MPEP Section 902.01(a), Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System

Executive summary:

This document contains Section 902.01(a) ("Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System") of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (the "M.P.E.P."), Eighth Edition, Eighth Revision (July 2010). This page was last updated in January 2011. You may return to the section index to find a particular section. Alternatively, you may search the MPEP using the search box that appears on the left side of every page of BitLaw--you may restrict your search to the MPEP on the search results page.

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902.01(a) Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System [R-5]

The Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System >(USPC)< is an alphabetic listing of technical and common terms referring to specific classes and subclasses of the **>USPC. The index is used< as an initial entry into the system and should not be considered exhaustive. All appropriate class schedules should be scanned for specifically related subclasses>,< and the definitions and associated notes of the pertinent classifications *>should< also be reviewed, even when the citation found in the Index appears to be restricted to a specific subject matter area.

The Index is **>regularly updated<. Suggestions or changes to the Index are encouraged and should be directed to the **>Technology Center (TC) classification contact in the TCs<.

The Index is available online to USPTO personnel from the Classification Home Page - USPC Index. The Classification Home Page >(http://ptoweb:8081/)< is accessible from the desktop via the Patent Examiner's Toolkit.