Big patent overhaul pending

A major overhaul of International Patent Classifications (IPC), will come into effect on 1 January next year. Nanotechnology is among the new patent categories to emerge in the new IPC 8 classifications.

"There were no nanotech patent categories in the 90s, so they appear in various different classes," said Bob Stembridge at Thomson Scientific.

IPC 8 will also see the introduction of a two-level classification structure, applied retrospectively. Core and Advanced levels will mean developing nations with under-resourced patent offices can apply the simpler Core level.

Stembridge said that although the new classifications improve IPC classifications, they will also increase the workload of information professionals. "For patent searchers, life just got a bit more complicated."

Stephen Adams, MD of patent and trademark information consultants Magister, said: "It is important that people realise what is going to be dropped from the old system, as much as what is new, as it will affect the searches and alerts your organisation requires."

Like this story? Spread the news by clicking below:

 del.icio.us     Digg this     reddit!