How does indexing affect the public accessibility of a document for patent purposes?

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Source: FAQ (MPEP-Based) BlueIron Update: 2024-09-29 10 Rules 5 Related FAQs 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. Indexing plays a crucial role in determining the public accessibility of a document for patent purposes. MPEP 2128.01 emphasizes the importance of indexing: “A document may be considered publicly accessible if it is indexed or cataloged and available in a library or other public collection.” Proper indexing makes a document discoverable by those interested in the subject matter. For example: A thesis properly indexed in a university library catalog A technical report with a searchable entry in a database A paper listed in a conference proceedings index These could all be considered publicly accessible due to their indexing, even if they have limited distribution. The key is that indexing allows interested parties to locate the document through reasonable effort. Related Rules from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 10 rules Collapse Public Accessibility Required for Prior Art References MPEP 2128.01 Required Petitioner Must Prove Public Accessibility of Reference MPEP 2128 Social Media as Prior Art Requires Public Accessibility MPEP 2128 Permitted Prior Art Must Be Publicly Accessible Before Critical Date MPEP 2128.01 Factors for Determining Public Accessibility of Conference Materials MPEP 2128.01 Online Database Document Publicly Accessible Is Key For Printed Publication MPEP 2128.01 Public Accessibility Requires More Than Library Shelving MPEP 2128.01 Required Public Accessibility Determines Printed Publication Status MPEP 2128 Permitted Determination of Public Accessibility for Printed Publications as Prior Art MPEP 2128 Determination of Public Accessibility for Printed Publications MPEP 2128 Other Related FAQs 5 FAQs Collapse Are internal company documents considered &#8220;printe...