This page consolidates MPEP guidance interpreting 35 U.S.C. § 7, including 66 rules 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.

Summary

The Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC) maintains a library of scientific and technical works, both domestic and foreign, to aid Patent Office officers in their duties.

What this section covers

• Maintains a collection of scientific and technical works including books, journals, and periodicals.
• Includes both domestic and foreign scientific and technical works to support officers in their duties.

Key obligations

• The Director is responsible for maintaining a library of scientific and technical works.
• The library aids officers in determining whether claims of applications are directly anticipated and unpatentable.

Practice notes

• Examiners can submit requests for prior art/text searches through the STIC NPL website.
• Avoid common mistakes such as not utilizing the full range of resources available in STIC.

Related Provisions

• 35 U.S.C. § 6
• 35 U.S.C. § 102
• 35 U.S.C. § 103
• 35 U.S.C. § 5
• 37 CFR § 1.833

Based on MPEP Last Modified: 10/30/2024 08:50:22