MPEP § 907 — MPEP § 907
Current through: 2022-07-01

907-Locarno Classification Designations 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 Skip over navigation 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 search for patents | search for trademarks 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Search 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 PATENTS 
 
 Patent Search 

 
 Patent Process 

 
 Patent Classification 

 
 Patent Forms 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Electronic Business Center 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Resources and Guidance 

 
 Office of Data Management 

 
 Announcements 

 
 Initiatives & Events 

 
 International Protection 

 
 Employee Locator 

 
 Contact Patents 

 

 

 
 TRADEMARKS 
 
 Trademark Search 

 
 Trademarks Process 

 
 News & Notices 

 
 Manuals, Guides, Official Gazette 

 
 Laws & Regulations 

 
 Online Filing 

 
 Contact Trademarks 

 

 

 
 IP LAW & POLICY 
 
 Rulemaking 

 
 IP Policy and Enforcement 

 
 Protecting IP Overseas 

 
 Training and Education 

 
 Training Programs & Conferences 

 
 Office of Governmental Affairs 

 
 Office of Chief Economist 

 
 Boards and Counsel 

 

 

 
 PRODUCTS & SERVICES 
 
 Electronic Data Products 

 
 XML Resources 

 
 XML Resources - Retrospective 

 
 USPTO Contact Center Order Form 

 
 Services 

 
 Locate Libraries 

 
 Training/Events 

 
 Online Services Hub 

 

 

 
 INVENTORS 
 
 Patents for Inventors 

 
 Trademarks for Inventors 

 
 Inventors Assistance 

 
 Education and Information 

 
 Scam Prevention 

 
 Pro Se and Pro Bono 

 
 Current Events 

 
 State Resources 

 
 InventorsEye Newsletter 

 

 

 
 NEWS & NOTICES 
 
 Subscription Center 

 
 Press Releases 

 
 Testimony and Speeches 

 
 Director's Forum 

 
 Systems Status 

 
 Emergency Notices 

 
 USPTO Videos 

 
 Official Gazette 

 
 Federal Register Notices 

 
 Event Calendar 

 

 

 
 FAQs 
 
 Patents FAQs 

 
 Trademarks FAQs 

 
 Assignments 

 
 Security 

 
 Musicians and Artists 

 
 Browser Plugins 

 
 Other Web Resources 

 

 

 
 ABOUT US 
 
 USPTO Leadership 

 
 USPTO Organization 

 
 USPTO Offices 

 
 Careers 

 
 Budget, Performance, and Planning 

 
 Statistics 

 
 Vendor Information 

 
 Public Advisory Committees 

 
 National Medal of Technology and Innovation 

 
 IP in Motion 

 
 Contact Us 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 Home Page 

 
 Patents 

 
 Patent Laws, Regulations, Policies & Procedures 

 
 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 0900 

 Section 907 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 907 Locarno Classification Designations [R-07.2015]

 U.S. design patents prepared for issue after June 30, 1996 and
 international design applications include a Locarno International Classification
 designation as part of the bibliographic data. The purpose of the international design
 classification designation is to enhance accessibility of design patents in foreign design
 search files as well as commercial databases.
 

 The Locarno International Classification system was developed
 by members of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and is
 administered by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Office
 (WIPO).
 

 A Locarno International Classification designation consists
 of two pairs of numbers separated by a hyphen. The first pair of numbers designates a
 design class; the second pair of numbers indicates a particular subclass within the design
 class. The Locarno Classification manual, available from WIPO, delineates the individual
 classes and subclasses and includes: (1) a general list of classes of industrial designs
 divided into broad subclasses; and (2) an alphabetical list of specific industrial designs
 with an indication of the classes and subclasses into which they should be classified.
 

 The Locarno designation included with design patent
 bibliographic data indicates the original classification of the patented design only. There
 is no provision for cross-reference designations within the Locarno system.
 

 Locarno International Classifications are periodically
 revised by the Committee of Experts of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
 

 The Image File Wrapper (IFW) issue classification form
 includes an area with the heading “International Classification”. A Locarno International
 Classification designation must be included on the issue slip when a design application is
 prepared for issue. The Locarno designation is printed on the design patent preceded by
 INID code [51] in compliance with ST.9 of the International Bureau. The abbreviation “LOC
 (7) CL.” follows INID code [51] and complies with the recommended abbreviation by the
 International Bureau.
 

 An example Locarno designation as it appears on a U.S. Design
 Patent is as follows:
 

 [51] LOC (7) CL. 02-02

 The Office of Patent Classification has prepared a Concordance
 between the U.S. Design Classification classes and subclasses and the Locarno International
 Classification. In many areas of design subject matter, the U.S. Design Classification and
 Locarno Classification systems are parallel. In others, the two systems are conceptually
 different. For example, there is no specific provision within the Locarno system for
 designs which are simulative of other objects. The International Classification is
 generally based on the nature of the design rather than ornamental appearance. Accordingly,
 a one-to-one relationship between the two classification systems is not always
 possible.
 

 Each suggested designation in the Concordance refers to a
 single Locarno International class and subclass. This designation, however, is not
 necessarily the only pertinent class and subclass in which the design could be properly
 classified since for some U.S. Design Classification designations, there is no direct
 parallel within the Locarno system.
 

 [top] 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 901-Prior Art 
 901.01-Canceled Matter in U.S. Patent Files 
 901.01(a)-Ordering of Patented and Abandoned Provisional and Nonprovisional Application Files 

 
 

 901.02-Abandoned Applications 

 901.03-Pending Applications 

 901.04-U.S. Patents 
 901.04(a)-Kind Codes 

 
 

 901.05-Foreign Patent Documents 
 901.05(a)-Citation Data 

 901.05(b)-Other Significant Data 

 901.05(c)-Obtaining Copies 

 901.05(d)-Translation 

 
 

 901.06-Nonpatent Publications 
 901.06(a)-Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC) 

 901.06(b)-Borrowed Publications 

 901.06(c)-Alien Property Custodian Publications 

 901.06(d)-Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications 

 
 

 901.07-Patent Family Information 

 901.08-Global Dossier Public Access 

 
 

 902-Search Tools and Classification Information 
 902.01-Classification Manual for the U.S. Patent Classification System 
 902.01(a)-Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System 

 
 

 902.02-Class and Subclass Definitions in USPC 
 902.02(a)-Definition Notes in USPC 

 902.02(b)-[Reserved] 

 
 

 902.03-Classification Information 
 902.03(a)-Patent Classification Home Page on the Internet 

 902.03(b)-Patent Classification Home Page on the USPTO Intranet 

 902.03(c)-[Reserved] 

 902.03(d)-[Reserved] 

 902.03(e)-Automated Search Tools: PE2E SEARCH 

 
 

 
 

 903-Classification in USPC 
 903.01-Statutory Authority 

 903.02-Basis and Principles of Classification in USPC 
 903.02(a)-[Reserved] 

 903.02(b)-Scope of a Class in the USPC 

 
 

 903.03-Availability of Foreign Patents 

 903.04-Classifying Applications for Publication as a Plant Patent Application Publication in USPC 

 903.05-Addition, Deletion, or Transfer of U.S. Design Patents by USPC Classification 

 903.06-Harmonized Subclasses 

 903.07-Classifying and Cross-Referencing Design and Plant Applications at Allowance 
 903.07(a)-Cross-Referencing Design and Plant Applications — Keep Systematic Notes During Prosecution 

 
 

 903.08-[Reserved] 
 903.08(a)-[Reserved] 

 903.08(b)-[Reserved] 

 903.08(c)-[Reserved] 

 903.08(d)-[Reserved] 

 903.08(e)-[Reserved] 

 
 

 903.09-[Reserved] 
 903.09(a)-[Reserved] 

 
 

 
 

 904-How to Search 
 904.01-Analysis of Claims 
 904.01(a)-Variant Embodiments Within Scope of Claim 

 904.01(b)-Equivalents 

 904.01(c)-Analogous Arts 

 
 

 904.02-General Search Guidelines 
 904.02(a)-Classified Search 

 904.02(b)-Search Tool Selection 

 904.02(c)-Internet Searching 

 
 

 904.03-Conducting the Search 

 904.04-Search of Related Post-Grant Proceedings 

 
 

 905-Cooperative Patent Classification 
 905.01-Classification Scheme for CPC 
 905.01(a)-CPC Titles 
 905.01(a)(1)-References within CPC Titles 

 905.01(a)(2)-Notes Found in CPC schemes 

 905.01(a)(3)-Warnings Found in CPC schemes 

 905.01(a)(4)-Guidance Headings Found in CPC Schemes 

 
 

 
 

 905.02-CPC Definitions 

 905.03-Classifying in CPC 
 905.03(a)-The CPC Database 

 905.03(b)-Approach to classification in CPC 

 905.03(c)-Combination Sets 

 
 

 
 

 906-International Classification of Patents for Inventions 

 907-Locarno Classification Designations 

 908-[Reserved] 

 909-Routing and Docketing of Applications 
 909.01-Assignment, Transfer and Classification Challenges under Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) 
 909.01(a)-New Applications in CPC 

 909.01(b)-Classification and Assignment to Examiner in CPC 

 909.01(c)-Immediate Inspection of Amendments 

 909.01(d)-Classification Challenge Procedure in CPC 

 
 

 909.02-Applications: Assignment and Transfer in USPC 
 909.02(a)-New Design and Plant Patent Applications under 35 U.S.C. 161 

 909.02(b)-Classification and Assignment to Examiner 

 909.02(c)-Reserved 

 909.02(d)-Transfer Procedure 

 909.02(e)-General Guidelines Governing the Assignment of Nonprovisional Design and Plant Applications for Examination 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
 Accessibility 

 Privacy Policy 

 Terms of Use 

 Security 

 Emergencies/Security Alerts 

 Information Quality Guidelines 

 
 

 
 
 Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act 

 Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation (NoFEAR) Act 

 Budget & Performance 

 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 

 
 

 
 
 Department of Commerce NoFEAR Act Report 

 Regulations.gov 

 STOP!Fakes.gov 

 Department of Commerce 

 USA.gov 

 
 

 
 
 Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) 

 Careers 

 Site Index 

 Contact Us 

 Submit Feedback 

 
 

 
 This page is owned by Patents.

 Last Modified: 
 
 03/09/2026 20:50:54