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Enhancements for IPC Code Searching

Enhancements for IPC Code Searching Expand CAS Leadership in Patent Information

Columbus, OH, May 20, 2006 - Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) built upon its leadership in patent information by introducing a number of enhancements in the CA^SM and CAplus^SM databases on STN including additional content and features for more effective patent searching with IPC codes. CAS announced and demonstrated the new features at the PIUG annual meeting in Minneapolis this week.

With the new information, CAS completed its implementation of IPC reform, whereby the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adapted its IPC patent classification system for more effective retrieval of patent information in today's electronic environment. IPC related improvements in CA/CAplus databases include:

• Implementation of all available IPC classifications in patents in the CA/CAplus databases from the Canadian, European, French, German, Japanese, Russian, UK, US, and WIPO patent offices.
• The inclusion of IPC information for many patent family members in CA/CAplus, increasing retrieval options.
• Addition of Rolled-up Core codes, which relate more specific Advanced codes to the high-level Core codes, thus facilitating the retrieval of patent records issued across all patent offices, regardless of which level of IPC codes the offices apply.

CA/CAplus records containing the Rolled-up Core code information have already begun to appear in the databases and will be added to the remaining records in the coming weeks. CAS is in the process of adding the same information to the USPTO databases on STN.

Another improvement in multi-national patent searching is the introduction of an F-Term thesaurus, providing searchers for Japanese patents with access to English-language words associated with F-Terms describing these patents. Searchers can use the thesaurus to better assess the patents' content and significance, and to find F-Terms for use in searching.

"Patent searchers will benefit in several ways from these enhancements," said Dr. Catharina Maulbecker, CAS Vice President, Marketing & Sales. "They will especially appreciate the ability to take full advantage of the IPC reform, clearly view the IPC codes that apply to a given patent, and achieve more complete retrieval across countries."

CAS, a division of the American Chemical Society, provides the world's largest and most current collection of chemical and related scientific information, including the most authoritative database of chemical substances, the CAS Registry^SM. CAS combines these databases with advanced search and analysis technologies to deliver the most complete and effective digital information environment for scientific research and discovery, including such products as SciFinder, SciFinder Scholar, STN, STN Express and STN AnaVist, among others.