How should patent examiners document their Internet search strategies?
Patent examiners are required to document their Internet search strategies according to established practices and procedures. The MPEP provides guidance on this in Article 10 of the Patent Internet Usage Policy:
“All Patent Organization users of the Internet for patent application searches must document their search strategies in accordance with established practices and procedures as set forth in MPEP § 719.05 II.”
This documentation is crucial for maintaining transparency in the examination process and ensuring that searches can be replicated if necessary. Examiners should record:
- Search terms used
- Databases accessed
- Date of the search
- Results obtained
For detailed instructions on how to document Internet searches, examiners should refer to MPEP § 719.05, subsection II.
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