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Artificial intelligence (AI) tools
for patents at the USPTO

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Artificial intelligence strategy• 2018-2022 USPTO Strategic Plan:– Optimize development and deliveryof information technology tools,
including artificial intelligence andmachine learning, for internal usersof patent systems to ensure thatthey have the tools they need for athorough search and examination.*

3* Goal I: Optimize patent quality and timeliness; Objective 3: Foster innovation through business effectiveness

USPTO AI landing pagewww.uspto.gov/initiatives/
artificial-intelligence4-USPTO-Recent AI policy developments• Administrative Conference of the UnitedStates (ACUS) published a statement on
government agency use of AI– Identifies issues agencies should consider whenadopting or modifying AI systems

5AI priorities for patents• Patent search– AI search prototype tool
– Exploring image search• Patent classification– Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) symbols– Indicators for claimed subject matter
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-USPTO-AI patent search prototype
Vision: Assist the examiner in retrieving all potentially relevant
prior art references for review at the earliest stage of prosecution.
• Enhance patent quality through increased search effectiveness• Released “More Like This Document” (MLTD) in PE2E Search– Retrieves most similar documents by user selection– Includes US patents / Pubs, and patent documents from the 61 foreigncountries loaded into Search• Official Gazette notice “New PE2E Search Tool Using AI Search
Features Using MLTD” issued on January 11th, 2022
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Outlook for AI search• Continue assessing and monitoring value of AI• Incorporate feedback to further mature system• Development of future AI search capabilities• Public communication and future accessibility

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Patent auto-classification
Vision: Develop auto-classification system to generate CPC data tomeet internal needs and international obligations for classification.
• The USPTO is developing and validating
an AI-based auto-classification system– Full classification of patent documents– Identification of symbols associated withclaims (called C* or “C-stars”)

CPC allocations
G01S 7/4863
G01S 7/4865
G01S 7/4917
G01S 13/89
G01S 7/4914
G01S 17/894

9Opportunities for value• Support patent classification quality– Correctness– Completeness– Consistency• Possible operational efficiency gains• Potential for reductions of internal costs

10C*-USPTO-Outlook for auto-classification• Utilization of AI to identify CPC symbols on application
associated with claimed subject matter (auto-C*s)– Utilization of auto-C*s for subset of new utility patent filings startingDec 2020– As of Mar. 2022, fully expanded auto-C* to all new utility patentfilings• Analysis and assessment of auto-classification tool for
full classification picture underway

11Looking ahead: patent data for AI• AI can be used in patent practice &examination.
• But patent data can also be used in state-ofthe-art AI research!
• Virtuous cycle:– Advances in AI research can foster efficiencies inpatent examination.
– Data from patent examination can fuel the next
advances in AI research.

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US Patent Phrase To Phrase Matching

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