Everyone dreams of building their business across borders. Entrepreneurs aim to attain worldwide recognition of our brand. Gaining goodwill and reputation for your brand on a national level itself may seem difficult. But, gaining prominence and protecting the brand on an international level may sound far-fetched. Thanks to our World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) that perpetually comes up with measures to protect the intellectual property rights of people across the world.
The Vienna code classification is one such International system to classify the symbolic elements in a mark. This classification helps businesses to ease the process of protecting their brand at an international level. This lucid and unique classification simplifies trademark searches. Furthermore, it reduces the need for reclassification of marks when they are introduced in a new country.
The member countries of the Vienna Agreement use this classification as a principal or subsidiary system of marks classification. This elaborate system of classification is so detailed that it has few elements in each division and section. This, in turn, makes it easy to identify the aspects while anticipation searching.
This system of classification is of great use to companies when they are in the process of creating their brand logo. This classification enables one to search through millions of trademarked figures available worldwide quickly.
Moreover, the countries should maintain documents such as entries in the register, publication of registrations, and renewal certificates relating to categories, sections, and divisions of the classification of marks.
The essence of the Vienna classification
This system is hierarchical, starting from a general category and moving to specific divisions and sections. There are two types of sections, namely, auxiliary and main section. The auxiliary section carries figurative elements that are already included in the main section but will come in handy during a search. The system also contains an explanatory notes section at appropriate places.
Besides, the classification follows a numerical coding system. The number of sections and divisions will vary based on the categories of the elements. Generally, the first number will range from 1 to 29, denoting a group, and the second number will vary from 1 to 19 denoting a division. Meanwhile, the third number will vary from 1 to 30, indicating a section.
The classification has also pro-actively left few numbers empty, facilitating one to introduce new divisions or sections later.
Vienna Classification Assistant
To make our trademarking process convenient and straightforward, WIPO has come up with an Artificial Intelligence-based tool, to help us easily classify trademarks based on the Vienna classification system.
All we have to do is upload the image of the mark. Now, the user-friendly AI assistant will guide us through the selection steps. Initially, the tool displays the main categories. Furthermore, it also highlights the relevant categories and gives a rating of their relevancy. This will enable the user to classify the mark quickly. The Vienna assistant also provides options for choosing the divisions and sections relevant to the mark. Moreover, if the user selects an auxiliary section, the tool will remind the user to select at least one principal section.
Tutorials on the unique features such as auto-selection, crop options are available on the help menu of the Assistant. WIPO provides this excellent tool free of cost on its website. You can check out the Vienna Virtual Assistant tool here.
Besides, WIPO has organized a webinar to enlighten everyone on the aspects of this tool on 12 August 2020. You can register for this session here.
WIPO continues to surprise us with their untiring efforts to make the process of protecting our intellectual property simple. The WIPO Vienna Classification Assistant is a noteworthy step towards simplifying the trademark classification and search process.
