What is the purpose of guide headings in the IPC?
Guide headings in the International Patent Classification (IPC) serve as informative summaries to assist users in navigating the classification system. According to the MPEP: “Guide headings are intended to be only informative and, as a rule, do not modify the scope of the groups covered by them, except where it is, otherwise, clear from the…
Read MoreWhat are the main sections of the CPC system?
The Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system is organized into nine main sections, each covering broad technological areas. As stated in MPEP 905.03(a), “The CPC is a detailed classification system, containing about 250,000 classification symbols, and is divided into nine sections.” These sections are: A: Human Necessities B: Performing Operations; Transporting C: Chemistry; Metallurgy D: Textiles;…
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