The Harmony Project:

Trilateral Classification

Harmonisation

Status January 2008

Why Harmonisation?

• Increase in published documents– currently in EPO > 500,000 docs/year – further increase expected

• Reduce classification effort– collaborate in classification– avoid to classify twice

• Increase search quality– harmonise search practice

• Prepare and test IPC revision

OBJECTIVES

1. Common classification schemes in selected areas

ECLA FI USPC

. EPtitle1 . JPtitle1 . UStitle1

. . EPtitle2 . . JPtitle2 . UStitle2

. . EPtitle3 . . JPtitle3 . UStitle3

. . . JPtitle4

HARMONY

. JPtitle1

. UStitle1

. . New title1

. . EPtitle2

. . . New title2

. . JPtitle3

ECLA

USPC

FI-FT

Core level20k

ReformedIPC

Advanced level 20k + 50k

Advanced level extension

20k + 50k + 70k

2. Integrate common scheme in the IPC

H

A

R

M

O

N

Y

MEANS

1. Informal:

Promote direct interaction between examiners

... by opening various informal communication channels

E - mail

Video-Conferenceor Telephone

Meetings

Trilateral Wiki (hosted by WIPO)

Trilateral Examiner ExchangeTrilateral Harmony Visit

The Trilateral Harmony Visit programme

• Launched in 2005

• Face-to-face meetings of examiners of the Trilateral Offices

• Duration: one week

• Specific objectives

– start new project

– finalize / make progress in existing project

Effective and flexible tool to push projects forward

Programme in 2007:

T005 H04N Interactive Video Distribution Systems

T023 G06T Image Processing

T036 G03F 1/00 Photo-masks and screens

T039 B23K 26/00 Working with lasers

T052 G01S Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

T053 G06F Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs)

T060 B62M 23/02 Power-assisted bicycles

T061 B62M 9/12 Bicycle derailleurs

T005 H04N Interactive Video Distribution Systems

T035 F24F5/ Air-conditioning systems (outdoor units)

T037 H01L33/ Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

T039 B23K26/ Working with lasers

T053 G06F3/ Graphical User Interfaces

T066 B21D26/ Shaping without cutting ...

T071 F16D Homokinetic joints

MEANS (continued)

2. Formal:

For each subproject:» project plan» target dates for each step» record of project history

1. Informal:

Promote direct interaction between examiners

+

... on an official electronic platform (hosted by WIPO):

Trilateral E-forum

www.wipo.int/ipc-tef

• Steering Committee:

Trilateral Working Group on Classification

3. Overall Project management:

• Harmony Project Manager appointed in each Trilateral Office

• Harmony Project Coordinators (EPO: Classification Board members) Coordination for a group of subprojects

STATUS

• over 50 active projects

• all technical areas (T002-T074)

T068/US H01L 41/22-26 Manufacturing of Piezoelectric devices or crystals

T069/EP A63F 13/00 Video Games

T070/EP B65B 9/06, 9/08, 9/20 Packaging Machines

T071/EP F16D 3/223, 3/224 Homokinetic joints

T072/EP H04B 10/00 Optical Communications

T073/EP H04N 5/335 Picture Signal Generation

T074/EP H04L 12/56 Packet switching systems

Seven new Harmony projects created:

2007

A009/EP

(based on T052)G01S Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

A010/EP

(based on T060)B62M 23/00 Power-assisted bicycles

A011/EP

(based on T061)B62M 9/00 Bicycle derailleurs

Maintenance project M012

C07D Heterocyclic compounds

A012/EP

(based on T023)G06T Image processing

A013/JP

(based on T035)F24F Air conditioning systems

A014/EP

(based on T005)H04N

Selectively providing video content to end users

A015/EP

(based on T042)F16H Control of hydrostatic gearing

Eight Harmony projects forwarded to the IPC:

A006/EP

(based on T010)B60K 6/02 Hybrid Vehicles 1 Oct 2007

A003/JP

(based on T032)H04H

Broadcasting Distribution Systems

1 Jan 2008

A008/JP

(based on T031)

H01M 4/00

H01M 10/00Lithium-Ion batteries no date set

A002/US

(based on T031G05G Pedals 1 April 2008

Four Advanced Level revision projects adopted for introduction into the IPC

Thank you for your attention!