Susumu IWASAKI

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Japanese Classification System (FI, F-term) /
Quality of Reclassification

• Susumu IWASAKI
• Examination Policy Planning Office
• Japan Patent Office

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Contents

• Introduction
• What is FI?
• What is F-term?
• Comparison between IPC, FI and F-term
• Effective search by F-term
• Example 1
• Example 2
• Quality of search index in the JPO
• Conclusion

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Introduction (1) JPOs Contribution to the
reformed IPC
JP shares over 70 of the reclassification results
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Introduction (2)Character of JP patent documents

• A huge volume of Japanese patent documents
• (over 400,000 applications per year)
• Covered in every technical fields

1993 CD-ROM publication
Full-text search
1990 Electronic filing
35 million records (1885present)
FI/F-term search
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Introduction (3)Background for creation of
internal search index
Existence of unique/advanced technologies in Japan
Growing number of Patent Documents
Inefficient search with IPC
Creation of internal search indices since 1984
FI (File Index) F-term Cf. IPC ver.4 (1985)
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Introduction (4)Search index structure for JP
patent documents
190,000 items
70,000 items
JP patent documents
FI (File Index)
IPC
35 million records
340,000 items (Multi-dimensional viewpoints)
F-term

• JPO original search tool

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What is FI? (1)Characteristics of FI
Features

• Subdivision of IPC
• (around 190,000 items)
• Covers all technical fields
• Covers all JP patent documents
• Backlog reclassification
• Available in the JPO internal system IPDL
• Biannual revise to keep pace with technology
  development

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What is FI? (2)Relationship b/n FI and IPC
Section A
Section B
Section H
01A
01B
01A
01B


IPC70,000
Main group Sub group
1/00
1/02
1/04
1/06
1/08
2/00
2/02
2/04
2/06
FI190,000
Subdivision of IPC
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What is FI? (3) Position of the FI in the
reformed IPC

• Incorporation of the FI scheme into the reformed
  IPC in the following areas
• 2007.01 Inverter devices (H02M7/)
• T024 A004
• 2007.10 Hybrid Vehicles (B60K6/)
• T010 A006
• Air-conditioning systems (F24F)
• T035 A013

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What is F-term ? (1)Background of F-term

• Limits of subdivision of IPC (FI)
• Limits of technical segmentation by single
  viewpoint?

• Destruction of technical segmentation !
• Creation of technical group (Theme)
• Search by multi-dimensional index (F-term) in
  the above technical group

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What is F-term ? (2) Concept of Theme
Concept of Theme

• All technical fields are divided by technical
  groups (Theme) defined by certain FI range
• e.g., 3E003 (theme code) -gt B65B 5/00-5/12
  (FI coverage)
• Container packaging and wrapping operation
• Approx. 1,800 themes are composed of unique
  search indices F-terms

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What is F-term ? (3) Concept of F-term
Concept of F-term

• Search keys (F-term) which classify prior art
  documents in light of some technical viewpoints
• F-term has some layers so as to search
  hierarchically
• Indications comprised of 2 letters selected from
  A to Z (viewpoint) and 2 numerals selected from
  00 to 99
• e.g., DD11 DD (viewpoint) 11 (numerical
  order)

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What is F-term ? (4) Relationship between
IPC/FI/Theme/F-term
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What is F-term ? (5)Sample of F-term list
Subject of theme
Theme Code
FI Coverage
Viewpoint
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Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological
Viewpoints- (1)
Viewpoint AA Components
Viewpoint BA Functions and Uses
Viewpoint CA Structures
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Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological
Viewpoints- (2)
AA components
AA04 Calcium oxides
4G031
AA04
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Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological
Viewpoints- (3)
AA components
BA24 Low heat expansion
BA Functions and Uses
4G031
AA04 and BA24
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Concept of F-term -Multiple Technological
Viewpoints- (4)
AA components
Refine the search effectively!
CA05 Granularity
BA Functions and Uses
4G031
CA Structures
AA04 and BA24 and CA05
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What is F-term ? (6)Other features of F-term

• Back-log reclassification
• i.e. reassignment of revised F-terms to the
  Japanese patent documents already classified in
  the existing F-terms
• Available in the JPO internal system IPDL

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Comparison between IPC/FI/F-term (1)
IPC FI F-term
Total number of items 70,000 190,000 340,000
Coverage of patent documents More than 100 countries Japanese patent documents Japanese patent documents
Coverage of technical fields All All Approx. 70
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Comparison between IPC/FI/F-term (2)
IPC FI F-term
Revision Quarterly at most Biannual Annual
Reclassification ? ? ?

• FI Revision Policy
• To keep pace with technological development
• To cope with the growing number of documents per
  the lowest layer of classification

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Effective search by F-term (1)

• F-term covers about 70 of all technical fields
• Average of F-term utilization rate 42.4
• F-term utilization rate gt 50
• around 600 themes out of 1800 themes

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Effective search by F-term (2)
. . .
. . .
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F-term search (1)-1 Example 1 Collision
Avoidance Radar

• Example 1
• Collision Avoidance Radar (G01S13/93)
• IPC G01S 13/93 Radar or analogous
  systems, designed for anti-collision purposes
• FI G01S 13/93_at_Z Anti-collision systems
  for automobile
• Theme 5J070 (Radar systems and details
  thereof)
• F-term AD00 Antennas and
  polarized waves
• AD13 . Fixed Antenna
• BF00 Collision prevention
• BF19 . Curved
  roadway

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F-term search (1)-2 Example 1 Collision
Avoidance Radar

• Theme 5J070 (Radar systems and details thereof)
• F-term AD00 Antennas and polarized
  waves
• ?AD13 . Fixed Antenna
• BF00 Collision prevention
• ?BF19 . Curved
  roadway

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F-term search (1)-3 Example 1 Collision
Avoidance Radar

• Search Formula
• G01S13/93_at_Z and AD13 and BF19

F-term
FI
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F-term search (1)-4 Example 1 Collision
Avoidance Radar
Number of Patent Documents with Offices

• The percentage of JP documents is over 40 of the
  total
• Need for search of JP documents
• F-term and FI are effective for searching JP
  patent documents

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F-term search (2)-1 Example 2 Telephone set
structure

• Example 2
• Telephone set structure

Claim Element Analysis
View Point
Claim
F-term
Application
A portable telephone
AA07 Portable telephones
Comprising a microphone,
EE05 Microphone
Constructional element
Fixed on a tip of an antenna extendable out from
the main device of said portable telephone
LL05 Antenna
Purposes, Advantages
the size of the device reduced
BB03 Miniaturization
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F-term search (2)-2 Example 2 Telephone set
structure
AA07 Portable phone
BB03 Miniaturization
The final retrieval formula AA07BB03EE05LL05
Proper Answer
LL05 Antenna
EE05 Microphone
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F-term search (2)-3 Example 2 Telephone set
structure

• Number of Patent Documents with Offices

• The percentage of JP documents is over 55 of the
  total
• Need for search of JP documents
• F-term is effective for searching JP patent
  documents

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Quality of Search Indices in the JPO

• Reclassification by outsource organization,
  technical advisors or examiners
• Outsource organization has many experienced
  specialists with necessary knowledge
• Rigid quality control system
• Stringent check by examiners
• (Check each case during early stage. Even if
  some criteria is satisfied, sampling check will
  be due.)

• JPs reclassification (quantity and quality) is
  useful and important infrastructure for other
  Offices.

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Conclusion

• Japanese classification (FI / F-term) is
  effective for searching JP patent documents.

• JP plays an important role in the operation of
  the reformed IPC.
• Quantity and quality of JPs reclassification
  will make contribution to search by other Offices

Future Super IPC (multi-dimensional
viewpoint) ??
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Thank you