Description
This is the residual home for subject matter, notelsewhere classified, relating to communication by means whichare in part or in whole electrical.
Communications is defined, for the purpose of thisdefinition, as being the handling of information or intelligenceand is not restricted to the conveying of said information or intelligencebetween geographically spaced points. (Thus, atraffic obstruction light which merely marks a safety island isa means for communicating information or intelligence, viz., thefact of the presence of the traffic island).
Information or intelligence is defined, for the purposeof this definition, as being the subject matter which ishandled by signaling systems or signaling devices (suchas telegraph systems) or by that portion of nonsignaling systemsor nonsignaling devices (such as power supply systems) whichis designated in the arts as having a control function (suchas the supervisory circuits which control the circuit breakers ofan electric power network).
Handling, as used above, is defined as beingthe active coaction between the tangible communication system or deviceand the intangible information or intelligence, and suchcoaction may assume various forms, such as transmission, storage, exhibiting, etc.
(1)Note. Since Class 340 takes, under the class definition, onlythose electrical communication systems which are not elsewhere classified, thesearch, in order to be complete, must, inappropriate instances, extend elsewhere. See LinesWith Other Classes, below.
(2)Note. The combination of the subject matter of thisclass (340) and art environment is generally classifiedwith the art environment where that environment is significant, eitherby virtue of a significant disclosed relationship or by virtue ofa claimed relationship. Where the art environment is recitedby name only, the combination may be classified, insome instances, with the art environment, andin others, in this class (340). Fora list of some of the other classes which contain pertinent subjectmatter, see the classes referred to under SEARCH CLASS.
(3)Note. This classification was produced in 1952 bymaking official the unofficial digests which had been establishedby the Examiners of Division 42 during the period from about 1910to about 1942. A caveat is given: While it isbelieved that the titles and definitions are reasonably correct, noassurance can be given that all of the patents, issuedprior to the date of reclassification, are in the propersubclass, since the individual patents were not read duringthe reclassification project. Consequently, inmaking a thorough search in this class, it is advisableto investigate every subclass which may possibly be pertinent andnot, in order to shorten the search, to rely onthe principle of superiority of subclass subject matter becauseof position in schedule, since the principle is applicableonly in classes where each patent has been analyzed and placed in theschedule in accordance with that portion of the disclosed subjectmatter which is claimed.