How are dates formatted in foreign patent publications?

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Source: FAQ (MPEP-Based) BlueIron Update: 2024-09-27 1 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. Foreign patent publications often use different date formats compared to Western standards. According to MPEP 901.05(a) : “Foreign patent publications that use Arabic and Roman numerals in lieu of names to indicate the date show in order the day, month, and year, or alternatively, the year, month, and day. Roman numerals always refer to the month.” This means that dates in foreign patent publications may appear in formats like DD.MM.YYYY or YYYY.MM.DD, with Roman numerals used to represent months. Related Rules from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 1 rules Collapse Requirement for Examiner's Action Under 1.104(a)(1) MPEP 901 Other Related FAQs 5 FAQs Collapse How do you convert Japanese patent dates to Western calendar years? Why is understanding foreign patent date formats important for patent research? How do Japanese patent application publications show dates? What do Roman numerals represent in foreign patent publication dates? Can an abandoned application be used as prior art?