U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE Information Products Division Technology Assessment and Forecast (TAF) Branch |
Class | Class Title | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | Total |
424 | Drug, Bio-Affecting and Body Treating Compositions (includes Class 514) | 5 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 39 |
502 | Catalyst, Solid Sorbent, or Support Therefor: Product or Process of Making | 3 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 24 |
532 | Organic Compounds (includes Classes 532-570) | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 |
252 | Compositions | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
439 | Electrical Connectors | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 12 |
520 | Synthetic Resins or Natural Rubbers (includes Classes 520-528) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
435 | Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
423 | Chemistry of Inorganic Compounds | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
585 | Chemistry of Hydrocarbon Compounds | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
128 | Surgery (includes Class 600) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
708 | Arithmetic Processing and Calculating (Electrical Computers) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
362 | Illumination | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
606 | Surgery (instruments) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
062 | Refrigeration | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
210 | Liquid Purification or Separation | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
428 | Stock Material or Miscellaneous Articles | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
438 | Semiconductor Device Manufacturing: Process | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
704 | DP: Speech Signal Processing, Linguistics, Language Translation, and Audio Compression/Decompression (Data Processing) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
073 | Measuring and Testing | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
084 | Music | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
208 | Mineral Oils: Processes and Products | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
241 | Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
348 | Television | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
052 | Static Structures (e.g., Buildings) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
070 | Locks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
074 | Machine Element or Mechanism | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
081 | Tools | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
123 | Internal-Combustion Engines | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
204 | Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
205 | Electrolysis: Processes, Compositions Used Therein, and Methods of Preparing the Compositions | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
209 | Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
219 | Electric Heating | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
250 | Radiant Energy | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
264 | Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
341 | Coded Data Generation or Conversion | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
359 | Optics: Systems (Including Communication) and Elements | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
361 | Electricity: Electrical Systems and Devices | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
378 | X-Ray or Gamma Ray Systems or Devices | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
402 | Binder Device Releasably Engaging Aperture or Notch of Sheet | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
422 | Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
429 | Chemistry: Electrical Current Producing Apparatus, Product, and Process | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
475 | Planetary Gear Transmission Systems or Components | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
607 | Surgery: Light, Thermal, and Electrical Application | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
706 | DP: Artificial Intelligence (Data Processing) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
024 | Buckles, Buttons, Clasps, Etc. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
036 | Boots, Shoes, and Leggings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
099 | Foods and Beverages: Apparatus | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
106 | Compositions: Coating or Plastic | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
148 | Metal Treatment | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
164 | Metal Founding | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
180 | Motor Vehicles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
220 | Receptacles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
248 | Supports (e.g., for holding articles, etc.) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
261 | Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
277 | Seal for a Joint or Juncture | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
280 | Land Vehicles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
315 | Electric Lamp and Discharge Devices: Systems | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
324 | Electricity: Measuring and Testing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
327 | Miscellaneous Active Electrical Nonlinear Devices, Circuits, and Systems | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
345 | Computer Graphics Processing, Operator Interface Processing, and Selective Visual Display Systems | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
363 | Electric Power Conversion Systems | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
401 | Coating Implements with Material Supply | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
426 | Food or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, and Products | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
427 | Coating Processes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
431 | Combustion | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
455 | Telecommunications | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
601 | Surgery: Kinesitherapy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
800 | Multicellular Living Organisms and Unmodified Parts Thereof and Related Processes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
004 | Baths, Closets, Sinks, and Spittoons | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
016 | Miscellaneous Hardware | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
030 | Cutlery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
034 | Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact with Solids | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
040 | Card, Picture, or Sign Exhibiting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
051 | Abrasive Tool Making Process, Material, or Composition | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
060 | Power Plants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
071 | Chemistry: Fertilizers | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
072 | Metal Deforming | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
075 | Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, and Loose Metal Particulate Mixtures | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
092 | Expansible Chamber Devices | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
096 | Gas Separation: Apparatus | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
104 | Railways | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
114 | Ships | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
116 | Signals and Indicators | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
117 | Single-Crystal, Oriented-Crystal, and Epitaxy Growth Processes; Non-Coating Apparatus Therefor | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
127 | Sugar, Starch, and Carbohydrates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
134 | Cleaning and Liquid Contact with Solids | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
137 | Fluid Handling | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
165 | Heat Exchange | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
166 | Wells (shafts or deep borings in the earth, e.g., for oil and gas) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
173 | Tool Driving or Impacting | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
175 | Boring or Penetrating the Earth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
181 | Acoustics | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
184 | Lubrication | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
187 | Elevator, Industrial Lift Truck, or Stationary Lift for Vehicle | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
188 | Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
190 | Trunks and Hand-Carried Luggage | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
192 | Clutches and Power-Stop Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
216 | Etching a Substrate: Processes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
251 | Valves and Valve Actuation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
257 | Active Solid-State Devices (e.g., Transistors, Solid-State Diodes) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
269 | Work Holders | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
293 | Vehicle Fenders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
297 | Chairs and Seats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
307 | Electrical Transmission or Interconnection Systems | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
310 | Electrical Generator or Motor Structure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
318 | Electricity: Motive Power Systems | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
320 | Electricity: Battery or Capacitor Charging or Discharging | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
336 | Inductor Devices | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
343 | Communications: Radio Wave Antennas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
347 | Incremental Printing of Symbolic Information | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
349 | Liquid Crystal Cells, Elements and Systems | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
351 | Optics: Eye Examining, Vision Testing and Correcting | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
356 | Optics: Measuring and Testing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
365 | Static Information Storage and Retrieval | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
367 | Communications, Electrical: Acoustic Wave Systems and Devices | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
369 | Dynamic Information Storage or Retrieval | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
372 | Coherent Light Generators | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
375 | Pulse or Digital Communications | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
379 | Telephonic Communications | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
382 | Image Analysis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
386 | Television Signal Processing for Dynamic Recording or Reproducing | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
396 | Photography | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
417 | Pumps | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
420 | Alloys or Metallic Compositions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
430 | Radiation Imagery Chemistry: Process, Composition, or Product Thereof | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
432 | Heating | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
442 | Fabric (Woven, Knitted, or Nonwoven Textile or Cloth, Etc.) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
446 | Amusement Devices: Toys | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
451 | Abrading | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
474 | Endless Belt Power Transmission Systems or Components | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
482 | Exercise Devices | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
483 | Tool Changing | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
501 | Compositions: Ceramic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
512 | Perfume Compositions | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
530 | Chemistry: Natural Resins or Derivatives; Peptides or Proteins; Lignins or Reaction Products Thereof | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
602 | Surgery: Splint, Brace, or Bandage | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
604 | Surgery (Medicators and Receptors) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
623 | Prosthesis (i.e., Artificial Body Members), Parts Thereof, or Aids and Accessories Therefor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
713 | Support (Electrical Computers and Digital Processing Systems) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
ALL | ALL CLASSES | 46 | 62 | 72 | 90 | 119 | 389 |
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Information Products Division - TAF Branch
PK3- Suite 441
Washington, DC 20231 tel: (703) 306-2600
FAX: (703) 306-2737
email: oeip@uspto.gov address of TAF Internet pages : http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/tafp.html
ftp download of TAF reports from : ftp.uspto.gov/pub/taf/