When did the USPTO switch from USPC to CPC for utility applications?
The USPTO transitioned from the U.S. Patent Classification System (USPC) to the Cooperative Patent Classification System (CPC) for utility applications on January 1, 2013. As stated in MPEP 902:
“As of January 1, 2013, the USPTO moved from using the USPC system to the CPC system for classification of pending utility applications.”
This change marked a significant shift in how the USPTO classifies and organizes patent documents, aligning more closely with international standards.
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