Legal Definitions - classification of patents

The term classification of patents refers to the systematic organization of inventions into categories based on their technical characteristics and function. This structured system helps patent offices and inventors efficiently search for, examine, and retrieve patent documents. It involves a hierarchical arrangement, moving from broad subject areas (known as classes) to more specific technical distinctions (known as subclasses). The term can also refer to a specific category or "field of invention" within this organizational system itself.

• Imagine a company invents a new type of drone designed specifically for agricultural crop monitoring. When applying for a patent, the patent examiner would use the classification of patents system to determine where this invention fits. They might place it first in a broad class like "Aviation Technology," then narrow it down to a subclass such as "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)," and further into a specific subclass like "UAVs for Agricultural Applications." This process ensures the invention is correctly cataloged within the vast collection of existing patents, making it easier to find similar past inventions.

• An independent inventor is developing a novel water purification device for household use. Before investing significant time and money, they need to check if similar inventions already exist. They would use the classification of patents system to conduct a thorough search. They might start by looking at the broad class for "Environmental Technology," then move to a subclass for "Water Treatment Systems," and finally focus on subclasses related to "Household Water Filters." By navigating this structured system, they can efficiently locate relevant prior art and assess the novelty of their own invention, helping them understand if their idea is truly unique.

• A national patent office manages millions of patent documents from around the world. To ensure that examiners can quickly find relevant prior art for new applications and that the public can easily access information, they rely heavily on the classification of patents. For instance, all patents related to "Wearable Health Monitoring Devices" would be grouped together under a specific classification code. This allows the office to manage its vast database effectively, ensuring that when a new smart ring capable of tracking vital signs is submitted, it can be compared against all other inventions in that precise technological area, streamlining the examination process.