IPC Reform Fully Deployed in DWPI Enhancements
IPC Reform Fully Deployed in DWPISM Enhancements
Main Features
The IPC Reform (IPCR or IPC8) covers two levels:
- Advanced Level applied by the larger patent offices - Revised quarterly
- Core Level applied by the small patent offices - Revised every 3 years
One central Master Classification Database is maintained by the EPO and all documents are subject to ongoing reclassification with each future revision of IPC codes. Changes have also been made to the classification philosophy, broken down into 'Inventive' and 'Non-Inventive'. DWPI will be reclassified during the coming months with this data from the EPO.
DWPI and the IPC Reform
Thomson Scientific is embracing all aspects of the new dynamic IPCR system within enhanced DWPI database incorporates all the necessary changes to accommodate this.
Invention Level:
At the Invention Level the current IPCs for the patent family are provided. These may be a combination of IPC1-7 and IPCR codes and searchers should note that:
- IPCR codes are not de-duplicated against IPC1-7 codes
- IPCR codes are subject to continuous reclassification cycles
New search and display fields have been introduced for IPCR, but IPC1-7 search fields remain, to enable flexible and accurate retrieval.
Member Patent Level:
At the Member Patent Level both the current and original (Initial) IPCs for each member patent are provided. These records include the Original (Initial) IPCs as published on each document, as well as the latest IPC codes for each document. As with the Invention Level, these may be IPC1-7 or IPCR codes.
Searching IPCs
Thomson Scientific has implemented a 'super search index' to allow easy searching of all IPC fields (both IPCR/IPC8 and IPC1-7). The new IPC Reform "attribute" information is searchable, as follows:
- Inventive or non-inventive o Advanced, core or sub-class
- Attributes linked to the relevant IPC code Full details on how each of the online hosts has implemented IPCR will be made available on release of the file.
Backfile Reclassification
Historically, comprehensive retrieval backwards in time (backfiles) required you to search different IPC editions in force during those time periods. Now, the reformed classification system has been applied to the entire backfile of patent documents held by the European Patent Office (comprising bibliographic data for nearly 54 million patent documents). This reclassified content forms the basis of the IPC data used in Thomson Scientific offerings. It enable users to employ Edition 8 of the IPC for comprehensive retrieval of patent information over the entire database.
During early 2007 the reloaded DWPI database on Dialog, Questel.Orbit and STN is being equipped with the IPC Reform recalssification data across the backfile.