Extraction, Analysis, and Searching of ECLA Codes in Questel·Orbit’s

PlusPat Database

Elliott Linder

PIUG Annual Meeting

24 May 2004

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

First a Few Basics

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

Why search classification?

Retrieve items not searchable with text, e.g., (often older) non-abstracted documents.Retrieve items where the subject matches but the text does not. (Patentese can be daunting.)

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

What are ECLA Codes?ECLA Codes are IPC-based classifications assigned by the EPO examiners to facilitate prior-art searching.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

What are ECLA Codes?•ECLAs may be identical to current or old IPCs.

•Some ECLAs cover subject matter consolidated (moved) from one or more IPC groups.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

What are ECLA Codes?•Most commonly, ECLAs represent further subdivisions (extensions) of IPC groups and are recognized by additional characters (letter-number, etc.) appended to the IPC.

E.g., C12N-015/11B1H

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

Is ECLA really more specific?Overall, yes. There are approximately twice as many ECLA as IPC subdivisions (~130,000 vs 70,000).

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

Are ECLAs assigned to all items?•No. In general, but with some exceptions, ECLAs are assigned to minimum PCT documentation, but rarely to JP or RU/SU, and only once per family.

•ECLAs are also applied to cited NPL records.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

Are ECLAs assigned to all items?As of 16 May 2004, just over 40% of all PlusPat records (excluding NPL) have ECLAs.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

Are ECLAs assigned promptly?•Of 432,873 PlusPat patent records published in 2004, 89,175 (20.6%) have ECLAs.

•Of 1,524,839 PlusPat patent records published in 2003, 466,786 (30.6%) have ECLAs.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

Are ECLAs assigned promptly?•Approximately 90% of ECLAs are assigned within eight (8) months.

–Schedule varies according to EPO examiner workload.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

On what basis are ECLAs assigned?•ECLAs are assigned to new inventive concepts whether claimed or not.

•In general, emphasis is on function as opposed to composition or structure.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

What about old records?•New ECLAs are retrospectively applied to the entire file on a regular basis.

–Therefore current ECLA codes are always usable for prior art searching.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

How do I find relevant ECLAs?Direct ECLA lookup in the ECLA or ECLADEF file on Questel·Orbit.Text search the ECLA or ECLADEF file.Extract (plus lookup) ECLAs from a precise text search result set.

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

ECLA lookup

ECLADEF lookup

ECLA text search:

nucleic acid? S isolation

ExampleFirst an old friend from last year’s Questel·Orbit PIUG workshop on

Statistical Analysis Tools

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

GET EC TOP 5

Look up selected codes in ECLADEF file.

Bingo !

Search ECLA code in PlusPat. NOT out original set.

Not retrieved with text search alone

FAM SS 6 Captures family members not having ECLA codes.

75 families with more than twice the number of patents

PRT MSTD (standard family display)

ExampleA gem discovered recently during

preparation for an important customer visit, this time from QPAT

ECLA Codes in PlusPat

The Analyze Top, equivalent to the GET, returns the top 15 ECLAs.

Click on link to look up ECLA in ECLADEF file.

Check boxes to select ECLAs to expand search, then click Use Codes.

ECLAs appear in Expand by window.

Many more likely relevant records retrieved.

Help Searching ECLAs

If you need assistance searching ECLA codes in the ECLA, ECLADEF, or PlusPat file, please contact the Questel·Orbit Help Desk.