I need to calcute a variable taking into accont the age of a Technology Class. Following Shane (2001), it can be measured as the number of years since the
three-digit patent class was established by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Is there a document that contain the year when each US class has been established?
Dear Mr. Ardito,
US Patent Classification - CPC / USPC
The USPTO uses its own US Patent Classification System (USPC) in which all inventions are first put in a class having a three-digit number, then in a numbered subclass under the class. The subclasses are arranged in a hierarchical form, but not necessarily in numerical order. The US classification system is more based on structure than function. In this case, the patent was classified primarily in subclass 123/90.17, defined as follows:
123 INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
90.1 Poppet Valve Operating Mechanism
90.15 . With means for varying timing
90.17 .. Camshaft or cam characteristics
Knowing the US classification(s) for a patent is important in searching, because the USPTO database only indexes patents issued before 1976 by number and classification. Therefore, if you need to retrieve pre-1976 patents in your search you have to search by class/subclass number, rather than by keywords.
Since 2013, the US Patent and Trademark Office and the European Patent Office have been WORKING ON coordinating their classification systems into a new system, called the "Cooperative Patent Classification" or "CPC". This classification system is based loosely on the IPC, but is more detailed and easier to use in our opinion. The two patent offices have a website on the CPC which explains how it WORKS. For the same example given above, the CPC for this type of invention would be defined as follows:
F: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F01: MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN
GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
F01L: CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR
ENGINES
F01L 1/x: Valve-gear or valve arrangements, e.g. lift-valve gear
F01L1/34 •characterised by the provision of means for changing the timing of the valves without changing
the duration of OPENING {and without affecting the magnitude of the valve lift
F01L1/344 • •changing the angular relationship between crankshaft and camshaft
F01L1/3442 • • • using hydraulic chambers with variable volume to transmit the rotating force
F01L2001/34423 • • • • Details relating to the hydraulic feeding circuit
F01L2001/34426 • • • • •Oil control valves
F01L2001/34433 • • • • • •Location oil control valves
Please, follow the two links to see the dates ( years that USC had been established).
Best regards,
Hazim
http://www.bpmlegal.com/howtopat1.html
http://www.intellogist.com/wiki/US_Patent_Classification_System
2 Recommendations
11th Nov, 2014
Nari Lee
Hanken School of Economics
Official source is USPTO website, which is linked here. http://www.uspto.gov/patents/resources/classification/numeric/index.jsp
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/resources/classification/numeric/index.jsp
1 Recommendation
11th Nov, 2014
Deborah Anne Strumsky
Arizona State University
The dates the class were created will not help you, because patents are retroactively revised. For example, in 2004 the patent office created the tagging class for Nanotech 977, but the first patent assigned to nano tech was patent 1972.
So then to construct "vintage" you think well I will take all patents in that class and use their dates, but there is no vintage effect in distributions.
As far as CPC codes, they are useful some things, but USPTO codes are better for others. The problem with the CPC codes, is they are not available as a full data base like the USPTO codes are. So to get the patents assigned to a CPC category you have to pull each category separately.
Best of Luck,
Debbie
1 Recommendation
11th Nov, 2014
Hoyet Andrews, III
Mr. Lorenzo Ardito,
As Mr. Hazim Hashim Tahir, has noted above the USPTO is collaborating with the EPO toward Joint Patent Classification System. The two offices will facilitate progress in undertaking classification harmonization projects under the IP5 Common Hybrid Classification initiative, the USPTO and the EPO have agreed together to work toward the formation of a partnership to explore the development of a joint classification system based on the European Classification system (ECLA) that will incorporate the best classification practices of the two offices. This system would be aligned with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) classification standards and the International Patent Classification (IPC) structure. Accordingly, they have initiated discussions on governance and operational aspects of such a partnership.
As long as USPC is still active (after December 31, 2014, which is the target date to convert fully to the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) classification system by US Patent Examiners), until this date US examiners can identify relationships using USPC. Efforts have been on-going to establish and implement the new Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system at the USPTO to take effect Jan 2015 when USPC will become a static system.
You may be best served in your efforts by embracing and understanding the CPC system. Hope this helps!
Best,
Hoyet
1 Recommendation
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