Patent Attorneys, on Google’s Patents’ shift to emphasizing International/ Cooperative Classification Codes

Update: link to a USPTO article about the phasing out of the USPC system, in favor of IPC/ CPC. Not quite embarrassed, since several fellow patent attorneys also were not aware. My recently issued patents still carry USPC numbers, and it will probably always be a tool on the USPTO’s databases. https://www.uspto.gov/blog/director/entry/global_classification_and_the_uspto

I recently texted back-and-forth with some other patent attorneys about the change in google patents. I typically use the PTOs own PATFT and APPFT search tools, but google patents is good for a fast/ initial search, particularly during brief telephone calls (generally existing clients only, but occasionally during pre-consultation telephone calls with prospect of clients where I have relatively high confidence that a reference already exists. Don’t expect to get a free search out of me!).

Me: Hey [Other patent attorney #1], just testing you for something: I asked Justin this question was surprised at his response: “what do you think of Google patents’ emphasis upon the cooperative classification system, rather than the US system?”

[Patent attorney #1]:

They’re an international org, and the USPTO goal is to eventually move to cooperative classes, so I imagine it’s a mix of forward-thinking and catering to an international audience.

Me:

Excellent answer.

[Patent attorney #2)[said]: “I don’t even know what that is.”

[Patent attorney #1]:

Haha

Classic [Patent attorney #2]

Me:

My perspective on it was that the politically acceptable answer was something similar to what you said but that is a procedural matters, google just doesn’t want traffic leaving their website/search network, and they previously had the indexing system set up to just pop you over to their classification index. I think they fought the US classification index sites were an offensive thing to someone’s IT attitudes.

Sorry about the voice to text. The reason why I don’t quite disagree with you is that there isn’t any real procedural reason why google couldn’t just have both systems available by clicks. I think they just saw the US classification index is being against network policy/services goals… Because of the way that it put users on someone else’s system. And duplicating the system was probably irritating to someone, because of the whole redundant pop up window set up. The international system as a single linked in class explanation index, whereas it takes logical human execution of stamps to jump around between the pages were explanations of each class are located using the US PTO’s index.

Agreed not “disagree”, steps not “stamps.”

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[earlier texts with Patent attorney #1]

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Images of texts