Dialog Databases and IPCR/8

This page contains information to keep you abreast of IPCR/8 implementation on Dialog. We will update this page regularly with links to relevant information to make it easy for you to check the current status of changes in all affected databases.

Last modified: 01 February 2008

Dialog Related Information

• "IPC Reform Brings Changes to Dialog Patent Files"
  Dialog Patents News, Issue 3, December 2005
• IPCR/8 Reform on Dialog Fact Sheet [PDF 4 pages; 90kb]

Related Information from Thomson Scientific

• "Getting to Grips with IPC8 — Thomson Tackles the Changes" by Bob Stembridge of Thomson Scientific
  
• "Impact of IPC Reform on Patent Information Users and Providers" by Bob Stembridge, illustrating the changes and the reasons for them

Other Documents of Interest

• WIPO IPC 8 GUIDE and other IPC reform documents
• The new IPC 8 Classification on the WIPO Web site

Dialog Affected Databases

The following table summarizes what new IPCR/8 data is present in relevant Dialog databases. Additional details appear in the notes.

* Also on DataStar (CHEM/CHZZ). Consult the Datasheet for more details.

& Derwent World Patent Index First View currently offers IPC8 codes temporarily with the GROUP code segment shown up to three digits only.

Notes:

1 Change in Focus of Some Classifications (IC=)
The introduction of IPCR/8 has resulted in the modification of some parts of the classification hierarchy as well as in the number of digits in classification code . This means that some IPC codes that were valid in IPC7 may no longer be available in IPCR/8. This could be due to the replacement of old classes with newer, more focused classes or increased specificity in certain areas of the classification.

2 Classification Attributes (IA=)
Each IPCR/8 classification code is also accompanied by a series of attributes or properties of the classification. The IPCR/8 classification attributes can be searched using the IA= prefix. Consult the list of attributes for more details.

3 Reclassification
In conjunction with the introduction of IPCR/8, the EPO applied an automated reclassification program to over 50 million patents in its collections to bring older IPC classifications in line with the new IPCR/8 classification. Reclassification will become available for searching in Derwent World Patents Index and Inpadoc databases later in 2006.

4 Advanced (ICA=) vs. Core Classification (ICC=)
Another feature of IPCR/8 is the organization of the classification into "core" vs. "advanced" codes. The core codes tend to be more general and are intended for classification use by smaller patent offices. The advanced codes provide greater classification depth and are generally assigned by large patent offices such as USPTO, EPO, and WIPO. Both core and advanced codes are also included in the IC= index. A separate Advanced Classification Code index (ICA=) is provided in Derwent World Patents Index (350, 351, 352), European Patents Fulltext (File 348), German Patents Fulltext (File 324), WIPO/PCT Patents Fulltext (File 349), and U.S. Patents Fulltext (File 654) databases.

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