MPEP § 901.06(d) — Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications (Annotated Rules)

§901.06(d) Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications

USPTO MPEP version: BlueIron's Update: 2025-12-31

This page consolidates and annotates all enforceable requirements under MPEP § 901.06(d), including statutory authority, regulatory rules, examiner guidance, and practice notes. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only, it is not legal advice.

Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications

This section addresses Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications. Primary authority: 35 U.S.C. 157 and 37 CFR 711.06(a). Contains: 1 permission and 5 other statements.

Key Rules

Topic

AIA Effective Dates

3 rules
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-901-06-d-97ed261983438592f47cc1e8]
Abstracts and Abbreviatures of Abandoned Patent Applications
Note:
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publishes abandoned patent applications as abstracts and abbreviatures, which are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Abstracts and Abbreviatures are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of abandoned applications. Defensive Publications (the O.G. defensive publication and search copy) are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of provisionally abandoned applications wherein the applicant retains their rights to an interference for a limited time period of 5 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. On May 8, 1985, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests and began accepting applications for Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs), although there was an overlap period where both Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations were processed; see MPEP § 711.06 and § 711.06(a). Statutory Invention Registrations replaced the Defensive Publication program. However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed. See MPEP § 1101. Statutory Invention Registrations are numbered with document category “H,” beginning with “H1.” Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 711.06(a)AIA Effective DatesAssignee as Applicant SignatureAIA Overview and Effective Dates
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-901-06-d-93a47cab0de709594cef0e02]
Statutory Invention Registrations Replaced Defensive Publications
Note:
Requests for statutory invention registrations filed on or after March 16, 2013 are no longer processed as the provisions governing them were repealed.

Abstracts and Abbreviatures are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of abandoned applications. Defensive Publications (the O.G. defensive publication and search copy) are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of provisionally abandoned applications wherein the applicant retains their rights to an interference for a limited time period of 5 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. On May 8, 1985, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests and began accepting applications for Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs), although there was an overlap period where both Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations were processed; see MPEP § 711.06 and § 711.06(a). Statutory Invention Registrations replaced the Defensive Publication program. However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed. See MPEP § 1101. Statutory Invention Registrations are numbered with document category “H,” beginning with “H1.” Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 711.06(a)AIA Effective DatesAIA Overview and Effective DatesSIR Patent Rights Waiver
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-901-06-d-8cddc0c9e28401f37dda5ce6]
Statutory Invention Registrations Require H Prefix
Note:
Statutory Invention Registrations must be numbered with document category ‘H’, starting from ‘H1’.

Abstracts and Abbreviatures are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of abandoned applications. Defensive Publications (the O.G. defensive publication and search copy) are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of provisionally abandoned applications wherein the applicant retains their rights to an interference for a limited time period of 5 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. On May 8, 1985, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests and began accepting applications for Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs), although there was an overlap period where both Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations were processed; see MPEP § 711.06 and § 711.06(a). Statutory Invention Registrations replaced the Defensive Publication program. However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed. See MPEP § 1101. Statutory Invention Registrations are numbered with document category “H,” beginning with “H1.” Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 711.06(a)AIA Effective DatesAssignee as Applicant SignatureAIA Overview and Effective Dates
Topic

SIR Patent Rights Waiver

2 rules
StatutoryPermittedAlways
[mpep-901-06-d-1683b4a83daae245d6cf30a5]
Statutory Invention Registrations Replaced Defensive Publications
Note:
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests on May 8, 1985, and began processing applications for Statutory Invention Registrations instead.

Abstracts and Abbreviatures are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of abandoned applications. Defensive Publications (the O.G. defensive publication and search copy) are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of provisionally abandoned applications wherein the applicant retains their rights to an interference for a limited time period of 5 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. On May 8, 1985, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests and began accepting applications for Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs), although there was an overlap period where both Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations were processed; see MPEP § 711.06 and § 711.06(a). Statutory Invention Registrations replaced the Defensive Publication program. However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed. See MPEP § 1101. Statutory Invention Registrations are numbered with document category “H,” beginning with “H1.” Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 711.06(a)SIR Patent Rights WaiverAIA Effective DatesAssignee as Applicant Signature
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-901-06-d-399fa74da4a080fa4ed8ca24]
Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations Included in Subclass Lists
Note:
Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Abstracts and Abbreviatures are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of abandoned applications. Defensive Publications (the O.G. defensive publication and search copy) are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of provisionally abandoned applications wherein the applicant retains their rights to an interference for a limited time period of 5 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. On May 8, 1985, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests and began accepting applications for Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs), although there was an overlap period where both Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations were processed; see MPEP § 711.06 and § 711.06(a). Statutory Invention Registrations replaced the Defensive Publication program. However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed. See MPEP § 1101. Statutory Invention Registrations are numbered with document category “H,” beginning with “H1.” Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 711.06(a)SIR Patent Rights WaiverAIA Effective DatesAssignee as Applicant Signature
Topic

Assignee as Applicant Signature

1 rules
StatutoryInformativeAlways
[mpep-901-06-d-653d69aa40f87c0102e3284c]
Defensive Publication Requirement for Provisionally Abandoned Applications
Note:
Applicants must retain rights to an interference for up to 5 years from the earliest U.S. filing date on provisionally abandoned applications.

Abstracts and Abbreviatures are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of abandoned applications. Defensive Publications (the O.G. defensive publication and search copy) are U.S. Patent and Trademark Office publications of provisionally abandoned applications wherein the applicant retains their rights to an interference for a limited time period of 5 years from the earliest effective U.S. filing date. On May 8, 1985, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office stopped accepting Defensive Publication requests and began accepting applications for Statutory Invention Registrations (SIRs), although there was an overlap period where both Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations were processed; see MPEP § 711.06 and § 711.06(a). Statutory Invention Registrations replaced the Defensive Publication program. However, requests for a statutory invention registration filed on or after March 16, 2013 will not be processed, as the provisions of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 157 governing Statutory Invention Registrations were repealed. See MPEP § 1101. Statutory Invention Registrations are numbered with document category “H,” beginning with “H1.” Defensive Publications and Statutory Invention Registrations are included in subclass lists and subscription orders.

Jump to MPEP Source · 37 CFR 711.06(a)Assignee as Applicant SignatureApplicant and Assignee Filing Under AIASIR Patent Rights Waiver

Citations

Primary topicCitation
AIA Effective Dates
Assignee as Applicant Signature
SIR Patent Rights Waiver
35 U.S.C. § 157
AIA Effective Dates
Assignee as Applicant Signature
SIR Patent Rights Waiver
37 CFR § 711.06(a)
AIA Effective Dates
Assignee as Applicant Signature
SIR Patent Rights Waiver
MPEP § 1101
AIA Effective Dates
Assignee as Applicant Signature
SIR Patent Rights Waiver
MPEP § 711.06

Source Text from USPTO’s MPEP

This is an exact copy of the MPEP from the USPTO. It is here for your reference to see the section in context.

BlueIron Last Updated: 2025-12-31