This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
The International Classification of Patents for Inventions, also known as the International Patent Classification (IPC) or Int. Cl., is a hierarchical patent classification system used to organize and categorize patents and patent applications. According to the MPEP, In accordance with the Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification, the United States is required to indicate on its issuing documents the classification symbols of the International Patent Classification
. This system helps in organizing and searching for patent documents worldwide.