edition

51

Effective dates: 
        7: 2000-2006 
        6: 1995-1999 
        5: 1990-1994 
        4: 1985-1989 
        3: 1980-1984 
        2: 7/1974-1979 
        1: 9/1969-6/1974

main-classification

51

Format for all IPC is space-filled to 4-characters at main group: ANNA^^nn/n[...]. See XML example above.

further-classification

51

Further/secondary classification. Same format as main-classification.

additional-info

51

Additional information

linked-indexing-code-group

51

Indexing codes are used in association with classification symbols to provide technical information. Their format is similar to classification symbols, but they employ a colon in place of the slash. For example: ANNAnnnn:n[...]. Linked indexing codes show which classification symbols the indexing code is associated with. See Review of the Hybrid Systems in the IPC for more information.

unlinked-indexing-code

51

Unlinked indexing codes are similar to linked indexing codes, but are not linked to an associated classification symbol.

text

51

Not populated

group

Letter designation that identifies a linked indexing code group

main-linked-indexing-code

Main/primary linked indexing code

sub-linked-indexing-code

Sub/further linked indexing code

classification-ipcr

51

International Patent Classification (IPCR) 
Format is strictly according to WIPO ST. 8. The full list of IPC codes can be found on the WIPO website.

edition

51

Edition of the classification schedule

main-classification

51

Format follows CCSS, where CC is the Class (zero-filled) and SS is the subclass (zero-filled)

further-classification

51

Further/secondary classification. Same format as main-classification.

country

Indicates whether the classification code is based on the USPTO classification (US) or on JAPIO FIndex (JP).

edition

52

Edition of the classification schedule

main-classification

52

The format for all US classes is zero-filled to a 3-character class and 3-character subclass. Characters following those 6 numbers are not zero-filled, and non-significant trailing zeros are removed. There is no punctuation present. Slashes and decimal points can be easily inferred for display purposes. 
For JP classes, the format is the original delivered from JAPIO.

further-classification

52

Further/secondary classification. Same format as main-classification.

additional-info

52

Additional information

linked-indexing-code-group

52

Indexing codes are used in association with classification symbols to provide technical information. Their format is similar to classification symbols, but they employ a colon in place of the slash. For example: ANNAnnnn:n[...]. Linked indexing codes show which classification symbols the indexing code is associated with. See Review of the Hybrid Systems in the IPC for more information.

unlinked-indexing-code

52

Unlinked indexing codes are similar to linked indexing codes, but are not linked to an associated classification symbol.

text

52

In certain data parsing errors, the structure of the classification as delivered in the raw data cannot be established. In these cases, the raw classification data is output in the child: text.

theme code

51

5-character alphanumeric code which represents a technical field.

f-term

51

See table below. More information about F-terms can be found at https://www.jpo.go.jp/torikumi_e/searchportal_e/classification.htm.

1-2

2C

Group of Theme

1-5

2C088

Theme

6-7

AA

Viewpoint

6-9

AA02

F-term

10

A

Additional Code (optional)

scheme

Values include:

• CPC: symbols that have been allocated to a document by the EPO, discontinued as of week 2019/36

• CPCNO: symbols that have been allocated to a document by a national patent office, discontinued as of week 2019/36

• CPCI: CPC-International. CPCI is maintained at the family level. When there has been a change to the CPCI picture for a given family, every member in the simple patent family (i.e., all members with the same family ID) will be updated. When different authorities have allocated the same classification symbol, the CPCI picture for one publication will contain duplicate symbols. Duplicate symbols for one publication will be made unique by a two-letter authority-code, which can be found in positions 41-42 in the CPC.

rank

Sequential number used to identify the rank of a symbol within a combination set

classification-cpc

52

Cooperative Patent Classification. Format is according to WIPO ST. 8. For more information on CPC, see Cooperative Patent Classification in IFI CLAIMS Direct. The full list of CPC codes can be found on the CPC website or the USPTO website.

When available, F and L symbols may indicate first and later classifications as in the following example: 

The different elements of CPC codes are described in the following table:

combination-sets

Group of CPC symbols that have one base class and one or more subsequent ranked symbols that are linked together to convey special classification information.

C-Sets classification is a special classification technique, providing a mechanism for searching combined features that are otherwise not easy to find by single symbols, resulting in more precise and efficient retrieval of technical information from CPC. 

A C-Set brings together symbols from different groups within the same subclass or from different subclasses, in a certain order. 

• The first symbol is designated as the base symbol, and has the Rank 1 in the database. 

• The second symbol is designated as the subsequent symbol, and has the Rank 2 in the database. 

• Any further symbol, if present, is also designated as a subsequent symbol, and has the Rank 3 or higher in the database. 

• At the end of the C-Set is the information value

Example of C-sets presentation in patent documents and in the CPC database:

Source: Guide to CPC (EPO and USPTO)

See https://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org/Training for more information.

group

Number used to identify a group of symbols, when allocating a combination set of symbols to a patent document

scheme

Indicates when the ECLA code is based on the European Classification System (EC) or is an internal EPO classification (ICO=In Computer Only). Other scheme values are IDT (Indeling der Techniek), an old Dutch Patent Classification scheme, and ECNO, which indicates ECLA symbols that have been allocated to a document by a patent examiner who does not work for the EPO.

classification-symbol

ECLA codes assigned by EPO examiners