How are examiner-cited references distinguished on a patent?
For patents printed after January 1, 2001, the USPTO distinguishes between citations from information disclosure statements and those cited by the examiner. According to the MPEP:
The citations cited by the examiner on a form PTO-892 will be marked with an asterisk.
This distinction allows readers to easily identify which references were provided by the applicant and which were added by the examiner during the examination process.
To learn more:
Topics:
Patent Law,
Patent Procedure