Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI) - EPI ... - Thomson Reuters
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Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI) - EPI ... - Thomson Reuters

Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI) - EPI ... - Thomson Reuters Derwent World Patents Index (DWPI) - EPI ... - Thomson Reuters

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11.01.2013 Views

1212 Appendix 1: EPI subject matter coverage Intellectual selection criteria Patents are included on this basis provided that at least one of the following criteria is satisfied:- a Relevance to an electrical industry This may involve the product of an industry itself, or manufacturing methods and equipment (whether electrical or not) used in that industry. Examples of such industries include electrical and electronic components, semiconductor device manufacture, data recording, telecommunications, and computers. b Significant electrical content Patents included on this basis may relate to any field of technology, provided that any electrical aspect forms a significant part of the invention, and is not just an incidental feature. For example, in the case of a machine tool, the presence of an electric motor or limit switch alone would not normally justify its inclusion. If the incorporation of motor or switch in the tool was the novel aspect then it would be included. In the industrial field, examples of inventions that are covered by EPI on the basis of significant electrical content include conveyors, lifting equipment, food processing, metallurgy, textiles etc. Note that the electrical content required must normally be a claimed feature of the invention. However, disclosures with considerable electrical content in a detailed description of the invention which is clearly referred to in general terms in the claims would be included. Note also that the use of existing electrical apparatus or techniques in patents claiming a process or method only would not normally be sufficient c Relevance to automotive electrics Any patent of this type with electrical content - not necessarily claimed is included in EPI d Relevance to domestic electrical equipment All aspects of domestic electrical equipment are selected, including purely mechanical details such as refrigerator door seals or shelves for electric cookers. e Relevance to other specified subjects All novel aspects of the following are included:- Clocks and watches Electrophotography Holography Line printers and electronic typewriters Steam turbines

Appendix 2: EPI Manual Coding Criteria EPI manual codes are normally assigned in two ways, namely:- 1 To highlight the novel aspect of an invention itself 2 To indicate significant application EPI Manual Codes 2011 1213 Part 3 In the first case, codes will usually be assigned based on the content of the patent claims. In the second case, applications may be derived from either the claims or the wider disclosure of the specification. The following general points should be noted regarding the assignment of EPI codes:- 1 A patent may be selected for inclusion in EPI based on its intended use only, the actual novel aspect being outside the scope of EPI codes. For example, the invention may relate to a novel chemical compound of relevance to an electrical or electronic industry, such as a polymer composition intended as a magnetic tape substrate. In such a case, only the application aspect can be conveyed by EPI codes. 2 Where an invention has no stated application, is of universal application, or a series of applications is given which are merely standard uses for such a device, manual codes are usually assigned to describe only the invention itself. Examples of this include a common electronic component such as a capacitor, or a battery of a type used in a wide variety of portable devices. However, significant electrical applications which are emphasised, or are one among several non-electrical applications, will be coded. 3 EPI manual codes are hierarchical in structure, such that an increase in the number of characters represents a finer subject breakdown. This means that in cases where the precise details of an invention cannot be determined with certainty, or where several code subdivisions are equally applicable, a general manual code may be assigned. A more general code is also assigned if an appropriate sub-division code does not exist. Thus, when formulating a search, users are advised to consider the inclusion of a more general code in addition to finer subdivisions which are known to be relevant. 4 In many areas of the EPI coding system, in addition to codes for a product, separate subdivision codes are provided to represent materials used in the product, their manufacture, and manufacture of the product itself. Note that in general, the manufacture of materials used in a product is not coded as manufacture of the product unless it is one of a number of steps in a process for manufacturing the product as a whole. Thus, manufacture of a polymer material which can be used as a magnetic tape substrate is coded as a tape substrate. Subsequent processing of the material, such as cutting or shaping to form the actual substrate, is coded as substrate manufacture. 5 As explained in Appendix 1, patents are included in EPI either by virtue of patent office-assigned IPC or by an intellectual selection process. Irrespective of the initial route by which the invention is included, the same intellectual criteria are used to assign manual codes. However, it should be noted that the requirements for electrical content differ between EPI classes since, as explained in Appendix 1, some inventions are included electrical aspect. For example, a patent in the field of instrumentation or control, included only on the basis of its IPC, cannot be assigned for an application in X25 (industrial equipment) since the electrical content requirements for that class are not satisfied. Conversely, an invention selected for X25 based on its electrical content can be coded for any significant control or instrumentation content where relevant.

1212 Appendix 1: <strong>EPI</strong> subject matter coverage<br />

Intellectual selection criteria<br />

<strong>Patents</strong> are included on this basis provided that at least one of the following criteria is satisfied:-<br />

a Relevance to an electrical industry<br />

This may involve the product of an industry itself, or manufacturing methods and equipment (whether<br />

electrical or not) used in that industry. Examples of such industries include electrical and electronic<br />

components, semiconductor device manufacture, data recording, telecommunications, and computers.<br />

b Significant electrical content<br />

<strong>Patents</strong> included on this basis may relate to any field of technology, provided that any electrical aspect<br />

forms a significant part of the invention, and is not just an incidental feature.<br />

For example, in the case of a machine tool, the presence of an electric motor or limit switch alone would<br />

not normally justify its inclusion. If the incorporation of motor or switch in the tool was the novel aspect<br />

then it would be included. In the industrial field, examples of inventions that are covered by <strong>EPI</strong> on the<br />

basis of significant electrical content include conveyors, lifting equipment, food processing, metallurgy,<br />

textiles etc.<br />

Note that the electrical content required must normally be a claimed feature of the invention. However,<br />

disclosures with considerable electrical content in a detailed description of the invention which is clearly<br />

referred to in general<br />

terms in the claims would be included.<br />

Note also that the use of existing electrical apparatus or techniques in patents claiming a process or<br />

method only would not normally be sufficient<br />

c Relevance to automotive electrics<br />

Any patent of this type with electrical content - not necessarily claimed is included in <strong>EPI</strong><br />

d Relevance to domestic electrical equipment<br />

All aspects of domestic electrical equipment are selected, including purely mechanical details such as<br />

refrigerator door seals or shelves for electric cookers.<br />

e Relevance to other specified subjects<br />

All novel aspects of the following are included:-<br />

Clocks and watches<br />

Electrophotography<br />

Holography<br />

Line printers and electronic typewriters<br />

Steam turbines

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