CLASSIFICATION DEFINITIONS 700 - 1
March 2007

CLASS 700, DATA PROCESSING: GENERIC
CONTROL SYSTEMS OR SPECIFIC APPLI-
CATIONS
SECTION I - CLASS DEFINITION
GENERAL STATEMENT OF THE CLASS SUBJECT
MATTER
This class is structured into two main divisions: (A)
Generic Control System, Apparatus or Process and (B)
Specific Application, Apparatus or Process
(1)
Note. In establishing Class 700, patents
from pertinent subclasses in Classes 364
and 395 were directly translated into corre-
sponding subclasses in the new class. The
general structure of Class 700 parallels that
of Class 364 from which it is derived and
reflects the atypical location of generic sub-
ject matter (subclasses 1-89) in hierarchical
superiority to specific applications (sub-
classes 90-306). Notes regarding patent
placement are found below.
(A) This is the generic class for the combination of a
data processing or calculating computer apparatus (or
corresponding methods for performing data processing
or calculating operations) AND a device or apparatus
controlled thereby, the entirety hereinafter referred to as
a "control system".
(1)
Note. Control systems which claim control
of or control by a particular art device or
environment are classified in the "Specific
Application, Apparatus or Process" area of
this class. Control systems which are not
so limited are classified in the "Generic
Control System, Apparatus or Process" area
of this class. Control systems which are
limited to a particular art device or environ-
ment but also include at least one claim to
the generic control are classified in the
"Generic Control System, Apparatus or
Process" area.
(2)
Note. An example of such a control system
includes a data processing or calculating
computer interactively connected to an
external device to sense a condition (e.g.,
position) of such external device. The pro-
cessed data representing the sensed condi-
tion develops a control signal to be applied
to such external device to perform a control
function (e.g., optimization).
(3)
Note. "Apparatus" as used herein does not
include internal control features of a com-
puter which are classified elsewhere.
(4)
Note. Classification herein is based on con-
trol system structure or function. The
search for particular details of the data pro-
cessing or calculating computer structural
entity is elsewhere in this class.
(5)
Note. For classification herein the "Appara-
tus" being controlled must be only nomi-
nally recited. Control systems which are
limited by the claims to a particular type of
process or have a specific utility are classi-
fied in the "Specific Application, Apparatus
or Process" area of this class. Control sys-
tems which recite specific steps of a pro-
cess or have structural details to a particular
type of apparatus are classified with the
appropriate art device. For example: the
claimed recitation of (a) a controlled chem-
ical process is classified in the "Generic
Control System, Apparatus or Process" area
of this class, (b) a controlled distillation
process is classified in the "Specific Appli-
cation, Apparatus or Process" area of this
class and (c) a controlled chemical process
which involves a recited chemical reaction,
is classified in one of the chemical classes.
(6)
Note. Where there is nominal claim recita-
tion of the device or apparatus and nominal
data processor or computer structure
claimed, the control system is classifiable
herein only when there is no class provid-
ing for the device or apparatus.
(7)
Note. Control systems which include an
algorithm peculiar to a specific art by claim
disclosure are excluded from this class and
will be found in the class wherein the spe-
cific art is classified.
(B) This is also the generic class for data processing or
calculating computer apparatus (or corresponding meth-
ods for performing data processing or calculating opera-
tions) wherein the data processing or calculating
computer apparatus is designed for or utilized in a par-
ticular art device, system, process, or environment, or is
utilized for the solution of a particular problem in a field 700 - 2 CLASSIFICATION DEFINITIONS March 2007
1
March 2007
other than mathematics (arithmetic processing per se is
classified elsewhere).
(1)
Note. Control systems which claim control
of or control by a particular art device or
environment are classified in the "Specific
Application, Apparatus or Process" area of
this class. Control systems which are not so
limited are classified in the "Generic Con-
trol System, Apparatus or Process" area of
this class. Control systems which are lim-
ited to a particular art device or environ-
ment but also include at least one claim to
the generic control are classified in the
"Generic Control System, Apparatus or
Process" area.
(2)
Note. For classification herein, there must
be significant claim recitation of the data
processing system or calculating computer
and only nominal claim recitation of any
external art environment. Where significant
structure of the external device is recited by
the claims, classification is in the appropri-
ate device class.
(3)
Note. This and indented subclasses will
accommodate devices, systems, or pro-
cesses which claim a control of or a control
by a particular art device or environment
and do not have a generic claim to the con-
trol; see the "Generic Control" area of this
class for generic control devices.
(4)
Note. In view of the nature of the subject
matter included herein, consideration of the
classification schedule for diverse art or
environment is necessary for proper search.
(C) Significantly claimed apparatus external to this
class, claimed in combination with apparatus under the
class definition, which perform data processing or cal-
culation operations are classified in the class appropriate
to the external device unless specifically excluded there-
from.
(D) Nominally claimed apparatus external to this class
in combination with apparatus under the class definition
is classified in this class unless provided for in the
appropriate external class.
SECTION II - REFERENCES TO OTHER
CLASSES
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
235,
Registers, appropriate subclasses for various
data bearing record controlled systems and for
basic machines and associated indicating
mechanisms for ascertaining the number of
movements of various devices and machines,
plus machines made from these basic machines
alone (e.g., cash registers, voting machines),
and in combination with various perfecting fea-
tures, such as printers and recording means.
307,
Electrical Transmission or Interconnection
Systems, appropriate subclasses for electrical
transmission or interconnection systems.
340,
Communications: Electrical, appropriate sub-
classes for residual electrical communication
systems.
341,
Coded Data Generation or Conversion, appro-
priate subclasses for electrical pulse and digit
code converters.
342,
Communications: Directive Radio Wave Sys-
tems and Devices (e.g., Radar, Radio Naviga-
tion), appropriate subclasses for directive wave
systems which may include object detection or
tracking.
345,
Computer Graphics Processing and Selective
Visual Display Systems, appropriate
sub-
classes for the selective control of two or more
light generating or light controlling display ele-
ments in accordance with a received image sig-
nal, and particularly subclasses 418
through
475 for computer graphics processing.
348,
Television, appropriate subclasses, particularly
subclasses 169 through 172 for television sys-
tems which may include object detection or
tracking.
356,
Optics: Measuring and Testing, appropriate
subclasses for optical measuring systems
which may include object detection or track-
ing.
358,
Facsimile and Static Presentation Processing,
subclass 1.1 1.18 for static data presentation
processing.
360,
Dynamic Magnetic Information Storage or
Retrieval, appropriate subclasses, for record
carriers and systems wherein information is
stored and retrieved by interaction with a
medium and there is relative motion between a
medium and a transducer, for example, mag-
netic disk drive devices and control thereof, per
se. March 2007 CLASSIFICATION DEFINITIONS 700 - 3
March 2007

365,
Static Information Storage and Retrieval,
appropriate subclasses for addressable static
singular storage elements or plural singular
storage elements of the same type.
369,
Dynamic Information Storage or Retrieval,
appropriate subclasses for record carriers and
systems wherein information is stored and
retrieved by interaction with a medium and
there is relative motion between a medium and
a transducer.
370,
Multiplex Communications, appropriate sub-
classes for generic multiplexing and demulti-
plexing systems.
375,
Pulse or Digital Communications, appropriate
subclasses for generic pulse or digital commu-
nication systems.
377,
Electrical Pulse Counters, Pulse Dividers, or
Shift Registers: Circuits and Systems, appro-
priate subclasses for generic circuits for pulse
counting.
379,
Telephonic Communications, appropriate sub-
classes for two-way electrical communication
of intelligible audio infor