Are electronic publications considered “printed publications” for prior art purposes?

Yes, electronic publications, including online databases and Internet publications, are considered “printed publications” for prior art purposes under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) and (b), provided they meet the public accessibility requirement. The MPEP states: “An electronic publication, including an online database or Internet publication (e.g., discussion group, forum, digital video, or…

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Where can I find A.P.C. published applications for research?

A.P.C. published applications are available in several locations for research purposes: The Patent Search Room contains a complete set of A.P.C. published applications arranged numerically in bound volumes. An online database of U.S. A.P.C. bibliographic data is available at http://db.library.queensu.ca/apcdocuments/. This database contains 2964 total documents. Researchers can use these resources to access and study…

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What electronic resources does STIC provide for patent examiners?

The Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC) offers a wide range of electronic resources to support patent examiners in their work: Online Databases: STIC provides access to numerous scientific and technical databases covering various fields of technology. Electronic Journals: Examiners can access a vast collection of electronic journals through STIC’s subscriptions. E-Books: STIC maintains a…

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How are internet disclosures treated as prior art in international patent searches?

According to MPEP 1843.01, internet disclosures are treated similarly to other written disclosures in international patent searches: Information disclosed on the internet is considered publicly available from the date of public posting Examiners should obtain and cite printouts of relevant internet disclosures The printout should include the URL and publication date of the disclosure Internet…

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How should documents retrieved from online databases outside the Internet be cited?

When citing documents retrieved from online databases outside the Internet, such as commercial databases, specific information should be included to ensure the document can be identified and retrieved. The MPEP provides examples of how to cite such documents: “Example 1: SU 1511467 A (BRYAN MECH) 1989-09-30 (abstract) World Patents Index [database online]. Derwent Publications, Ltd.…

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