H
SECTION H — ELECTRICITY
 H

Note(s)

These Notes cover the basic principles and general instructions for use of section H.

  1. Section H covers:
    1. basic electric elements, which cover all electric units and the general mechanical structure of apparatus and circuits, including the assembly of various basic elements into what are called printed circuits and also cover to a certain extent the manufacture of these elements (when not covered elsewhere);
    2. generation of electricity, which covers the generation, conversion and distribution of electricity together with the controlling of the corresponding gear;
    3. applied electricity, which covers:
      1. general utilisation techniques, viz. those of electric heating and electric lighting circuits;
      2. some special utilisation techniques, either electric or electronic in the strict sense, which are not covered by other sections of the Classification, including:
        1. electric light sources, including lasers;
        2. electric X-ray technique;
        3. electric plasma technique and the generation and acceleration of electrically charged particles or neutrons;
    4. basic electronic circuits and their control;
    5. radio or electric communication technique;
    6. the use of a specified material for the manufacture of the article or element described. In this connection, paragraphs 88 to 90 of the Guide should be referred to.
  2. In this section, the following general rules apply:
    1. Subject to the exceptions stated in I(c), above, any electric aspect or part peculiar to a particular operation, process, apparatus, object or article, classified in one of the sections of the Classification other than section H, is always classified in the subclass for that operation, process, apparatus, object or article. Where common characteristics concerning technical subjects of similar nature have been brought out at class level, the electric aspect or part is classified, in conjunction with the operation, process, apparatus, object or article, in a subclass which covers entirely the general electrical applications for the technical subject in question;
    2. The electrical applications referred to under (a), above, either general or particular, include:
      1. the therapeutic processes and apparatus, in class A61;
      2. the electric processes and apparatus used in various laboratory or industrial operations, in classes B01 and B03 and in subclass B23K;
      3. the electricity supply, electric propulsion and electric lighting of vehicles in general and of particular vehicles, in the subsection "Transporting" of section B;
      4. the electric ignition systems of internal-combustion engines, in subclass F02P, and of combustion apparatus in general, in subclass F23Q;
      5. the whole electrical part of section G, i.e. measuring devices including apparatus for measuring electric variables, checking, signalling and calculating. Electricity in that section is generally dealt with as a means and not as an end in itself;
    3. All electrical applications, both general and particular, presuppose that the "basic electricity" aspect appears in section H (see I(a) above) as regards the electric "basic elements" which they comprise. This rule is also valid for applied electricity, referred to in I(c), above, which appears in section H itself.
  3. In this section, the following special cases occur:
    1. Among the general applications covered by sections other than section H, it is worth noting that electric heating in general is covered by subclasses F24D or F24H or class F27, and that electric lighting in general is partly covered by class F21, since in section H (see I(c), above) there are places in H05B which cover the same technical subjects;
    2. In the two cases referred to under (a), above, the subclasses of section F, which deal with the respective subjects, essentially cover in the first place the whole mechanical aspect of the apparatus or devices, whereas the electrical aspect, as such, is covered by subclass H05B;
    3. In the case of lighting, this mechanical aspect should be taken to cover the material arrangement of the various electric elements, i.e., their geometrical or physical position in relation to one another; this aspect is covered by subclass F21V, the elements themselves and the primary circuits remaining in section H. The same applies to electric light sources, when combined with light sources of a different kind. These are covered by subclass H05B, whereas the physical arrangement which their combination constitutes is covered by the various subclasses of class F21;
    4. As regards heating, not only the electric elements and circuitry designs, as such, are covered by subclass H05B, but also the electric aspects of their arrangement, where these concern cases of general application; electric furnaces being considered as such. The physical disposition of the electric elements in furnaces is covered by section F. If a comparison is made with electric welding circuits, which are covered by subclass B23K in connection with welding, it can be seen that electric heating is not covered by the general rule stated in II, above.

 H03
BASIC ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
 H03K
PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; mechanical counters having an electrical input G06M; information storage devices in general G11; sample-and-hold arrangements in electric analogue stores G11C 27/00; construction of switches involving contact making and breaking for generation of pulses, e.g. by using a moving magnet, H01H; static conversion of electric power H02M; generation of oscillations by circuits employing active elements which operate in a non-switching manner H03B; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C, H04L; discriminator circuits involving pulse counting H03D; automatic control of generators H03L; starting, synchronisation, or stabilisation of generators where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M)  [4]
 H03K

Note(s)

  1. This subclass covers:
    • methods, circuits, devices, or apparatus using active elements operating in a discontinuous or switching manner for generating, counting, amplifying, shaping, modulating, demodulating, or otherwise manipulating signals;
    • electronic switching not involving contact-making and braking;
    • logic circuits handling electric pulses.
  2. In this subclass, the following expression is used with the meaning indicated:
    • "active element" exercises control over the conversion of input energy into an oscillation or a discontinuous flow of energy.
  3. In this subclass, where the claims of a patent document are not limited to a specific circuit element, the document is classified at least according to the elements used in the described embodiment.  [6]
 H03K
Subclass index
GENERATING PULSES
Circuits; with finite slope or stepped portions 3/00; 4/00
PRODUCING PULSES FROM SINEWAVES 12/00
MANIPULATING PULSES OTHER THAN WHEN COUNTING
Modulating; demodulating; transfer 7/00; 9/00; 11/00
Other 5/00, 6/00
PULSE COUNTERS, FREQUENCY DIVIDERS
With counting chains; with integration; with a closed loop; with multistable elements 23/00; 25/00; 27/00; 29/00
Details 21/00
SPECIAL APPLICATIONS
Electronic switching; logic circuits 17/00; 19/00
P:120 H03K 3/00
Circuits for generating electric pulses; Monostable, bistable or multistable circuits (H03K 4/00 takes precedence; for digital computers G06F 1/02)  [5]
P:110 H03K 4/00
Generating pulses having essentially a finite slope or stepped portions (generation of supply voltages from deflection waveforms H04N 3/18)
P:40 H03K 5/00
Manipulating pulses not covered by one of the other main groups in this subclass (circuits with regenerative action H03K 3/00, H03K 4/00; by the use of non-linear magnetic or dielectric devices H03K 3/00)
 H03K 5/00

Note(s)

In this group, the input signals are of the pulse type.  [3]

 H03K 5/003
·  Changing the DC level (television signals H04N 3/00)  [6]
 H03K 5/007
·  ·  Base line stabilisation (thresholding H03K 5/08)  [6]
 H03K 5/01
·  Shaping pulses (discrimination against noise or interference H03K 5/125)
 H03K 5/02
·  ·  by amplifying (H03K 5/04 takes precedence; wide-band amplifiers in general H03F)
 H03K 5/04
·  ·  by increasing duration; by decreasing duration
 H03K 5/08
·  ·  by limiting, by thresholding, by slicing, i.e. combined limiting and thresholding (H03K 5/04 takes precedence; comparing one pulse with another H03K 5/22; providing a determined threshold for switching H03K 17/30)  [3]
 H03K 5/125
·  Discriminating pulses (measuring or indicating G01R 19/00, G01R 23/00, G01R 25/00, G01R 29/00; separation of synchronising signals in television systems H04N 5/08)  [6]
 H03K 5/13
·  Arrangements having a single output and transforming input signals into pulses delivered at desired time intervals
 H03K 5/135
·  ·  by the use of time reference signals, e.g. clock signals  [3]
 H03K 5/14
·  ·  by the use of delay lines  [3]
 H03K 5/145
·  ·  by the use of resonant circuits  [3]
 H03K 5/15
·  Arrangements in which pulses are delivered at different times at several outputs, i.e. pulse distributors (distributing, switching, or gating arrangements H03K 17/00)  [2]
 H03K 5/153
·  Arrangements in which a pulse is delivered at the instant when a predetermined characteristic of an input signal is present or at a fixed time interval after this instant (switching at zero crossing H03K 17/13)
 H03K 5/156
·  Arrangements in which a continuous pulse train is transformed into a train having a desired pattern
 H03K 5/159
·  Applications of delay lines not covered by the preceding subgroups
 H03K 5/19
·  Monitoring patterns of pulse trains (indicating amplitude G01R 19/00; indicating frequency G01R 23/00; measuring characteristics of individual pulses G01R 29/02)  [3]
 H03K 5/22
·  Circuits having more than one input and one output for comparing pulses or pulse trains with each other according to input signal characteristics, e.g. slope, integral (indicating phase difference of two cyclic pulse trains G01R 25/00)  [3]
P:30 H03K 6/00
Manipulating pulses having a finite slope and not covered by one of the other main groups of this subclass (circuits with regenerative action H03K 4/00)
 H03K 6/00

Note(s)

In this group, the input signals are of the pulse type.  [3]

P:20 H03K 7/00
Modulating pulses with a continuously-variable modulating signal
P:10 H03K 9/00
Demodulating pulses which have been modulated with a continuously-variable signal
P:0 H03K 11/00
Transforming types of modulation, e.g. position-modulated pulses into duration-modulated pulses
P:100 H03K 12/00
Producing pulses by distorting or combining sinusoidal waveforms (shaping pulses H03K 5/01; combining sinewaves using elements operating in a non-switching manner H03B)  [3]
P:140 H03K 17/00
Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and -breaking (selection of the stylus or auxiliary electrode in electric printing B41J 2/39; sample-and-hold arrangements G11C 27/00; switching or interrupting devices in waveguides H01P; gated amplifiers H03F 3/72; switching arrangements for exchange systems using static devices H04Q 3/52)
 H03K 17/04
·  Modifications for accelerating switching  [3]
 H03K 17/06
·  Modifications for ensuring a fully conducting state  [3]
 H03K 17/08
·  Modifications for protecting switching circuit against overcurrent or overvoltage  [3]
 H03K 17/082
·  ·  by feedback from the output to the control circuit  [6]
 H03K 17/10
·  Modifications for increasing the maximum permissible switched voltage  [3]
 H03K 17/12
·  Modifications for increasing the maximum permissible switched current  [3]
 H03K 17/13
·  Modifications for switching at zero crossing (generating an impulse at zero crossing H03K 5/153)  [3]
 H03K 17/14
·  Modifications for compensating variations of physical values, e.g. of temperature  [3]
 H03K 17/16
·  Modifications for eliminating interference voltages or currents  [3]
 H03K 17/18
·  Modifications for indicating state of switch  [3]
 H03K 17/20
·  Modifications for resetting core switching units to a predetermined state  [3]
 H03K 17/22
·  Modifications for ensuring a predetermined initial state when the supply voltage has been applied (bi-stable generators H03K 3/00)  [3]
 H03K 17/26
·  Modifications for temporary blocking after receipt of control pulses  [3]
 H03K 17/28
·  Modifications for introducing a time delay before switching (modifications to provide a choice of time-intervals for executing more than one switching action H03K 17/296)  [3]
 H03K 17/296
·  Modifications to provide a choice of time-intervals for executing more than one switching action and automatically terminating their operation after the programme is completed (electronic clocks comprising means to be operated at preselected times or after preselected time-intervals G04G 15/00)  [3]
 H03K 17/30
·  Modifications for providing a predetermined threshold before switching (shaping pulses by thresholding H03K 5/08)  [3]
 H03K 17/51
·  characterised by the use of specified components (H03K 17/04-H03K 17/30, H03K 17/94 take precedence)  [3]
 H03K 17/56
·  ·  by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices (using diodes H03K 17/51)  [3]
 H03K 17/60
·  ·  ·  the devices being bipolar transistors (bipolar transistors having four or more electrodes H03K 17/72)  [3]
 H03K 17/62
·  ·  ·  ·  Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors (logic circuits H03K 19/00; code converters H03M 5/00, H03M 7/00)  [3]
 H03K 17/687
·  ·  ·  the devices being field-effect transistors  [3]
 H03K 17/689
·  ·  ·  ·  with galvanic isolation between the control circuit and the output circuit (H03K 17/78 takes precedence)  [5]
 H03K 17/693
·  ·  ·  ·  Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors (logic circuits H03K 19/00; code converters H03M 5/00, H03M 7/00)  [3]
 H03K 17/695
·  ·  ·  ·  having inductive loads (protecting switching circuit against inductive flyback voltage H03K 17/08)  [6]
 H03K 17/72
·  ·  ·  Bipolar semiconductor devices with more than two PN junctions, e.g. thyristors, programmable unijunction transistors, or with more than three electrodes, e.g. silicon controlled switches, or with more than one electrode connected to the same conductivity region, e.g. unijunction transistors  [3]
 H03K 17/78
·  ·  by the use, as active elements, of opto-electronic devices, i.e. light-emitting and photoelectric devices electrically- or optically-coupled  [3]
 H03K 17/785
·  ·  ·  controlling field-effect transistor switches  [5]
 H03K 17/79
·  ·  ·  controlling semiconductor switches with more than two PN-junctions, or more than three electrodes, or more than one electrode connected to the same conductivity region  [5]
 H03K 17/795
·  ·  ·  controlling bipolar transistors  [5]
 H03K 17/94
·  characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated (mechanical structural details of control members of switches or keyboards, such as keys, push-buttons, levers or other mechanisms for transferring force to the activated elements, not directly producing electronic effects H01H; keyboards for special applications, see the relevant places, e.g. B41J, G06F 3/023, H04L 15/00, H04L 17/00, H04M 1/00)  [3,4]
P:130 H03K 19/00
Logic circuits, i.e. having at least two inputs acting on one output (circuits for computer systems using fuzzy logic G06N 7/00); Inverting circuits
 H03K 19/003
·  Modifications for increasing the reliability  [3]
 H03K 19/007
·  Fail-safe circuits  [3]
 H03K 19/01
·  Modifications for accelerating switching  [3]
 H03K 19/0175
·  Coupling arrangements; Interface arrangements (interface arrangements for digital computers G06F 3/00, G06F 13/00)  [5]
 H03K 19/018
·  ·  using bipolar transistors only  [5]
 H03K 19/0185
·  ·  using field-effect transistors only  [5]
 H03K 19/02
·  using specified components (H03K 19/003-H03K 19/0175 take precedence)  [3,5]
 H03K 19/08
·  ·  using semiconductor devices (H03K 19/173 takes precedence; wherein the semiconductor devices are only diode rectifiers H03K 19/12)  [3]
 H03K 19/082
·  ·  ·  using bipolar transistors  [3]
 H03K 19/086
·  ·  ·  ·  Emitter coupled logic  [3]
 H03K 19/094
·  ·  ·  using field-effect transistors  [3]
 H03K 19/0944
·  ·  ·  ·  using MOSFET (H03K 19/096 takes precedence)  [5]
 H03K 19/0948
·  ·  ·  ·  ·  using CMOS  [5]
 H03K 19/0952
·  ·  ·  ·  using Schottky type FET (H03K 19/096 takes precedence)  [5]
 H03K 19/096
·  ·  ·  ·  Synchronous circuits, i.e. using clock signals  [3]
 H03K 19/12
·  ·  using diode rectifiers
 H03K 19/173
·  ·  using elementary logic circuits as components  [3]
 H03K 19/177
·  ·  ·  arranged in matrix form  [3]
 H03K 19/20
·  characterised by logic function, e.g. AND, OR, NOR, NOT circuits (H03K 19/003-H03K 19/01 take precedence)
P:90 H03K 21/00
Details of pulse counters or frequency dividers
P:70 H03K 23/00
Pulse counters comprising counting chains; Frequency dividers comprising counting chains (H03K 29/00 takes precedence)
P:60 H03K 25/00
Pulse counters with step-by-step integration and static storage; Analogous frequency dividers
P:80 H03K 27/00
Pulse counters in which pulses are continuously circulated in a closed loop; Analogous frequency dividers (feedback shift register counters H03K 23/00)  [4]
P:50 H03K 29/00
Pulse counters comprising multi-stable elements, e.g. for ternary scale, for decimal scale; Analogous frequency dividers