How should USPTO documents be identified according to MPEP 901.04(a)?

This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.

According to MPEP 901.04(a), USPTO documents should be identified using three key elements:

It is recommended that USPTO documents be identified by the following three elements: (A) the two-character country code (US for United States of America); (B) the patent or publication number; and (C) the WIPO ST.16 kind code.

For example:

• “US 7,654,321 B1” for U.S. Patent No. 7,654,321 where there was no previously published patent application publication
• “US 2003/1234567 A1” for U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/1234567, published in 2003

This standardized format ensures clear and consistent identification of USPTO documents across various platforms and jurisdictions.