The International Patent Classification (IPC) provides for a hierarchical system of language independent symbols for the classification of patents and utility models according to the different areas of technology to which they pertain. The IPC was created under the Strasbourg Agreement of 1971, one of a number of treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). A new version of the IPC enters into force each year on January 1.
Reference Definition by Ec.europa.eu: The International patent classification, abbreviated as IPC, was established by the Strasbourg Agreement of 1971. It creates a hierarchical system of language-independent symbols for the classification of patents and utility models according to the different technical fields to which they belong. The classification system contains about 70 000 entries, i.e. classification symbols or codes that can be allotted to patent documents. Symbols are arranged in a hierarchical, tree-like structure: at the highest level are the eight sections corresponding to very broad technical fields; sections are further subdivided into classes; classes are divided into more than 600 subclasses.
