Who manages and maintains the CPC system?
The Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system is jointly managed and maintained by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO). According to MPEP 905: “CPC is jointly managed and maintained by both offices and is available for public search for classification.” This collaborative approach ensures that the classification system…
Read MoreWhat is the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)?
The Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) is a bilateral classification system jointly developed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO). As stated in MPEP 905: “Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) is a bilateral classification system jointly developed by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European…
Read MoreHow does subclass harmonization affect patent searches?
Subclass harmonization significantly impacts patent searches by creating a more unified classification system across major patent offices. The MPEP’s description of harmonized subclasses between the USPC, EPO, and JPO indicates that: “Subclasses that have been harmonized have a designation of “EPO,” “JPO,” or “EPO/JPO” in parentheses following the subclass title to indicate if the subclass…
Read MoreWhich patent offices can act as International Searching Authorities for applications filed with the U.S. Receiving Office?
For international applications filed with the U.S. Receiving Office, several patent offices can act as competent International Searching Authorities. According to MPEP 1840, these include: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) European Patent Office (EPO) Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Australian Patent Office (IP Australia) (IPAU) Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) (Russian Federation)…
Read MoreHow can I identify a harmonized subclass in the USPC?
Harmonized subclasses in the U.S. Patent Classification System (USPC) are easily identifiable by specific designations following the subclass title. According to the MPEP: “Subclasses that have been harmonized have a designation of “EPO,” “JPO,” or “EPO/JPO” in parentheses following the subclass title to indicate if the subclass has been harmonized with the EPO or JPO…
Read MoreHow can I access and search the CPC database?
The CPC database can be accessed and searched through various tools provided by the USPTO and EPO. According to MPEP 905.03(a), “The CPC schemes and definitions are available online from the USPTO’s website at https://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/cpc/html/cpc.html.” To search the CPC database effectively: Use the USPTO’s CPC search tool or the EPO’s Espacenet database Familiarize yourself with…
Read MoreWhat are harmonized subclasses in the U.S. Patent Classification System?
Harmonized subclasses in the U.S. Patent Classification System (USPC) are subclasses that have been aligned with corresponding subclasses from the European Patent Office (EPO) and/or the Japan Patent Office (JPO). The MPEP states: “The U.S. Patent Classification System (USPC) includes subclasses that have been harmonized with subclasses from the European Patent Office (EPO) and the…
Read MoreHow 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,…
Read MoreWhat is the EPO’s policy on nucleotide and amino acid sequences in international applications?
What is the EPO’s policy on nucleotide and amino acid sequences in international applications? The European Patent Office (EPO) has specific requirements for international applications containing nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences: According to the MPEP: Where an international application contains disclosure of nucleotide and/or amino acid sequences, the EPO will search the international application to…
Read MoreWhat are the kind codes for European Patent Office (EPO) publications?
The European Patent Office (EPO) uses specific kind codes for different types of patent publications. According to MPEP 901.04(a): “A1” is used for European patent applications published with the European search report. “A2” is used for European patent applications published without the European search report. “A3” is used for European search reports published separately from…
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