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Patent Search Approaches
The following overview of patent classification codes as search inputs is instructive. The source is: http://help.acclaimip.com/m/acclaimip_help/l/182441-classification-searching-overview
The Acclaim system help pages indicate serious problems with classification searching. The top-level except is: "I'll just say it, a lot of patent search professionals don't trust, don't like and rarely use classification searching. While I think it is a big mistake, I understand it. Classification analysis is not handled well in other tools that I have seen." Rest of the context of this assertion is included below.
Classification Searching Overview
When patents are examined in patent offices around the world a special group of patent classifiers as well as the examiners classify the patents. They do a remarkable job in my opinion. Classification searching is the best, and really only way, to do a credible job of isolating technologies for patent landscapes and comparing two portfolios without doing extensive manual classification yourself. I'll just say it, a lot of patent search professionals don't trust, don't like and rarely use classification searching. While I think it is a big mistake, I understand it. Classification analysis is not handled well in other tools that I have seen.
Clearly, all patents are not classified perfectly, and some patents aren't classified at all and dumped into catch-all classes, such as the 1/1 class in the US Classification system. But with the vagaries of human language it is your best bet.
AcclaimIP handles classification in very powerful ways as will be explained in this and other chapters of the Help Manual.
QNAmarkup Concept for PTO Classification Tagging. A simple question and answer wizard could be used to help people adding prior art "innovations" to the FirstToDisclose open public database. The wizard could implement the PTO Classification Tagging system.
Here is a demo:
Initial Project Description Slides: http://FirstToDisclose.info/InitialSlides.html