How should electronic documents be cited in patent examination?
When citing electronic documents in patent examination, the format should be as similar as possible to paper documents of the same type, with additional information provided. The MPEP follows the format recommended by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Standard ST.14. Key elements to include are:
- Type of electronic medium in square brackets (e.g., [online], [CD-ROM])
- Retrieval date in square brackets
- Source of the document using “Retrieved from” and its address
- Digital Object Identifier (DOI) number or other unique identification number, if known
- Specific location within the document (e.g., paragraph numbers, line numbers)
The MPEP provides examples, such as:
“Example 5: WO 2004/091307 A2 (ADVANCED BIONUTRITON CORP) 2004-10-28, paragraphs [0068], [0069]; examples 2, 6.”
For more detailed information and examples of electronic document citations, refer to MPEP § 707.05(e), section IV. ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS.
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