-
CPC field-specific trainingG05D: Systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables
Aldo Nicolaucig August 2019Examiner, European Patent Office
-
European Patent Office 2
Table of contents
ß Introduction
ß How to classify
ß What to classify ...
ß ... and what not to classify
ß Overall structure
ß Group structure
-
European Patent Office 3
IntroductionThe subclass G05D
ß 19 main groupsG05D 1/00 to G05D 99/00.
ß ~ 200 000 documentsclassified with CPC-classification in G05D.
ß many interferences with other technical fields.
-
European Patent Office 4
IntroductionWhere to find …
CPC classification scheme and definitions of G05D
ß www.cpcinfo.org
ß https://worldwide.espacenet.com/classification?locale=en_EP
ß EPOQUE Net
Classification rules
ß IPC Guide:http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/classifications/ipc/en/guide/guide_ipc.pdf
ß CPC Guide:http://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org/publications/miscellaneous.html
ß CPC training material:http://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org/Training.html
-
European Patent Office 5
Table of contents
ß Introduction
ß How to classify
ß What to classify ...
ß ... and what not to classify
ß Overall structure
ß Group structure
-
European Patent Office 6
How to classifyThe aim of classification
ß Retrieval of technical subject-matter (IPC-Guide VIII.75.)
ß When classifying, keep in mind how a search examiner searches, i.e. what is useful for search and what is not.
-
European Patent Office 7
How to classifyThe main kinds of searches
ß Text-feature search, i.e. a search for written features
ß Figure-feature search, i.e. a search of features shown in figures
-
European Patent Office 8
Table of contents
ß Introduction
ß How to classify
ß What to classify ...
ß ... and what not to classify
ß Overall structure
ß Group structure
-
European Patent Office 9
What to classify ...Definitions (1/2)
The complete title of the subclass is "SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES"
ß Non-electric variables: position, attitude, flow rate, pressure, temperature, ...
ß Controlling: influencing a variable in any way, e.g. changing its value, maintaining it constant, limiting its range of variation.
ß Regulating: maintaining a variable automatically at a desired value or within a desired range of values
Merely acting on a variable [...] should a priori not be considered as controlling or regulating said variable.
[G05D Definition statement]
-
European Patent Office 10
What to classify ...Definitions (2/2)
Controller: monitors a controlled process variable, and compares it with the reference or set point. The difference between actual and desired value of the process variable, called the error signal, is applied as feedback to generate a control action to bring the controlled process variable to the reference or set point.
[Wikipedia article "Control theory"]
-
European Patent Office 11
What to classify ...The control system according to G05D
-
European Patent Office 12
What to classify ...
ß Controllers having a clearly identifiable closed control loop and a clear field of application relating to non-electric variables are generally classified in G05D.
ß Open loop controllers using some prior knowledge of the system for replacing the feedback loop may be classifiedin G05D exceptionally
-
European Patent Office 13
Table of contents
ß Introduction
ß How to classify
ß What to classify ...
ß ... and what not to classify
ß Overall structure
ß Group structure
-
European Patent Office 14
... and what not to classify
ß Sensors are classified in G01.
ß General, application unspecific, controllers are classifiedin G05B.
ß Actuators are classified in F16K (valves), H02P(control of motors), and many other places.
ß The field of application may be classified anywhere inthe CPC.
-
European Patent Office 15
... and what not to classifyCriteria for including/excluding documents;neighbouring fields (see notes under the title "G05D")
Controllers for a specific purpose are not to be classifiedin G05D
ß They are classified in the specific field subclass, when precise subgroups for the specific controller exist in the specific field subclass (e.g. autonomous road vehicles: lane keeping, automatic parking B60, navigation G01C)
However, many controllers for a specific purpose are classified in G05D
ß Because the specific field subclass does not comprise any precise subgroup for the specific controller
ß Because they are also clearly suitable for a moregeneral purpose
-
European Patent Office 16
Table of contents
ß Introduction
ß How to classify
ß What to classify ...
ß ... and what not to classify
ß Overall structure
ß Group structure
-
European Patent Office 17
The overall structure
19 main groups and 1 indexing main group(ratio of new publications in main group G05D in 2017-2019)
G05D1 (74%)Control of position, course or altitude of land, water, air, or space vehicles, e.g. automatic pilot
G05D3 (0%) Control of position or direction
G05D5 (0%) Control of dimensions of material
G05D7 (5%) Control of flow
G05D9 (0%) Level control, e.g. controlling quantity of material stored in vessel
G05D11 (2%) Ratio control
G05D13 (0%)Control of linear speed; Control of angular speed; Control of acceleration or deceleration, e.g. of a prime mover
G05D15 (0%)Control of mechanical force or stress; Control of mechanical pressure
G05D16 (5%) Control of fluid pressure
G05D17 (0%) Control of torque; Control of mechanical power
-
European Patent Office 18
The overall structure
19 main groups and 1 indexing main group(% of new publications in main group G05D in 2017-2019)
G05D19 (0%)Control of mechanical oscillations, e.g. of amplitude, of frequency, of phase
G05D21 (0%) Control of chemical or physico-chemical variables, e.g. pH value
G05D22 (0%) Control of humidity
G05D23 (11%) Control of temperature
G05D24 (0%) Control of viscosity
G05D25 (0%) Control of light, e.g. intensity, colour, phase
G05D27 (0%)Simultaneous control of variables covered by two or more of the preceding main groups
G05D29 (0%) Simultaneous control of electric and non-electric variables
G05D99 (0%) Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
G05D2201 Application
-
European Patent Office 19
Table of contents
ß Introduction
ß How to classify
ß What to classify ...
ß ... and what not to classify
ß Overall structure
ß Group structure
-
European Patent Office 20
Group structureG05D 1/00 Control of position, course or altitudeof land, water, air, or space vehicles
1/0005 . {with arrangements to save energy}
1/0011 . {associated with a remote control arrangement}
1/0055 . {with safety arrangements}
1/0094 .{involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target}
-
European Patent Office 21
Group structureG05D 1/02 Control of position or coursein two dimensions
1/0202 . . {specially adapted to aircraft}
1/0206 . . {specially adapted to water vehicles}
1/021 . . {specially adapted to land vehicles} (continues...)
-
European Patent Office 22
Group structureG05D 1/021 . . {specially adapted to land vehicles}
Trajectory
1/0212 . . . {with means for defining a desired trajectory}
1/0227 . . . {using mechanical sensing means}
1/0231 . . . {using optical position detecting means}
1/0255 . . . {using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic signals}
1/0257 . . . {using a radar}
1/0259 . . . {using magnetic or electromagnetic means}
1/0268 . . . {using internal positioning means}
1/0276 . . .{using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle}
Type of sensor
-
European Patent Office 23
Group structure(continued ...) G05D 1/021 . .{specially adapted to land vehicles}
Plurality of land vehicles
1/0287 . . .{involving a plurality of land vehicles, e.g. fleet or convoy travelling}
1/0291 . . . . {Fleet control}
1/0293 . . . . . {Convoy travelling}
-
European Patent Office 24
Group structureG05D 1/04 . Control of altitude or depth
1/042 . . {specially adapted for aircraft}
1/048 . . {specially adapted for water vehicles}
1/06 . . Rate of change of altitude or depth
1/0607 . . . {specially adapted for aircraft}
1/0653 . . . . {during a phase of take-off or landing}
1/0692 . . . {specially adapted for under-water vehicles}
-
European Patent Office 25
Group structureG05D 1/08 . Control of attitude,i.e. control of roll, pitch, or yaw
1/0808 . . {specially adapted for aircraft}
1/0875 . . {specially adapted to water vehicles}
1/0883 . . {specially adapted for space vehicles}
1/0891 . . {specially adapted for land vehicles}
-
European Patent Office 26
Group structureG05D 1/10 . Simultaneous control of positionor course in three dimensions
1/101 . . {specially adapted for aircraft}
1/102 . . . {specially adapted for vertical take-off of aircraft}
1/104 . . . {involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation}
1/107 . . {specially adapted for missiles}
-
European Patent Office 27
Group structureG05D 1/12 . Target-seeking control
-
European Patent Office 28
Group structureG05D 3/00 Control of position or direction
3/10 . without using feedback
3/105 . . Solar tracker
-
European Patent Office 29
Group structureG05D 5/00 Control of dimensions of material
5/02 . of thickness, e.g. of rolled material
5/04 . of the size of items, e.g. of particles
-
European Patent Office
7/01 . without auxiliarypower
7/03 . with auxiliarynon-electric power
7/06 . characterised by the use of electric means
30
Group structureG05D 7/00 Control of flow
-
European Patent Office 31
Group structureG05D 9/00 Level control, e.g. controllingquantity of material stored in vessel
9/02 . without auxiliary power
9/04 . with auxiliary non-electric power
9/12 . characterised by the use of electric means
-
European Patent Office 32
Group structureG05D 11/00 Ratio control
11/02 .Controlling ratio of two or more flows of fluid or fluent material
11/03 . . without auxiliary power
11/035 . . with auxiliary non-electric power
11/13 . . characterised by the use of electric means
-
European Patent Office 33
Group structureG05D 16/00 Control of fluid pressure (continues ...)
16/04 . without auxiliary power
16/06 . . the sensing element being a flexible membrane, yielding to pressure, e.g. diaphragm, bellows, capsule
16/10 . . the sensing element being a piston or plunger
-
European Patent Office 34
Group structure(continued ...) G05D 16/00 Control of fluid pressure
16/14 . with auxiliary non-electric power
-
European Patent Office 35
Group structure(continued ...) G05D 16/00 Control of fluid pressure
16/20 . characterised by the use of electric means
-
European Patent Office 36
Group structureG05D 19/00 Control of mechanical oscillations,e.g. of amplitude, of frequency, of phase
19/02 . characterised by the use of electric means
-
European Patent Office 37
Group structureG05D 23/00 Control of temperature (continues ...)
23/01 . without auxiliary power
23/02 . . with sensing element expanding and contracting in response to changes of temperature
23/13 . . by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures
-
European Patent Office 38
Group structure(continued ...) G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
23/185 . with auxiliary non-electric power
23/19 . characterised by the use of electric means
23/1902 . . {characterised by the use of a variable reference value}
23/1917 . . {using digital means}
23/1927 . . {using a plurality of sensors}
-
European Patent Office 39
Group structureG05D 24/00 Control of viscosity
24/02 . characterised by the use of electric means
-
European Patent Office 40
Group structureAdditional indexing codes
18 specific indexing codes for different types of land vehicles, e.g.:
2201/0201 . . Agriculture or harvesting machine
2201/0206 . . Vehicle in a health care environment
2201/0213 . . Road vehicle, e.g. car or truck
2201/0215 . . Vacuum cleaner
...
-
European Patent Office 41
Thank you for your attention!