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902.02 Class and Subclass Definitions - 900 Prior Art, Classification, Search
902.02 Class and Subclass Definitions
All of the utility classes (i.e., classes devoted to technology), and the plant class, have definitions. All design classes will also eventually have definitions.
Definitions state the subject matter of the classes and subclasses much more explicitly than it is possible to state in short class and subclass titles. A study of the definitions is essential to determine the proper classification of subject matter within the U.S. Patent Classification System.
A complete, printable set of definitions of all classes and subclasses in the U.S. Classification System is available to USPTO personnel online from the Classification Data System (CDS) Intranet Homepage which is accessible from the "Patent Examiner's Toolkit" toolbar. These definitions are revised every June and every December.
It should be noted that classification orders frequently affect existing definitions. Personal sets of definitions used by examiners should be periodically revised to reflect changes.
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