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Class 257 - Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diodes)

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2561 Subclasses


Subclasses list

Definition

This class provides for active solid-state electronic devices, that is, electronic devices or components that are made up primarily of solid materials, usually semiconductors, which operate by the movement of charge carriers - electrons or holes - which undergo energy level changes within the material and can modify an input voltage to achieve rectification, amplification, or switching action, and are not classified elsewhere.

SCOPE OF THE CLASS

Active solid-state electronic devices include diodes, transistors, thyristors, etc., but exclude pure resistors, capacitors, inductors, or combinations solely thereof. The latter class of devices is characterized as passive.

The subject matter to be found here includes only active solid-state devices, per se. It may include one or more such devices combined with contacts or leads, or structures configured to be tested on a semiconductor chip, or merely semiconductor material without contacts or leads where the sole disclosed use is an active solid-state device. This subject matter does not include active solid-state devices combined with significant circuits.

Claims reciting an integrated circuit nominally with significant metallization will be classified in Class 257, whereas otherwise, nominal recitation of an integrated circuit (i.e., without significant active solid-state device recitation) will not be sufficient to permit the device to be classified in Class 257.

KEY CONCEPTS

See Subclass References to the Current Class, below, for references that relate to key concepts and terms found in Class 257. An indication that a particular concept or term occurs in one or more subclasses does not mean that the indicated subclass or subclasses are the only places that subject matter may be found. That subject matter may possibly be found elsewhere in Class 257 listed under a related term or concept that may be broader or narrower or of the same scope.

OTHER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS

Each subclass definition may contain an OTHER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMS listing that is to be used for informational purposes only. These classification listings may change at any time after their publication and are therefore not guaranteed to be current. In addition, the classification listing does not necessarily indicate the sole relationship between the U.S. Patent Classification System and foreign classifications. Even where a single classification is listed for a single U.S. subclass, a one-to-one correlation should not be inferred. As a result, information contained therein is considered to be only a guide to related subject matter.

Lines with other classes and within this class

A. Classes related to Class 257 subject matter in the sense that they employ active solid-state devices in electronic circuits and the relationship of these classes to Class 257 is mainly that of a combination to a subcombination or of a genus to a specie. See References to Other Classes, below, referencing this section.

B. Classes related to Class 257 subject matter in the sense that they employ active solid-state devices in electronic circuits and the use of active solid-state electronic devices primarily as a perfecting feature. See References to Other Classes, below, referencing this section.

C. See References to Other Classes below for classes that provide for materials used in active solid-state electronic devices.

D. See References to Other Classes, below, for classes related to Class 257 because they provide for methods of making, cleaning, coating, etc., active solid-state devices, e.g., Class 438, Semiconductor Device Manufacturing: Process.

E. See References to Other Classes, below, for Classes related to Class 257 because they provide for active solid-state electronic devices structures with a specified use, e.g., Class 136, Batteries: Thermoelectric and Photoelectric.

F. See References to Other Classes, below, for classes providing for provide for subcombination subject matter that can be used as component part of active solid-state electronic devices (e.g., lead frames) or perfect the device (e.g., a heat sink).

G. Classes which provide for passive solid-state electronic devices with names that may refer to either active or passive solid-state electronic devices, e.g., coherers, varistors, varactors. luminescent or electroluminescent devices. The devices may be part of the main subject matter of the class or may be used as circuit elements in circuits or control or measuring systems which form the main subject matter of the class.

See References to Other Classes, below, referencing this section.
 
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