How are abstracts and abbreviatures used in patent searching?
Abstracts and abbreviatures are important tools in patent searching, as described in MPEP 901.06(d). The MPEP states:
“Abstracts and Abbreviatures are publications apart from the original patent documents which were considered useful in the examination of patent applications.”
These publications provide condensed information about patent documents, making it easier for examiners to quickly assess relevance during prior art searches. They are particularly useful for efficiently reviewing large numbers of patent documents and identifying potentially relevant prior art.
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