Patent Classification - A system to categorize patent document depending on the invention. The system dates back to the oldest system developed in 1877 for patent classification. Nowadays patent search databases have adopted patent classification as an important criteria for PRIOR ART SEARCH apart from keywords, inventor, applicant and title. With the enforcement of Strasbourg Agreement, WIPO member countries have adapted International Patent Classification (IPC) and further Co-operative Patent Classification (CPC).

1. PATENT
CLASSIFICATION
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

2. Patent Classification is a
system used to categorize
the contents in the patent
documents according to
the technical features of
the invention.

3. Patent Classification
makes an easy access to
the disclosure of similar
patent documents or
related to an invention
available in the public
domain.

4. Prior Art Search using
Patent Classification can
also track the
technological trends in
patent applications.

5. Patent Classification was
originally developed for
sorting patent documents.
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

6. Nowadays most of the
patent database searches
have adopted Patent
Classification search as
one of the options.

7. The German Patent
Classification (Deutsche
Patent Klassifikation - DPK)
is one of the oldest and
developed the classification
system for patent
documents in 1877.

8. The DPK Patent Classification
system was used in
Scandinavian, Central and
Eastern European countries.

9. The European Patent Office
(EPO) used the European
Patent Classification (ECLA)
system which was based on
Deutsche Patent
Klassifikation (DPK) before
switching over to
International Patent
Classification (IPC).

10. In 1970 most of the countries
switched over to International
Patent Classification (IPC)
system.
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

11. On October 7, 1975, the
Strasbourg Agreement
concerning the International
Patent Classification was
enforced among the member
states of World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO).

12. The International Patent
Classification (IPC)
comprises of alpha-numeric
codes independent of
keyword/s, name/s of
inventor/s or applicant/s
and title.
Thus making the patent
database search quickly
accessible in various
languages.

13. The Patent Classification in
the USA (United States Patent
& Trademark Office – USPTO)
comprised of 400 classes
including 160,000 sub-classes.
It was used for over a century
(100 years).

14. On October 25, 2010, a joint
statement was issued by
EPO and USPTO towards the
formation of partnership
and development of a
joint Patent Classification
System.

15. It marked the beginning
towards the development of
Co-operative Patent
Classification (CPC) which
was based on the European
Patent Classification system
(ECLA) but adopted
practices from United States
Patent Classification (USPC).
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

16. There are 8 sections in IPC.
Whereas, the CPC structure,
rules and principles are
identical to those of IPC
except the Main Trunk,
Indexing Codes or 2000
Series and the section Y.
The CPC has 9 sections.
Patent Classification

17. The layout of each
Section in
Patent Classification
Comprises of:
●
Section
●
Class
●
Subclass
●
Main Group
●
Sub-group

18. Sections are the highest
level of hierarchy in
Patent Classification.
Sections are divided
according to the field of
inventions.

19. All the sections in Patent
Classification have
Alpha-Numeric composition.

20. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Layout
SECTION - Alphabet A-H
Title of the Section.
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

21. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
SECTION: Title
A. Human Necessities.
B. Performing Operations
and Transporting.
C. Chemistry and Metallurgy.
D. Textile and Paper.

22. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
SECTION: Title
E. Fixed Construction.
F. Mechanical Engineering,
Lighting, Heating,
Weapons and Blasting.
G. Physics.
H. Electricity.

23. Patent Classification CPC
SECTION Y:
Title - GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS.
Title - GENERAL TAGGING OF
CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES
SPANNING OVER SEVERAL
SECTIONS OF THE IPC.

24. Patent Classification CPC
SECTION: Y.
Title - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS
COVERED BY FORMER USPC
CROSS-REFERENCE ART
COLLECTIONS AND DIGESTS.

25. Patent Classification
In CPC Section Y complements
sections A through H of IPC.
IPC is the backbone of CPC.
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

26. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Layout
Section: Alphabet(A-H) - Title.
Sub sections –
Informative Headings.
Titles without classification
symbols.

27. Section A:
HUMAN NECESSITIES
Subsections:
*AGRICULTURE;
*FOODSTUFFS;
*TOBACCO;
*PERSONAL OR
DOMESTIC ARTICLES;
*HEALTH;
*LIFE SAVINGS;
*AMUSEMENT.

28. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Layout:
Section A – Human Necessities.
AGRICULTURE
Class - Second Hierarchical Level.
Class Symbol: 00 - Two Digit
Number.
A01 - AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY;
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING;
TRAPPING; FISHING

29. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Layout: Sub-class:
A01B - SOIL WORKING IN
AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY;
PARTS, DETAILS, OR
ACCESSORIES OF
AGRICULTURAL
MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS.

30. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Each class comprises of one
or more sub-classes, the
third hierarchical level.
The complete sub-class
symbol consists of class
symbol followed by upper
case or capital alphabet.
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com

31. Each subclass is broken down
into subdivisions referred as
GROUP’s. The GROUP is either
Main Group (the fourth level of
hierarchy in the classification)
OR
SUBGROUP’s (lower level of
hierarchy depending on the
main group of the
classification).

32. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Layout:
A01B - PARTS, DETAILS, OR
ACCESSORIES OF
AGRICULTURAL
MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS.
Main Group:15/00
The fourth hierarchical level.
Elements, tools, or details of
ploughs.

33. Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Layout:
A01B 15/00
Agricultural Plough Elements.
A01B 15/02
Agricultural Plough Blades.

34. H: Electricity.
H01: Basic Electric Elements.
H01S: Devices Using
Stimulated Emission.
H01S 3/00: Lasers.
Patent Classification CPC/IPC

35. The Classification separates
the whole body of technical
knowledge using the
hierarchical levels i.e. section,
class, subclass, group and
subgroup in descending order
of hierarchy.
Patent Classification CPC/IPC
Parimal KOWTAL
E-mail: parimal.kowtal@gmail.com