How should examiners cite foreign patents and non-patent literature?

How should examiners cite foreign patents and non-patent literature?

Examiners should follow specific guidelines when citing foreign patents and non-patent literature (NPL) in patent applications. According to MPEP 707.05(a):

For foreign patents:

• Cite the country, document number, and publication date (WIPO Standard ST.14 format).
• Include the applicant’s name, the title in English (if available), and the relevant pages or sheets.

For NPL:

• Provide sufficient information for others to retrieve the reference.
• Include author, title, page numbers, publication date, and place of publication.
• For online sources, include the URL and access date.

The MPEP states: ‘Examiners must remember that reference citations must be complete and give the relevant data needed for a reader to locate the reference easily.’ This ensures that applicants and other examiners can easily access and review the cited references.

To learn more:

• foreign patents
• non-patent literature
• NPL
• citation format
• WIPO Standard ST.14

To learn more:

• WIPO Standard ST.14