For beginners in research, creating a research population from the content of the research is a barrier.This is because the information you want and the background are different for each search, so the "how to make" the population changes each time.
　However, there are some common "thoughts" in creating a population.Therefore, this time, assuming a pre-application search, which is the basis of the search, I would like to describe the process up to the creation of the search population and the "idea" that I wanted to know when I was a beginner.

XNUMX. XNUMX.Purpose of creating a population

　It is difficult to investigate all existing gazettes.Therefore, it is necessary to create a population = population that narrows down the publications to be investigated.Therefore, when creating a population, the validity of "quantity" and "quality" is required.
　"Quality" is hard to imagine for "quantity", but one is "client satisfaction". "Client satisfaction" includes "cost-effectiveness", and "recall rate" and "adaptation rate" are also searched in a population that meets the purpose of the search.

Recall	Percentage of all publications that meet the research objectives that could be included in the population (Example) When the number of publications that meet the research purpose that exists in all publications is 1000, and 500 of them can be included in the population. → Recall rate is 50%
Compliance rate	Percentage of the population that includes publications that match the purpose of the search (Example) When the number of cases in the population is 100 and 60 of them are publications suitable for the purpose of the search. → Compliance rate is 60%

XNUMX. XNUMX.Factors involved in population creation

　In creating the population, we will consider the following three elements.

• Search concept
• Keywords and patent classification
• Search formula

I will explain these along the flow of population creation.

XNUMX. XNUMX.Search concept

　Here, the "search concept" is defined as the policy for formulating a search formula, which summarizes the elements necessary for the search based on the contents of the search.The extent to which you consider "elements necessary for research" depends on the research content and the searcher, but I use "content that summarizes what it is like within 3 seconds" as a guide.

Example)

[Claim 1] (A) ●● 5 to 80 parts by mass of monomer, (b) XX monomer 10 to 92 parts by mass, (c) △△ monomer 0.1 to 10 parts by mass, polymerized with surfactant A coating composition comprising a polymer emulsion composition.

In the case of such a claim,
"Paint (e) using monomer (a), monomer (b), monomer (c), and surfactant (d)"
It is summarized as.

If you create a search concept from it, it looks like this:

Monomer (a) * Monomer (b) * Monomer (c) * Surfactant (d) * Paint (e)

　Next, we will identify the features that should be emphasized in the search.
　The purpose of checking the feature points is to determine the importance and usage priority of the elements.As a result, search formulas using classifications and keywords with a high degree of technical matching can be narrowed down, and those with a low degree of technical matching can be narrowed down to create a search formula. This is because it is possible to create an appropriate population for both "adaptation rate" = "quality" and population number = "quantity".

　One example of the feature point is the part corresponding to XX of "By being XX, the problem can be solved (a difference from other inventions is created)".

Monomer (a) * Monomer (b) * Monomer (c) * Surfactant (d) * Paint (e) 　　　　　　　　 ↑ Monomer (b)By containing Water resistance Excellent

　Regarding each of the other factors, if you confirm the importance in the search and the priority of each, "5.It is useful in "search formula".

XNUMX.Keywords and patent classification

　Keywords and patent classifications represent the elements clarified by the search concept ((a) to (e) above) and serve as materials for the search formula.Similar to Web search, keywords mechanically hit publications that include the entered character string itself, but patent classification is given by humans judging the content of the publication.For this reason, keywords and patent classifications have complementary characteristics.Each has the following features.

·keyword

[○]
Easy to search for elements with high noun specificity

[×]
・ Noise such as homonyms may increase.
・ Even if the notation is slightly different, it will leak from the population.
-Not suitable for components that are difficult to express in words, such as the positional relationship between layers of a laminated body.
な ど

・ Patent classification

[○]
-Since the patent classification is given by human judgment of the content of the publication, it can cover noise such as homonyms, fluctuations in notation, and elements that are difficult to express in words.

[×]
・ There may be no patent classification that corresponds to the element.
・ Because it is given by humans, there is a possibility that the grant may be omitted or incorrect.

　Also, IPC and FI are given to the subject of the invention, while F-term is given to the characteristics of the invention.If the element you are looking for is difficult to describe in the title, summary, or claim of the gazette, the patent classification based on that element may be only F-term, so when using it, check the compatibility between the characteristics of the classification and the element you are looking for. You need to consider.

　For keywords and patent classification, see "3.If you check the importance (priority of use) like "Search concept", the following "5.It is useful in "search formula".

XNUMX.Search formula

　Create a search formula using keywords and patent classifications according to the "search concept" organized so far.
　The reason for creating a population by search formula is that it is difficult to peer-review all the publications published in the search.For this reason as well, create a "dense search formula" that faithfully expresses the search concept and collect publications that are close to the search target, and gradually expand the range of the population to create a population that suits the purpose. It becomes easier to control for.And for control, "3.Search concept ”and“ 4.The importance of the elements confirmed in "Keywords and search formulas" will be helpful.Based on this, consider which elements to expand to what extent to search.

There are the following control methods.

範 囲	narrow		wide
Keywords, patent classification	The element itself	<	Superordinate concept
Search range	TAC (Invention name, abstract, claims)	<	Full text
-Search symbol-
① Four arithmetic operations	* (And)	<	＋ (or)
② Neighborhood search	use	<	do not use

* For information on how to use keywords and search in the neighborhood, see "Keyword search techniques and ideasPlease refer to.

　Also, if you really want to find a specific element, you may dare to remove that element to create a search formula.Not using an element in a search expression does not mean not finding it.There is no limit = This is because it means the state where you can search the widest.

XNUMX.Summary

[Purpose of population creation]
Creating a population where "quantity" and "quality" are reasonable

[Flow of population creation]

Understand the search content and search purpose, and create a search concept	・ ・ ・ Get the blueprint
↓
Patent classification, keyword selection	・ ・ ・ Prepare the ingredients
↓
Based on the search concept, create a search formula using patent classification and keywords, and create a population suitable for the search.	・ ・ ・ Assemble

　That's the "idea" I wanted to know when I was a beginner.I hope it will be a stepping stone in creating a population.

Research Division Sakamoto