G
SECTION G — PHYSICS
 G

Note(s)

  1. In this section, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
    • "variable" (as a noun) means a feature or property (e.g., a dimension, a physical condition such as temperature, a quality such as density or colour) which, in respect of a particular entity (e.g., an object, a quantity of a substance, a beam of light) and at a particular instant, is capable of being measured; the variable may change, so that its numerical expression may assume different values at different times, in different conditions or in individual cases, but may be constant in respect of a particular entity in certain conditions or for practical purposes (e.g., the length of a bar may be regarded as constant for many purposes).
  2. Attention is drawn to the definitions of terms or expressions used, appearing in the notes of several of the classes in this section, in particular those of "measuring" in class G01 and "control" and "regulation" in class G05.
  3. Classification in this section may present more difficulty than in other sections, because the distinction between different fields of use rests to a considerable extent on differences in the intention of the user rather than on any constructional differences or differences in the manner of use, and because the subjects dealt with are often in effect systems or combinations, which have features or parts in common, rather than "things", which are readily distinguishable as a whole. For example, information (e.g., a set of figures) may be displayed for the purpose of education or advertising (G09), for enabling the result of a measurement to be known (G01), for signalling the information to a distant point or for giving information which has been signalled from a distant point (G08). The words used to describe the purpose depend on features that may be irrelevant to the form of the apparatus concerned, for example, such features as the desired effect on the person who sees the display, or whether the display is controlled from a remote point. Again, a device which responds to some change in a condition, e.g., in the pressure of a fluid, may be used, without modification of the device itself, to give information about the pressure (G01L) or about some other condition linked to the pressure (another subclass of class G01, e.g., G01K for temperature), to make a record of the pressure or of its occurrence (G07C), to give an alarm (G08B), or to control another apparatus (G05).

    The classification scheme is intended to enable things of a similar nature (as indicated above) to be classified together. It is therefore particularly necessary for the real nature of any technical subject to be decided before it can be properly classified.

  
INSTRUMENTS
 G01
MEASURING (counting G06M); TESTING
 G01

Note(s)

  1. This class covers, in addition to "true" measuring instruments, other indicating or recording devices of analogous construction, and also signalling or control devices insofar as they are concerned with measurement (as defined in Note 2 below) and are not specially adapted to the particular purpose of signalling or control.
  2. In this class, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
    • "measuring" is used to cover considerably more than its primary or basic meaning. In this primary sense, it means finding a numerical expression of the value of a variable in relation to a unit or datum or to another variable of the same nature, e.g. expressing a length in terms of another length as in measuring a length with a scale; the value may be obtained directly (as just suggested) or by measuring some other variable of which the value can be related to the value of the required variable, as in measuring a change in temperature by measuring a resultant change in the length of a column of mercury. However, since the same device or instrument may, instead of giving an immediate indication, be used to produce a record or to initiate a signal to produce an indication or control effect, or may be used in combination with other devices or instruments to give a conjoint result from measurement of two or more variables of the same or different kinds, it is necessary to interpret "measuring" as including also any operation that would make it possible to obtain such a numerical expression by the additional use of some way of converting a value into figures. Thus the expression in figures may be actually made by a digital presentation or by reading a scale, or an indication of it may be given without the use of figures, e.g. by some perceptible feature (variable) of the entity (e.g. object, substance, beam of light) of which the variable being measured is a property or condition or by an analogue of such a feature (e.g. the corresponding position of a member without any scale, a corresponding voltage generated in some way). In many cases there is no such value indication but only an indication of difference or equality in relation to a standard or datum (of which the value may or may not be known in figures); the standard or datum may be the value of another variable of the same nature but of a different entity (e.g. a standard measure) or of the same entity at a different time.

      In its simplest form, measurement may give merely an indication of presence or absence of a certain condition or quality, e.g. movement (in any direction or in a particular direction), or whether a variable exceeds a predetermined value.

  3. Attention is drawn to the Notes following the titles of class B81 and subclass B81B relating to "micro-structural devices" and "micro-structural systems" and the Notes following the title of subclass B82B relating to "nano-structures". [7]
  4. Attention is drawn to the Notes following the title of section G, especially as regards the definition of the term "variable".
  5. In many measuring arrangements, a first variable to be measured is transformed into a second, or further, variables. The second, or further, variables may be (a) a condition related to the first variable and produced in a member, or (b) a displacement of a member. Further transformation may be needed.  [6]

    When classifying such an arrangement, (i) the transformation step, or each transformation step, that is of interest is classified, or (ii) if interest lies only in the system as a whole, the first variable is classified in the appropriate place.  [6]

    This is particularly important where two or more conversions take place, for instance where a first variable, for example pressure, is transformed into a second variable, for example an optical property of a sensing body, and that second variable is expressed by means of a third variable, for example an electric effect. In such a case, the following classification places should be considered: the place for the transformation of the first variable, that for sensing the condition caused by that variable, subclass G01D for expression of the measurement, and finally the place for the overall system, if any.  [6]

  6. The measurement of change in the value of a physical property is classified in the same subclass as the measurement of that physical property, e.g. measurement of expansion of length is classified in subclass G01B.
 G01V
GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (detecting or locating foreign bodies for diagnostic, surgical or person-identification purposes A61B; means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B 29/00; investigating or analysing earth materials by determining their chemical or physical properties G01N; measuring electric or magnetic variables in general, other than direction or magnitude of the earth's field G01R; magnetic resonance arrangements in general G01R 33/20)  [4,6]
 G01V

Note(s)

  1. This subclass covers radar, sonar, lidar or analogous systems specifically designed for geophysical use. Radar, sonar, lidar or analogous systems, or details of such systems, if of a general interest, are also classified in subclass G01S.  [6]
  2. In this subclass, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:  [6]
    • "tags" means arrangements cooperating with a detecting field, e.g. near field, and designed to produce a specific detectable effect; "tags" also means active markers capable of generating a detectable field.  [6]
  3. In this subclass, the geophysical methods apply both to the earth and to other celestial objects, e.g. planets.
  4. Attention is drawn to the Notes following the title of class G01.
 G01V
Subclass index
APPARATUS OR METHODS OF PROSPECTING OR DETECTING
Seismic or acoustic 1/00
Electric, magnetic; by nuclear radiation; gravimetric; by optical means 3/00; 5/00; 7/00; 8/00
Others or combined 9/00, 11/00
Detection using tags 15/00
MEASURING FIELDS
Magnetic; gravitational 3/00; 7/00
MANUFACTURING, CALIBRATING, MAINTENANCE 13/00
P:20 G01V 1/00
Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
 G01V 1/02
·  Generating seismic energy (blasting in general F42; nuclear explosives G21J)
 G01V 1/16
·  Receiving elements for seismic signals (measuring vibrations G01H; measuring acceleration or shock G01P; microphones or like acoustic electromechanical transducers H04R); Arrangements or adaptations of receiving elements
 G01V 1/22
·  Transmitting seismic signals to recording or processing apparatus (signal-transmitting systems in general G08C; electric transmission systems H04B)
 G01V 1/28
·  Processing seismic data, e.g. analysis, for interpretation, for correction (G01V 1/40 takes precedence)  [6]
 G01V 1/38
·  specially adapted for water-covered areas (G01V 1/28 takes precedence)
 G01V 1/40
·  specially adapted for well-logging
P:40 G01V 3/00
Electric or magnetic prospecting or detecting (by optical means G01V 8/00); Measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth, e.g. declination, deviation (for navigation, for surveying G01C)  [2,4]
 G01V 3/02 - 
G01V 3/14

Note(s)

Groups G01V 3/15-G01V 3/18 take precedence over groups G01V 3/02-G01V 3/14[3]

 G01V 3/02
·  operating with propagation of electric current
 G01V 3/08
·  operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices (with electromagnetic waves G01V 3/12; measuring the magnetic field characteristics of the earth G01V 3/40)
 G01V 3/10
·  ·  using induction coils
 G01V 3/12
·  operating with electromagnetic waves
 G01V 3/14
·  operating with electron or nuclear magnetic resonance
 G01V 3/15
·  specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat  [3]
 G01V 3/18
·  specially adapted for well-logging
 G01V 3/38
·  Processing data, e.g. for analysis, for interpretation, for correction (computing in general G06)  [3]
 G01V 3/40
·  specially adapted for measuring magnetic field characteristics of the earth  [3]
P:10 G01V 5/00
Prospecting or detecting by the use of nuclear radiation, e.g. of natural or induced radioactivity (determining the properties of materials G01N; measuring nuclear radiation G01T)
P:50 G01V 7/00
Measuring gravitational fields or waves; Gravimetric prospecting or detecting
P:30 G01V 8/00
Prospecting or detecting by optical means (photogrammetry or videogrammetry G01C 11/00; measurement of characteristics of light G01J; optical scanning systems G02B 26/10; discharge tubes detecting the presence of radiation H01J 40/00, H01J 47/00; semiconductor devices sensitive to light H01L 31/00)  [6]
 G01V 8/00

Note(s)

This group covers the use of infra-red, visible or ultra-violet light.  [6]

 G01V 8/10
·  Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers (by reflection from the object G01S 17/00; counting of objects carried by a conveyer G06M 7/00; signalling or calling arrangements G08B; detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G 1/01; proximity switches H03K 17/94)  [6]
 G01V 8/12
·  ·  using one transmitter and one receiver  [6]
P:60 G01V 9/00
Prospecting or detecting by methods not provided for in groups G01V 1/00-G01V 8/00  [6]
P:0 G01V 11/00
Prospecting or detecting by methods combining techniques covered by two or more of main groups G01V 1/00-G01V 9/00
P:80 G01V 13/00
Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices covered by groups G01V 1/00-G01V 11/00
P:70 G01V 15/00
Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object (record carriers for use with machines G06K 19/00; signs, labels G09F)  [6]
 G01V 15/00

Note(s)

This group does not cover detectors or detection methods, e.g. methods in which the object to be detected produces or modifies magnetic or electric fields, which are covered elsewhere, e.g. in group G01V 3/00.  [6]