What is the primary purpose of classification in CPC?

The primary purpose of classification in the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system is to facilitate the retrieval of technical subject matter. As stated in MPEP 905.03: “The primary purpose of classification is to facilitate the retrieval of technical subject matter. In order to reliably retrieve technical subject matter using the CPC classification system it is…

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What should be included in a patent examiner’s field of search?

A patent examiner’s field of search should be comprehensive and include various elements as outlined in MPEP 904.02(a): Classification locations where the claimed subject matter would be properly classified Every relevant group/subgroup of the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) Relevant class/subclass of the U.S. Patent Classification (USPC) Digests and cross-reference art collections Classifications assigned by foreign…

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How should a patent examiner outline a field of search?

When outlining a field of search, a patent examiner should follow specific guidelines as outlined in MPEP 904.02(a): “In outlining a field of search, the examiner should note every classification location (i.e. group/subgroup of the Cooperative Patent Classification and/or class/subclass of the U.S. Patent Classification) under the utilized classification system and other organized systems of…

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How are foreign patent documents classified in the USPTO?

Foreign patent documents are classified in the USPTO according to the following system: Documents published by the European Patent Office (EPO) or the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) are classified only in the International Patent Classification (IPC) system. Other foreign patent documents may be classified in the IPC, the United States Patent Classification (USPC) system,…

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