Preclassification, IPC and CPC classification of European patent applications
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  6. Preclassification, IPC and CPC classification of European patent applications
  7. 2. Preclassification (for file routing and allocation)
  8. 2.1 Incorrect preclassification
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2. Preclassification (for file routing and allocation)

Overview

2.1 Incorrect preclassification 

If the search division finds that an application has been incorrectly preclassified and so wrongly allocated to it, it will reallocate it to the right search division by making the appropriate changes on the electronic file. This is normally agreed beforehand with the other search division, but there is sometimes disagreement or uncertainty over classification boundaries, or the search division to which the application was initially allocated may be unsure how to preclassify it correctly. In such cases, it does not spend time trying to resolve the matter but instead forwards the file to a classification specialist.

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