Plans to Accelerate Revision and Publication Procedure of the IPC

IPC WorkshopFebruary 2013Geneva

Ning XU

IPC Section - WIPO

Outline

Current IPC Revision Procedure

Current IPC Publication Procedure

Impact of the Five-Year Plan

Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure

Proposed Future IPC Publication Procedure

Current IPC Revision Procedure

The responsibility of the IPC revision was given to one unique body (IPC Revision WG)

The WG meets twice yearly

• May / June• November / December

Current IPC Revision Procedure (cont.)

Revision requests from IP5 CHC (F projects) or Trilateral projects (A projects) - automatically included in the IPC revision program with priority.

Revision requests from other Offices – included with conditions (C projects):• Numerical criteria – size & growth rate • Commitment to reclassification (PCT Min.)• Approval by the CE

Current Situation

Very few revision requests have been submitted directly to the CE:

• Only those without need for reclassification - accepted

• Whereas those creating new subdivisions – rejected

• Currently, no more C revision projects

Current Situation

The total number of new subdivisions during 2007 to 2013 decreased

• Cost of Reclassification

• Reduced expense in Classification by Offices

• ……

Distribution of Revision Projects

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

IPC version

New

gro

up

s

C project

A project

F project

C project 26 67 0 0 0 0

A project 257 442 376 456 471 5

F project 0 0 133 192 146 159

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Current IPC Publication Procedure

IPC yearly publication (January 1)

• Scheme

• Compilation of amendments

• Revision Concordance List (RCL)

• Catchword Index (CI)

• IPC Definitions

Current IPC Publication Procedure (cont.)

Early publication (July 1)

• Scheme• Compilation of amendments• Revision Concordance List (RCL)• Validity File

Possibility to publish twice a year

• Never requested• Users satisfaction - annual publication

Current IPC Publication Procedure (cont.)

Final Adoption by the CE (February)

• One more year between the completion of the work by the WG and the publication

WG/Nov.2013

CE /Feb.2014

Pub./Jan2015

WG/May2013

EarlyPubJul.1,2014

Increased number of revision projects

Increased workload of the WG

Need to shorten the revision period

Needs to involve more Offices in the substantial revision work

Impact of the Five-Year Plan

The IPC revision procedure will remain unchanged at initial stage

The CE will decide next year whether changes are needed to, e.g.:

• increase the number of working days of the WG

• create special Task Forces

Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure

Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure (cont.)

The responsibility of the IPC revision is given to the WG

Revision projects – with priority

• Areas to be revised – prioritized – to be adopted by

the CE• Revision requests in these areas – directly to the IPC/WG –

treated with priority• Revision requests in other areas – to the IPC/CE with evidence

Definitions within the revision projects – to be created with conditions

Proposed Future IPC Revision Procedure (cont.)

The formal adoption of the amendments by the IPC/CE

• Electronically

• Immediately after the IPC/WG – to be scheduled in

early May

Current procedure:

Proposed future procedure:

• reduced by 6 months

Proposed Future IPC Publication Procedure

WG/Nov.2013

CE /Feb.2014

Pub./Jan2015

WG/May2013

EarlyPubJul.1,2014

WG/May2014

CE adopt.May 2014

Pub./Jan2015

WG/Nov.2013

EarlyPubJul.1,2014

Thank you !

IPC WorkshopFebruary 2013Geneva