
• Core Level (CL) IPC as min. requirement for all
  offices, mostly small and medium IPOs
• Advanced Level (AL) for larger IPOs
• To provide information on invention related and
  non-invention related aspects

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Major issues for Commercial Providers

• Updating data take on programs in line with the
  format and content of IPC-R
• Loading the Master Classification Database into
  our systems to ensure classification consistency
  in our databases and services.
• Updating our products and services to be IPC-R
  compliant, including changes to saved searches,
  SDIs and customized searches
• Availability of the Master Classification File
• Concordance IPC 7 to IPC 8
• Role of national patent offices
• Communication

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Availability of the Master Classification
Database in ST 36/XML - 1

• Reclassification data from EPO was not made
  available until December 23, 2005.
• Challenge for commercial sector to include this
  information in products and services from the
  beginning of 2006
• has a number of errors, e.g. missing Inventive
  attributes.

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Availability of the Master Classification
Database in ST 36/XML - 2

• MCD backfile status
• Advanced level from IPC-R/ECLA concordance table
• Core level from WIPO validity file
• Supplementary data from German PTO
• Content of first MCD update represents around
  90 of the potential coverage of the MCD

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Availability of the MCD updates

• Updates from other national offices will be
  delivered
• As separate updates for large Reclassification
  sets, e.g. JPO commercial providers need
  advance warning and accurate schedules
• Incorporated in regular DOCDB updates for smaller
  reclassification sets commercial providers need
  more details of process, e.g. update or
  replacement of DOCDB records.
• Error correction is the responsibility of
  National Offices IPCs that fail validation will
  not appear in DOCDB how will this work in
  practice?
• Need IPC-R changes in DOCDB updates to be clearly
  differentiated from all other changes/updates

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Availability of the Master Classification File
(validity file)

• WIPO has made MCF available to commercial
  providers in XML format
• IPC-R Scheme updated on December 14, 2005
• MCF is a vital information tool
• Notification of new classes/reclassification
  logic
• For creation of concordances, dictionaries/thesaur
  i and other user aids

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Concordance IPC 7 to IPC 8

• WIPO has produced IPC7 to IPC8 concordance
• Most Commercial providers have carried out their
  own work on producing concordance files

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Role of National Patent Offices

• Commercial providers and information users need
  detailed information on which offices will apply
  Core Advance vs Core only.
• Use of concordance files by major offices
• Will USPTO use USPC-IPC8 concordance?
• Will JPO use F-Term-IPC8 concordance

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Implementation of IPC-R by patent offices from
Jan 01, 2006

• Incoming patent data from Jan 2006 has contained
  a range of inconsistencies
• Docs containing obsolete IPC7 symbols
• Data in IPC-R format but with no attributes
• Data presented as IPC7, but with IPC-R content
• Some printed gazettes went through a 2-3 week
  transition from IPC7 to IPC-R
• Some ahead of schedule IPC-R data in PT
  Gazettes from August 2005!

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Communication

• Communication between EPO/WIPO and the commercial
  providers has been good
• Regular technical meetings during 2004 and 2005
• These need to be continued in 2006 and beyond
• Information for applicants and patent information
  users
• Will EPO, WIPO and National Offices provide
  seminars, training, supporting material etc?
• Role of commercial providers in providing IPC-R
  information

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Strategic Response of Commercial Providers to
IPC-R

• Make all products and services IPC-R compliant by
  the start of 2006
• Enable search and retrieval of all Core and
  Advanced IPC8 data elements, including attributes
• Include all reclassification data from the EPOs
  MCD
• Inclusion of Core and Advanced level updates
• Inclusion of additional Reclassification updates
  from National Offices
• Access to earlier versions of IPC

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IPC reformDifferent needs for different users

• Prior art
• Consistency across whole collection
• Backlog update with up-to-date classification
• Alerts SDIs
• Stability of coding
• Legal actions
• Historical data

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QuestelOrbit choiceData fields (1 of 3)

• New fields
• ICAI Advanced Inventive
• ICAN Advanced Non-inventive
• ICAA both ICAI ICAN
• ICCA Core Inventive
• ICCN Core Non-inventive
• ICCA both ICCA ICCN
• Single IC index including all IC fields
• Attributes are searchable and displayable
• Former fields (ICM, ICS, IC1, IC2, ICA)
• Are kept
• Are no longer updated with IPC-R

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QuestelOrbit choiceData fields (2 of 3)

• Core level will be added systematically if not
  provided (QO listed as generating office)
• Mainly for SDI purposes as it is more stable
  than Advanced level
• Derived from Advanced level using the WIPO table

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QuestelOrbit choice Data fields (3 of 3)

• Each IPC code for each publication will be kept
  with its attributes
• Version date YYYY-MM or YYYY (Core)
• Class level Advanced (A) or Core (C)
• Value Inventive (I), Non inventive (N)
• Original (B), Reclassified (R), Various changes
  (V)
• Source Human (H), Machine equiv (M), Generated
  by software (G)
• Generating office ST3 Country code

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QuestelOrbit choiceDatabase Implementation

• National Full text Files
• IPC-R will be added
• Reflects IPC at time of publication
• Will not be revised
• Older IPC will remain unchanged
• PlusPat/FamPat/DWPI
• IPC-R added and revised
• Approx. 40m backfile updates in DocDb

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Implications for STN-databases (1)

• all patent files include IPC-R codes for all new
  patent publications from 2006 onwards
• INPADOC , CA/CAPLUS , USPATFULL
• IPC-backfile and frontfile will be loaded on the
  basis of MCD/DOC.db
• Reload of Derwent World Patents Index (02/2006)
• IPC8 compatible
• reclassification data will be covered
• Advance-to-Core Level "rolled-up" during file
  loading for selected files if not provided

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Implications for STN-databases (2)

• The old IPC classifications will remain in all
  files
• STN has compiled WIPO's Master Classification and
  Validity File in a STN IPC thesaurus
• One single BASIC INDEX for the old and new IPC
  IPC
• All IPC attributes are in a separate keyword
  index IPC.KW (keywords invention, advanced,
  core, non-invention, human, machine, original,
  EP, DE, main, secondary etc.) and can be
  linked by sentence proximity to the IPC index
• "Search/expand edits" allow searches in old or
  new IPC formats

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Implications for STN-databases (3)

• New DISPLAY fields/formats
• IPC displays the IPC with selected
  attributes in a short form
  IPC.TAB displays IPC with all attributes
  in a detailed tabular form
• Detailed ANALYZE possibilities
• IPC.F Select field for statistical analysis
  (contains the ICM codes (pre-IPC-R) and
  all the first IPC-R codes from
  publication 2006 onwards)
• IPC.A Selects all advanced levels
• IPC.C Selects all core levels
• IPC.AI Selects all advanced levels for invention
• IPC.CI Selects all core levels for invention

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DWPI Online IPC Reform -1

• Retain existing IPC field for DWPI family
• No change to current search display options
• Existing content is updated with reclassification
  data when available
• Field is redefined as Current (Latest) IPCs
• Introduce new IPC fields for individual members
  of DWPI family
• Original IPCs as published on specification for
  individual patent document
• Current (Latest) IPCs as reclassified by EPO

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DWPI Online IPC Reform -2

• Introduce new fields to utilise new IPC
  attribute information
• IPC 7 Main / Secondary / Additional / Index
• IPC-R Advanced / Core / Invention /
  Non-Invention
• Create super-index for single search of all IPC
  fields

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WPI patent family and IPC-R - 1

• All the IPCs with their attributes will be
  captured in the data take-on systems
• The IPCs will be represented (after WPI reload)
  at two levels family (invention) and member
  patent
• There will be host specific features
• TS Dialog commitment - to have consistent
  handling of IPC across all patent files

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WPI patent family and IPC-R - 2

• Family (Invention) level
• IPC Current will be created by combining and
  de-duplicating IPCs from each family member
  (similar to current IPC field)
• De-duplication will take place across IPC symbols
  and certain attributes but not across IPC7 and
  IPC-R
• Combination of IPC7 and IPC-R expected until MCD
  reclassification is complete
• For reclassified record the current IPC will
  appear both at family and member patent level

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WPI patent family and IPC-R -3

• Member patent level will contain two fields
• Original IPC, as published on the patent
  document
• Current (latest) IPC
• Current field is populated with original IPC
  (for no re-classification) or the re-classified
  IPC
• All IPC attributes will be captured for family
  members

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IPC-R Changes on Delphion

• Alerts Saved Searches Alerts will run as
  normal, and any queries that search in the "IC"
  field now also search the new IPC R data.
  However, because significant code changes have
  been made in IPC R, you should review and adjust
  your code selections in Alerts and Saved
  Searches. Full details of the new IPC R codes are
  available at the WIPO website.
• Boolean Search Form The "IPC Code - Any" field
  will now search both IPC 7 and IPC R data. The
  "IPC Code - Main" field is now called "IPC Code -
  Invention/Main" and searches IPC 7 Main and IPC R
  Invention codes.
• Advanced Search Form The "IPC Code" field will
  now search both IPC 7 and IPC R data, but also
  includes the option to take advantage of new
  attributes available in IPC R.
• Result Set Delphion Integrated View These
  views will now display both IPC 7 and IPC R codes
  depending on what is available for a specific
  publication. The Result Set displays the subclass
  level of the first-listed IPC, while the Delphion
  Integrated View shows all available codes.

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IPC-R on PatentWeb

• Alerts Alerts will run as normal, and any
  queries that search IPC codes will also search
  the new IPC R data. However, because significant
  code changes have been made in IPC R, you should
  review and adjust your code selections in Alerts
  and Saved Searches.
• Search Form The "US or Int'l Class" field in
  PatSearch Fulltext has been renamed to "US or Any
  IPC" and searches both IPC 1-7 (pre-reform) and
  IPC R data. A new "IPC R - Current" field has
  been added, and will allow specific searching of
  current IPC R data. In MPI, the existing IPC
  field has been relabelled as IPC 1-7 and a new
  "IPC R - Current" field has been added. When this
  field is selected, an option to take advantage of
  new IPC R attributes will also be presented. For
  saved searches and alerts in MPI, queries that
  include IPC criteria will need to be edited to
  run properly.
• Hitlist and Record View These views display both
  IPC 1-7 and IPC R codes depending on which is
  available for a specific publication. The Hitlist
  displays the subclass level of the first-listed
  IPC, while the Record View shows all available
  codes.
• Exports, PatGraph and Reports These features
  give preference to using Current IPC R data (vs.
  pre-reform codes) and Advanced codes, when
  available. If those codes are not present,
  pre-reform data and Core codes will be used

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IPC-R Info on TS Web sites

• http//scientific.thomson.com/support/patents/cove
  rage/latestupdates/ipc-reform/
• http//scientific.thomson.com/news/newsletter/2006
  -01/8304710/

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Summary

• For IPC-R to become an effective search and
  retrieval tool for patent information users, the
  Patent Offices and the commercial sector must
  continue to work closely
• Better communication
• Better technical collaboration
• Better information for users