Competitive Sourcing of Classification at the United States Patent and Trademark Office Terrence Mackey International Liaison Staff U.S. Patent and Trademark Office February 2008

Objectives of competitive sourcing of classification activities  Classification system provides means to efficiently search the prior art – USPTO Strategic Plan supports reclassification efforts to improve search quality thru increased use of classified searching  Additionally, the promotion of harmonized classification systems also reduces duplication of efforts

Classification of unexamined patent applications  Contractor training and staffing  Classification special rules  USPTO supplying automated classification results to contractor

Quality review statistics of classification of unexamined applications

Classification of unexamined patent applications  Lessons learned:  Start-up issues for competitive sourcing  Need for “special rules” for nanotechnology, etc.  Need for synchronization with USPC and IPC reclassification activities

Competitive sourcing of reclassification  Will be used for both USPC and IPC harmonization reclassification projects  Two possible tracks – first option is for the contractor to develop, test, and place the patent documents into the new classification scheme; second option is for the contractor to place the patent documents into the scheme provided to them

Competitive sourcing of Reclassification  Project selection  Project plan (detailing project time- span, milestones, etc.)  Project patent working lists

Competitive sourcing of Reclassification  Contractor training and staffing  USPTO quality assurance (adherence to classification rules/guidance, sampling of contractor work, etc.)  Contractor handling of other classification data (updating of Concordance, Index, etc.)

Summary of recently completed competitively sourced reclassification projects  Class 365 (static information storage and retrieval) ~ 7200 documents  Class 715 (distribution or redemption of coupon, or incentive or promotion program) ~ 6200 documents  Class 606 (surgical instruments: spinal positioner/stabilizer, cortical plate, orthopedic fastener) ~ 6000 documents

Competitive sourcing of Reclassification  Lessons learned  Future improvements