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The Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) is a joint partnership between the USPTO and the European Patent Office (EPO) where the Offices agreed to harmonize their existing classification systems (ECLA and USPC, respectively) and migrate towards a common classification scheme. As of June 1, 2015 U.S. utility patents and applications are no longer published with USPCs. Plant patents and design patents are the exception, and they will continue to carry a USPC designation.
The CPC has the following "top level" Sections:
- A: Human Necessities
- B: Operations and Transport
- C: Chemistry and Metallurgy
- D: Textiles
- E: Fixed Constructions
- F: Mechanical Engineering
- G: Physics
- H: Electricity
- Y: Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
From the "top level" Section the classification hierarchy goes as follows:
Hierarchy
Section (one letter A to H and also Y)
Class (two digits)
Subclass (one letter)
Group (one to three digits)
Main group and subgroups (at least two digits)
In the above example "A01B 35/16"
Section: A (Human Necessities)
Class: 01 (A01: Agriculture; Forestry; Animal Husbandry; Hunting; Trapping; Fishing)
Subclass: B: (A01B: Soil Working In Agriculture Or Forestry; Parts, Details, Or Accessories Of Agricultural Machines Or Implements, In General
Group: 35 (A01B 35: Other machines for working soil)
Main group: 16 (A01B 35/16: with rotating or circulating non-propelled tools)
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