Category Archives: ECLA

Cooperative Patent Classification Project

Posted on November 27, 2011 by mjwhitekingston

The USPTO and EPO have launched a website for information about the Cooperative Patent Classification Project, which aims to create a shared patent classification system based on ECLA.

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ECLA Change Reports

Posted on May 27, 2011 by mjwhitekingston

The European Patent Office is now publishing a monthly report on changes to the European Classification system (ECLA). ECLA has about 140,000 sub-classes, making it on par with the US Patent Classification. Changes are grouped in three categories: Added, Deleted … Continue reading →

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Common Patent Classification Project

Posted on May 5, 2011 by mjwhitekingston

Interesting story in IP Frontline about the development of a common classification scheme by the EPO and USPTO. The project is one of ten joint initiatives announced last year by the USPTO, EPO, JPO, KIPO and SIPO. (See the Five … Continue reading →

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EPO and USPTO Agree to Develop New Patent Classification

Posted on October 26, 2010 by mjwhitekingston

Yesterday the EPO and USPTO announced that they have agreed to jointly develop a patent classification system based on ECLA and the IPC. The press releases are here and here. Both offices have yet to work out governance and operational … Continue reading →

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New ECLA Codes for Green Technologies

Posted on June 9, 2010 by mjwhitekingston

The European Patent Office has created a new classification scheme for green technologies and applications related to the mitigation of climate change. The new category, identified as Y02 in the ECLA classification, has two main subclasses: * Y02C – CAPTURE, … Continue reading →

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IPC Reforms Aim to Integrate USPTO, EPO and JPO Classifications

Posted on March 27, 2009 by mjwhitekingston

WIPO just announced a series of reforms that will simplify the IPC. One of the goals is to accelerate the building of a unified IPC system that integrates USPTO, EPO and JPO classifications. Could a true international patent classification system … Continue reading →

Posted in classification, ECLA, IPC, USPC | 1 Comment

esp@cenet Survey

Posted on August 14, 2007 by mjwhitekingston

The EPO is running an online survey to gather feedback on what users find most and least useful about esp@cenet, and access to free patent information in general. The EPO has an excellent track record of listening to users, so … Continue reading →

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