Special Union for the International Classification of for Industrial Designs
(Locarno Union)
Revised Terms of Reference for the Locarno Pilot Group
The Ad-Hoc Working Group of the Locarno Union agreed that a Pilot Working
group should be established to carry forward their wishes that the Locarno
Classification be developed to incorporate a system for the indexing of
Industrial Designs based on their visual/optical features. The objective is to
develop a system of indexing is enhance the existing classification to facilitate
more effective searching of design registers.
The terms of reference for the Pilot Group are as follows:
1. Conduct an analysis of whether, and if so how, the optical/visual features
of industrial designs can be indexed, in particular, determining whether
such a system may be applied to industrial designs regardless of their
purpose or the object that they represent.
2. Prepare recommendations for the ad hoc Working Group proposing a
structure for an indexing system for the visual features of industrial
designs. This to include a visualisation showing:
- the structure of any proposed indexing system,
- the results of a search using the recommended indexing system,
contrasted with a search using the existing Locarno
classification,
- rules/general remarks relating to the use of the indexing system
for incorporation into the Locarno Classification,
- how an indexing system for the visual features of designs can be
incorporated into the Locarno Classification within the scope of
the Locarno Agreement.
3. In the event of the Pilot Group finding that it is not possible to develop an
indexing system for the optical/visual features of industrial designs that
would achieve the stated objective, the Pilot Group will present the basis
of this assessment to the ad hoc Working Group.
2
The Pilot Group may:
i
make proposals relating to the addition, deletion or otherwise
amendment to the existing Classes or Sub-Classes where this is
considered necessary for the introduction of an indexing system for
the visual features of industrial designs,
ii
evaluate any existing system for the classification of industrial
designs where this is done specifically by reference to
optical/visual features.
The Pilot Group will not:
i
extend its work into an evaluation of existing systems for the
classification of industrial designs by means other than
optical/visual features,
ii
make proposals relating to the addition, deletion or otherwise
amendment to the existing Classes or Sub-Classes beyond where
this is considered necessary for the introduction of an indexing
system for the optical/visual features of industrial designs,
iii
make any recommendation to the ad hoc Working Group on behalf
of the Pilot Group that does not have the support of a majority of
the Pilot Group members.
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