The International Patent Classification (IPC), established by the Strasbourg Agreement 1971, provides for a hierarchical system of language independent symbols for the classification of patents and utility models according to the different areas of technology to which they pertain. A new version of the IPC enters into force each year on January 1.
An effective and easy-to-use system to classify and search patent documents
Supporting resources
Assistance tools to the IPC
IPCCAT - A categorization assistance tool for the IPC system mainly designed to help to classify patents at IPC class, subclass, main group or subgroup level.
STATS - A tool which provides IPC predictions based on statistical analysis of the patent documents containing the specified search terms.
IPC Green Inventory - Facilitates searches for patent information relating to Environmentally Sound Technologies.
Upon request, WIPO provides intensive training to the staff of national or regional industrial property offices in the use of the IPC for classifying and searching.
Also available, training examples prepared by the IPC Revision Working Group and PowerPoint presentations addressing different issues relating to the use of the IPC.
Using PATENTSCOPE, you can search million patent documents including all published international patent applications submitted under the PCT and national and regional collections shared by participating national and regional IP offices.
Other International Classifications
Nice (goods and services for registration of marks)
Find out how artificial intelligence, big data analytics and new technologies such as blockchain can be used to address the growing challenges facing IP offices.