EPO - Discussion forums

Hi,

Once a CPC code has been revised - how the change is handled by patent offices?

For example in August 2017, CPC code C01B31/02 has been changed to C01B32/05. Now if I search by the old code (C01B31/02), will I get no result at all? If I search by new code (C01B32/05), will I get all patents classified under old code?

Thanks,
Shahzeb

Hi!

If the change is one-to-one, i.e., a symbol is replaced by another, there is a transfer of the inventory from the old to the new symbol upon publication (or shortly after as there is a short processing time required by IT depending on the size of the inventory to transfer).

If the change means transferring the inventory from one source symbol to several new (or old) symbols it involves intellectual reclassification which takes longer, warnings are placed in the scheme drawing the attention to users to that to make a complete search both the old and new location in the scheme should be searched.

Once reclassification is completed, those warnings and any old symbols to be deleted are removed from the scheme. All documents concerned should then be found under the new symbols.

We hope this information helps you