What are the guidelines for documenting Internet searches in patent examination?
What are the guidelines for documenting Internet searches in patent examination?
When conducting Internet searches during patent examination, examiners must follow specific documentation guidelines. The MPEP 904.02(c) states:
“The bibliographic information (author, title, date of publication, publisher, Internet address, etc.) for an Internet source should be provided in the same manner that bibliographic information is provided for publications in other media.”
Additionally:
- The examiner should document the search strategy used in conducting the search.
- The date the search was conducted should be recorded.
- If the URL is not stable, the examiner should print out the Internet source to include it in the search history.
Proper documentation ensures transparency and allows for the reproduction of search results if needed.
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