What is the general procedure for identifying appropriate CPC groups for classification?

The general procedure for identifying appropriate CPC groups for classification involves two main steps:

1. Identify appropriate subclasses covering the subject matter to be classified:
• Review subclass titles for scope coverage
• Consult subclass notes, references, and definitions to verify scope
• Repeat until a suitable subclass is found
2. Identify appropriate group(s) within the subclass:
• Identify candidate main groups
• Verify notes, references, and definitions don’t exclude the subject matter
• Consider special rules like Multiple Aspect classification or Indexing
• Follow precedence notes and limiting references
• Consider application/functional classification places
• Identify genus/species classification places
• Use residual classification places if necessary

As stated in MPEP 905.03(b): “The general procedure for identifying the appropriate groups for covering the subject matter to be classified is as follows: (A) Identify the appropriate subclasses covering the subject matter to be classified. […] (B) Identify the appropriate group(s) covering the subject matter to be classified.”

To learn more:

• CPC classification
• patent classification procedure
• subclass identification
• group identification