Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) Pierre Held, EPO & John Salotto, USPTO 14th February 2011 IPC Committee of Experts

Cooperative Patent Classification - CPC What this means for the EPO: –Improve file and document routing –Saving resources on (re-)classification of US documents in the future –Opportunity to clean up and better document our classification –Common base for future classification revisions –CPC promotes IP5 CHC project –EPO will share control over CPC –Renumbering of ECLA will be needed (IT, examiner training, etc) –Resources needed for quality monitoring and training The USPTO and the EPO agree to co-operate on a joint classification system based on ECLA (October 2010).

Cooperative Patent Classification - CPC What this means for the USPTO: –Moving to an IPC-based classification system –No need to reclassify the US backfile –Enhanced access to non-US documentation –CPC promotes IP5 CHC project –USPTO will share control over CPC –Resources needed for IT quality monitoring training Classification The USPTO and the EPO agree to co-operate on a joint classification system based on ECLA (October 2010).

Transition from ECLA to CPC CPC will include: All ECLA/ICO titles and active subdivisions (one-to-one match) Hierarchical structure of ECLA Capability to expand (for future revisions) As many digits after the “/” as needed CPC will use IPC type numbering; i.e. ECLA letters after the “/” will be replaced by digits, e.g. H01L21/0211 instead of H01L21/02A1 H01L21/02112 instead of H01L21/02A1B EPO will propose a conversion algorithm from ECLA symbols to CPC symbols EPO may maintain, during a transition period, a one-to-one match between CPC numeric and ECLA alpha-numeric formats USPTO and EPO will jointly present and promote CPC Classification

Timeline of plans for classification activities Jan 2011 Start of project discussions with USPTO Dec 2012 Jan 2012 CPC and the FI/Fterms introduced into the CHC  Training pilot with the USPTO  IT upgrade at USPTO and EPO  ECLA housekeeping  EPO examiners develop detailed Field-Specific Classification Rules (FCRs) in around 600 fields  Agreement on integration of CPC and FI into IP5 CHC  Training material based on FCRs shared with USPTO  IT changes at USPTO and EPO  Make CPC IPC-compliant  Freeze of ECLA revision by July  Getting ready for launch of the CPC  Phased introduction of CHC  Training Launch of CPC Freeze on ECLA scheme revisions

Thank you for your attention! Questions?