HANDBOOK OF CLASSIFICATION - United States Patent and ...

HANDBOOK OF CLASSIFICATION

March 2005

Handbook of Classification

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION, 1

I. ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION, 3

A. Bases of Classification, 3 1. Industry or Use, 3 2. Proximate Function, 3 3. Effect or Product, 4 4. Structure, 4 5. Multiple Aspect Schedules, 4

B. U.S. Patent Classification System Organization, 5

II. PATENT DOCUMENT ANALYSIS FOR PLACEMENT INTO SYSTEM

(CLAIMED DISCLOSURE), 9

III. DETERMINATION OF A CLASS FOR ORIGINAL CLASSIFICATION OR

ASSIGNMENT FOR EXAMINATION, 11

A. Original Placement Between Classes, 11

1. Selection of the Most Comprehensive Claim, 12 2. Selection Among Categories of Subject Matter, 14

3. Selection Among Superiority of Types of Subject Matter, 15 4. Selection Among Classes in "Related Subject" Listing (Last Resort Only), 15

5. Exceptions, 15

IV. SELECTION OF LOCUS FOR PLACEMENT, 17

A. Selecting a Class, 17 1. Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System, 17 2. Classes Within the U.S. Classification System Arranged by Related Subject, 17 3. Alphabetic or Numeric Listing of Classes, 17 4. Subclass Titles, 17

5. Electronic Tools, 18 6. Exceptions and Caveats, 18

B. Selecting a Subclass Within a Class, 19 1. Schedule Order, 21 2. Inclusive Nature of Subclasses, 22

i

Handbook of Classification

3. Additional Types of Art Collections, 25

4. General Methodology, 28

5. Combination-Subcombination Rule, 29 6. Genus-Species Rule, 29 7. Placement of Markush Type Claims, 31

8. Classification of Combinatorial Libraries, 31

9. Mixed Array (Genus-Species and Combination-Subcombination), 32 10. Placement Within Alpha Arrays, 33

V. ORIGINALS VS. CROSS-REFERENCES, 35

A. Mandatory Classifications, 35

B. Discretionary Classifications, 35

1. Cross-References to Any Part of System, 35 2. Cross-Referenced Subject Matter Should Fit Subclass Definition, 35

3. Techniques Used to Limit Cross-Referencing, 35 C. Body of Art, 37

VI. CLASSIFICATION OF DESIGN PATENTS, 39

A. Purpose, 39

B. Theory, 39 C. Design Patent Classes, 39

1. Organization of Design Classes, 40 2. Relationship to Utility Classes, 42

D. Definitions, 42 E. Hierarchy, 43

F. Unique Features of Design Patent Classification, 43 1. Exclusion Notes, 43 2. Search Notes, 43

3. Cross-Reference Art Collections and Digests, 44 G. Placement Rules for Design Patents, 44

H. Locarno International Classification of Designs, 45

ii

Handbook of Classification

VII. CLASSIFICATION OF PLANT PATENTS, 47

A. Plant Classifications, 47 B. Classification Based on Coloration, 47

ADDENDUM, 49

Reclassification in Classes 518-585, 49

Appendix A, 51

STRUCTURE OF THE MODERN SCHEDULE, 51 Condition Response (Automatic Control), 53

Measuring and Testing, 54 Special "A", 54

Convertible, 54

Combined, 55 Plural "A", 55

Miscellaneous, 55

iii

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download