Patentability search strategies and the reformed IPC: A patent office perspective

Since its creation, the main objective of the International Patent Classification (IPC) has been to constitute an essential search tool for the retrieval of patent documents. In 1999, the Reform process was launched in order to modernise the structure, rules and tools of the IPC, in order to maintain its effectiveness also in the contemporary electronic documentation and search environment.In January 2006, the reformed IPC entered into force. This article gives an overview of the reform-related changes that have a direct impact on the search and offers some suggestions on how to adapt on-line search strategies in view of the new possibilities offered by the reformed IPC, with particular reference to patentability searches.