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1851 Identification of Patent Documents [R-6] - 1800 Patent Cooperation Treaty
1851 Identification of Patent Documents [R-6]
The examiner, in completing the international search report as well as the written opinion and international preliminary examination report, is required to cite the references in accordance with the provisions of Administrative Instructions Sections 503 and 611 and WIPO Standard ST.14. These sections of the Administrative Instructions require reference citations to include, in addition to other information which is apparent from the forms which the examiner fills out, an indication of the two-letter country code of the country or entity issuing or publishing the document and the standard code for identifying the kind of patent document. The discussion which follows is limited to the identification of patent documents (and nonpatent publications) and a listing of the two-letter country codes for countries or other entities which issue or publish industrial property information.
The standard codes for identifying different kinds of patent documents are found in the "WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation" - WIPO Standard ST.16 which is published by the World Intellectual Property Organization. The listing is extensive. The Special Program Examiners in each Technology Center (TC) have a complete copy of Standard ST.16. It is also accessible on WIPO's web site **>(www.wipo.int/scit/en/standards/standards.htm).< Provided herein is an abbreviated version representing the countries and codes commonly used by the examiner in preparing search reports.
U.S. patents published before January 2, 2001, are Code A documents generally. Beginning with patents published on January 2, 2001, U.S. patents are Code B documents. Patent Application Publications, first published on March 15, 2001, are Code A documents. Reexamination certificates published before January 2, 2001, are Code B documents. Reexamination certificates published on or after January 2, 2001, are Code C documents. Tables providing a complete list of the kind codes of patents and other documents published by the USPTO are included in MPEP § 901.04(a). All nonpatent literature documents are Code N. Numerical designations are sometimes found on published documents along with the letter code designation. These should be used by the examiner only if such numerical designation is on the document. Numerical codes along with letter codes can be found, for example, on certain published patent documents such as the German Offenlegungsschrift and published international applications. If numerical designations are not provided, the examiner should use only the letter code designation.
The most commonly cited documents are patents and published patent applications. A guideline for the citation of such documents is listed below. The listing is indicated in the order in which the elements should be listed.
In the case of a patent or published patent application:
(A) The Office that issued the document, by the two letter code (WIPO Standard ST.3);
(B) The number of the document as given to it by the Office that issued it (for Japanese patent documents the indication of the year of the reign of the Emperor must precede the serial number of the patent document);
(C) The kind of document, by the appropriate symbols as indicated on the document under WIPO Standard ST.16 or, if not indicated on that document, as provided in that Standard, if possible;
(D) The name of the patentee or applicant (in capital letters, where appropriate, abbreviated);
(E) The date of publication of the cited patent document or, in case of a corrected patent document, the date of issuance of the corrected patent document as referred to under INID code (48) of WIPO Standard ST.9 and, if provided on the document, the supplementary correction code as referred to under INID code (15);
(F) Where applicable, the pages, columns, lines or paragraph numbers where the relevant passages appear, or the relevant figures of the drawings.
The following examples illustrate the citation of a patent document as indicated above:
JP 10-105775 A (NCR INTERNATIONAL INC.) 24 April 1998 (24.04.1998) paragraphs 26 to 30.
DE 3744403 A1 (JOSEK, A.) 29 August 1991 (29-08-1991), page 1, abstract.
US 5,635,683 A (MCDERMOTT, R. M. et al.) 03 June 1997 (03/06/1997), column 7, lines 21 to 40.
STANDARD CODE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF PATENT DOCUMENTS
The Code, WIPO Standard ST.16, is subdivided into mutually exclusive groups of letters. The groups characterize patent documents, nonpatent literature documents (N), and restricted documents (X). Groups 1-7 comprise letters enabling identification of documents pertaining to different publication levels.
Group 1 Use for documents resulting from a patent application and being identified as the primary or major series (excluding the utility model documents of Group 2 and the special series of patent documents of Group 3, below) A First publication level B Second publication level C Third publication level
Group 2 Use for utility model documents having a numbering series other than the documents of Group 1 U First publication level Y Second publication level Z Third publication level
Group 3 Use for special series of patent documents M Medicament patent documents (e.g., documents previously published by FR) P Plant patent documents (e.g., published by US) S Design patent documents (e.g., published by US)
Group 4 Use for special types of patent documents or documents derived from/relating to patent applications and not covered by Groups 1 to 3 above, as specified below: L Documents, not covered by letter code W, relating to patent documents and containing bibliographic information and only the text of an abstract and/or claim(s) and, where appropriate, a drawing. R Separately published search reports T Publication, for information or other purposes, of the translation of the whole or part of a patent document already published by another office or organization W Documents relating to utility model documents falling in Group 2 and containing bibliographic information and only the text of an abstract and/or claim(s) and, where appropriate, a drawing
Group 5 Use for series of patent documents not covered by Groups 1 to 4, above E First publication level F Second publication level G Third publication level
Group 6 Use for series of patent documents or documents derived from/relating to patent applications not covered by Groups 1 to 5 above, according to the special requirements of each industrial property office H I
Group 7 Other N Non-patent literature documents X Documents restricted to the internal use of industrial property offices List of Examples of Patent Documents, Previously and Currently Published, or Intended To Be Published, Divided According to Code
CODE: A Patent Documents Identified as Primary or Major Series -- First Publication Level EXAMPLES: Australia Standard or petty patent application Austria Patent application
(Aufgebot)Belgium Brevet d'invention/Uitvindingsoctrooi Belgium Brevet de perfectionnement/Verbeteringsoctrooi Belgium Demande de brevet d'invention/Uitvin dingsoctrooiaanvraag Brazil Pedido de privilégio (Unexamined patent application for invention) Bulgaria Patentna zajavka predostavena za publichna inspektzija (Patent application made available to the public) Canada Patent (prior to October 1, 1989, under previous Patent Act) Canada Patent application laid open to public inspection under amended Patent Act, as of
October 1, 1989)China Patent application
published before the examinationCuba Patent application Czechoslovakia Patent application Czechoslovakia Inventor's certificate application Czech Republic Prihláka Vynálezu (Application for the protection of an invention -- patent) Denmark Almindeligt tilgaengelig patentansøgning Egypt Patent specification European Patent Office Patent application
published with search reportEuropean Patent Office Patent application
published without search reportEuropean Patent Office Separate publication
of the search reportFinland Julkiseksi tullut patenttihakemus-Allmänt tillgänglig patentansökan France Brevet d'invention
(old law)France Brevet d'invention premiére et unique
publicationFrance Certificat d'addition à un brevet d'invention, premiére et unique
publicationFrance Certificat d'utilité, premiére et unique publication France Certificat d'addition à un certificat d'utilité, premiére et unique publication France Demande de brevet d'invention, premiére publication France Demande de certificat d'addition à un brevet d'invention, premiére publication France Demande de certificat d'utilité, premiére publication France Demande de certificat d'addition à un certificat d'utilité, premiére publication Germany Offenlegungsschrift Germany (document published by the Patent Office of the former GDR) Patentschrift (Ausschliessungspatent), patent granted in accordance with paragraph 17.1 of the Patent Law of the former German Democratic Republic of October 27, 1983 Germany (document published by the Patent Office of the former GDR) Patentschrift (Wirtschaftspatent), patent granted in accordance with paragraph 17.1 of the Patent Law of the former German Democratic Republic of October 27, 1983 Greece Diploma evresitechnias Greece Etisi gia Diploma evresitechnias Greece Etisi gia Diploma tropopiisis Hungary Patent application India Patent specification Ireland Patent specification Israel Bakashah lepatent (Application of patent for invention) Italy Domanda di brevetto publicata Japan Kôkai tokkyo kôhô Japan Kôhyo tokkyo kôhô Luxembourg Brevet d'invention Luxembourg Certificat d'addition à un brevet d'invention Malawi Patent application Mexico Patent (Granted patent -- according to old law) Mexico Patent application (according to new law) Mongolia Patent Morocco Brevet d'invention Netherlands Terinzagegelegging New Zealand Patent application Norway Alment tilgjengelige patentsöknader OAPI Brevet d'invention Pakistan Patent specification Peru Patente de invención Philippines Patent for invention Poland Opis zgloszeniowy wynalazku Portugal Pedido de patente de invenção Republic of Korea Konggae t'ukho kongbo Romania Descrierea inventiei Romania Cerere de brevet de invente Russian Federation Zayavka na izobreteniye (Published application for invention) Slovakia Prihláka Vynálezu (Published application for invention) Slovenia Patent Slovenia Patent s skraj anim
trajanjem (Short-term patent)Soviet Union Opisanie izobreteniyak patentu Soviet Union Opisanie izobreteniyak avtorskomu svidetelstvu Spain Patente de invención Spain Solicitud de patente con informe sobre el estado de la técnica (Patent application published with search report) Spain Solicitud de patente sin informe sobre el estado de la técnica (Patent application published without search report) Sweden Allmant tillganglig patentansokan Switzerland Auslegeschrift/Fascicule de la demande/Fascicolo della domanda (Patent Application published and pertaining to the technical fields for which search and examination as to novelty are made) Switzerland Patentschrift/Fascicule du brevet/Fascicolo del brevetto (Patent published and pertaining to the technical fields for which neither search nor examination as to novelty are made) Tunisia Talab Baraat Ekhtiraâ Turkey Patent tarifnamesi United Kingdom Patent specification
(old Law; not printed
on documents)United Kingdom Patent application
(new Law)United States of America Patent (published before January 2, 2001) United States of America Patent application publication (published beginning March 15, 2001) World Intellectual Property Organization International application published with or without the international search report Yugoslavia Patenta prijava koja se moze razgledati
CODE: B Patent Documents Identified as Primary or Major Series -Second Publication Level EXAMPLES: Australia Accepted standard or petty patent Austria Patentschrift Belgium Brevet d'invention/Uitvindingsoctrooi Brazil Patente (granted patent of invention) Canada Reissue patent (prior to October 1, 1989, under previous Patent Act) Cuba Patente de invención Czechoslovakia Popis vynalezu k patentu Czechoslovakia Popis vynalezu k autorskemu osvedceni Czech Republic Patentovy spis (patent specification) Denmark Fremlaeggelsesskrift (old Law) Denmark Patentskrift Denmark Patentskrift (amended) Finland Kuulutusjulkaisu - Utläggningsskrift France Brevet d'invention, deuxième publication de l'invention France Certificat d'addition à un brevet d'invention, deuxième publication de l'invention France Certificat d'utilité, deuxième publication de l'invention France Certificat d'addition à un certificat d'utilité, deuxième publication de l'invention Germany Auslegeschrift Germany
(document
published by the Patent Office of the former GDR)Patentschrift (Ausschliessungspatent), patent granted in accordance with paragraph 18.1 of the Patent Law of the former German Democratic Republic
of October 27, 1983Germany (document pub lished by the Patent Office of the former GDR) Patentschrift (Wirtschaftspatent), patent granted in accordance with paragraph 18.1 of the Patent Law of the former German Democratic Republic of October 27, 1983 Greece Diploma evresitechnias (Patent of invention) Greece Diploma tropopiisis (Patent of addition) Hungary Szabadalmi leiras Indonesia Patent granted in accordance with article 61 of the Patent Law, Number 6 of 1989 Concerning Patents Japan Tokkyo kôhô Netherlands Openbaar gemaakte octrooiaanvrage Norway Utlegningsskrift Poland Opis patentowy Portugal Patente de invenção (Granted patent of published application) Republic of Korea T'ukho kongbo Spain Patente de invención con informe sobre el estado de la técnica (Patent specification with search report) Spain Patente de invención con examen previo (Patent specification published after examination) Sweden Utläggningsskrift Switzerland Patentschrift/Fascicule du brevet/Fascicolo del brevetto (Patent published and pertaining to the technical fields for which search and examination as to novelty are made) United Kingdom Amended patent specification (old Law) United Kingdom Patent specification (new Law) United States of America Reexamination certificate (published prior to January 2, 2001) United States of America Patent (published on or after January 2, 2001)
CODE: C Patent Documents Identified as Primary or Major Series - Third Publication Level EXAMPLES: Argentina Patente de invención (Patent)
CODE: E Patent Documents Identified as Series Other Than the Documents Coded A, B, C, U, Y, Z, M, P, S, T, W, L or R - First Publication Level EXAMPLES: Canada Reissue patent (under amended Patent Act, as of October 1, 1989) France Certificat d'addition à brevet d'invention (old Law) Sweden Patentskrift i ändrad lydelse (Amended patent specification) United States of America Reissue patent
CODE: H Patent Documents Identified in Series According to Special Requirements of Individual Industrial Property Offices EXAMPLES: United States of America Statutory invention registration
CODE: M Patent Documents Identified in Series According to Special Requirements of Individual Industrial Property Offices EXAMPLES: France Brevet spécial de médicament France Addition à un brevet spécial de médicament
CODE: P Plant Patent Documents EXAMPLES: United States of America Plant patent United States of America Plant patent application publication
CODE: S Design Patent Documents EXAMPLES: Brazil Pedido de privilégio (unexamined patent application for industrial model) Russian Federation Patent na promishlenniy obrazets (Design patent) United States of America Design patent
CODE: U Utility Model Documents Having a Numbering Series Other Than the Documents Coded A, B or C-- First Publication Level EXAMPLES: Austria Gebrauchsmusterschrift (published with or without a search report) Brazil Pedido de privilégio (unexamined patent application for industrial model) Bulgaria Zajavka za polezni modeli predostavena za publichna inspektzija (Utility model application made available to the public) Czech Republic Uzitny vzor (Utility model) Denmark Almindeligt tilgaengelig brugsmodelansogning Denmark Brugsmodelskrift Finland Hyödyllisyysmalli-Nyttighetsmodell (Utility model) Germany Gebrauchsmuster Greece Etisi gia Pistopiitiko Ipodigmatos Chrisimotitas (Utility model application) Hungary Hasznalati minta leiras (Utility model specification) Japan Kôkai jitsuyô shin-an kôhô (Published unexamined utility model application) Japan Tôroku jitsuyô shin-an kôhô (Published registered utility model application) (without substantive examination) Mexico Utility model Poland Opis zgloszeniowy wzoru uzytilowego Portugal Pedido de modelo de utilidade (Published application for a utility model) Republic of Korea Konggae shilyong shin-an kongbo Russian
FederationSvidetelstvo na poleznuyu model (Certificate for utility model) Slovakia Ú¸itkovy vzor (Utility model) Spain Solicitud de modelo de utilidad
CODE: Y Utility Model Documents Having a Numbering Series Other Than the Documents Coded A, B or C-- Second Publication Level EXAMPLES: Brazil Patente (granted patent of utility model) Bulgaria Opisanie na patent za polezen model (Description of a patent for utility model)
Denmark Brugsmodelskrift
Denmark Brugsmodelskrift (amended)
Greece Pistopiitiko Ipodigmatos Chrisimotitas (Utility model)
Japan Jitsuyô shin-an kôhô (Published examined utility model application) Poland Opis ochronny wzoru uzytkowego
Portugal Modelo de utilidade (Granted utility model)
Republic of Korea Shilyong shin-an kongbo (Utility model specification)
Spain Modelo de utilidad
Country Codes
The two-letter country codes listed below are set forth in WIPO Standard ST.3, which is published in the "WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation" and is accessible via the internet at the WIPO website (www.wipo.int/scit/en/standards/standards.htm). WIPO Standard ST.3 provides, in Annex A, Section 1, a listing of two-letter country codes and/or organizational codes in alphabetic sequence of their short names for the states, other entities and intergovernmental organizations issuing or publishing industrial property documents. Codes for states or organizations that existed on January 1, 1978, but that no longer exist are provided in Annex B, Section 2. Annex B, Section 1 (not reproduced below) lists States for which the Codes have changed.
Annex A, Section 1
List of States, Other Entities and Intergovernmental Organizations, in Alphabetic Sequence of Their Short Names, and Their Corresponding Codes Afghanistan AF African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) OA African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) AP Albania AL Algeria DZ Andorra AD Angola AO Anguilla AI Antigua and Barbuda AG Argentina AR Armenia AM Aruba AW Australia AU Austria AT Azerbaijan AZ Bahamas BS Bahrain BH Bangladesh BD Barbados BB Belarus BY Belgium BE Belize BZ Benelux * Office ** > for Intellectual Property (BOIP) < BX Benin BJ Bermuda BM Bhutan BT Bolivia BO Bosnia and Herzegovina BA Botswana BW Bouvet Island BV Brazil BR Brunei Darussalam BN Bulgaria BG Burkina Faso BF Burundi BI Cambodia KH Cameroon CM Canada CA Cape Verde CV Cayman Islands KY Central African Republic CF Chad TD Chile CL China CN Colombia CO > Community Plant Variety Office (European Community)(CPVO) QZ < Comoros KM > Congo (See Congo, below; Democratic Republic of the Congo) < Congo CG Cook Islands CK Costa Rica CR Côte d'Ivoire CI Croatia HR Cuba CU Cyprus CY Czech Republic CZ Democratic People's Republic of Korea KP Democratic Republic of
the CongoCD Denmark DK Djibouti DJ Dominica DM Dominican Republic DO ** Ecuador EC Egypt EG El Salvador SV Equatorial Guinea GQ Eritrea ER Estonia EE Ethiopia ET Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO) EA ** European Community Trademark Office (See Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market) * European Patent Office (EPO) EP Falkland Islands (Malvinas) FK Faroe Islands FO Fiji FJ Finland FI France FR Gabon GA Gambia GM Georgia GE Germany DE Ghana GH Gibraltar GI Greece GR Greenland GL Grenada GD Guatemala GT > Guernsey GG < Guinea GN Guinea-Bissau GW Gulf Cooperation Council (see Patent Office of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf) Guyana GY Haiti HT Holy See VA Honduras HN Hong Kong (See The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of The People's Republic of China) Hungary HU Iceland IS India IN Indonesia ID International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) IB, WO ** > Iran, Islamic Republic of < IR Iraq IQ Ireland IE > Isle of Man IM < Israel IL Italy IT Jamaica JM Japan JP > Jersey JE < Jordan JO Kazakhstan KZ Kenya KE Kiribati KI Korea (See Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Republic of Korea) Kuwait KW Kyrgyzstan KG * > Lao People's Democratic Republic < LA Latvia LV Lebanon LB Lesotho LS Liberia LR * > Libyan Arab Jamahiriya < LY Liechtenstein LI Lithuania LT Luxembourg LU Macau MO > Macedonia (see The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) < Madagascar MG Malawi MW Malaysia MY Maldives MV Mali ML Malta MT Mauritania MR Mauritius MU Mexico MX > Moldova (See Republic of Moldova) < Monaco MC Mongolia MN > Montenegro ME < Montserrat MS Morocco MA Mozambique MZ Myanmar MM Namibia NA Nauru NR Nepal NP Netherlands NL Netherlands Antilles AN New Zealand NZ Nicaragua NI Niger NE Nigeria NG > Nordic Patent Institute (NPI) XN < Northern Mariana Islands MP Norway NO Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trademarks and Designs) (OHIM) EM Oman OM Pakistan PK Palau PW Panama PA Papua New Guinea PG Paraguay PY Patent Office of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) GC Peru PE Philippines PH Poland PL Portugal PT Qatar QA Republic of Korea KR Republic of Moldova MD Romania RO Russian Federation RU Rwanda RW Saint Helena SH Saint Kitts and Nevis KN Saint Lucia LC Saint Vincent and
the GrenadinesVC Samoa WS San Marino SM Sao Tome and Principe ST Saudi Arabia SA Senegal SN Serbia ** * > RS < Seychelles SC Sierra Leone SL Singapore SG Slovakia SK Slovenia SI Solomon Islands SB Somalia SO South Africa ZA South Georgia and the
South Sandwich IslandsGS Spain ES Sri Lanka LK Sudan SD Suriname SR Swaziland SZ Sweden SE Switzerland CH * > Syrian Arab Republic < SY Taiwan, Province of China TW Tajikistan TJ Tanzania (see United
Republic of Tanzania)Thailand TH The Former Yugoslav
Republic of MacedoniaMK The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of
The People's Republic of ChinaHK Timor-Leste TL Togo TG Tonga TO Trinidad and Tobago TT Tunisia TN Turkey TR Turkmenistan TM Turks and Caicos Islands TC Tuvalu TV Uganda UG Ukraine UA United Arab Emirates AE United Kingdom GB United Republic of Tanzania TZ United States of America US Uruguay UY Uzbekistan UZ Vanuatu VU Vatican City State (See Holy See) Venezuela VE Viet Nam VN ** > Virgin Islands, British < VG Western Sahara EH World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
(International Bureau of)WO, IB Yemen YE ** Zambia ZM Zimbabwe ZW Annex B, Section 2 List of States or Organizations That Existed on January 1, 1978, but That No Longer Exist Czechoslovakia CS Democratic Yemen SY/YD German Democratic Republic DL/DD International Patent Institute IB Soviet Union SU > Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro YU <
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