How should foreign patents and foreign published applications be cited?
When citing foreign patents and foreign published applications, the following information must be provided:
- Patent number
- Kind code
- Citation date
- Name of the country
- Name of the patentee
- Relevant classification (if appropriate)
The MPEP states:
“In citing foreign patents, the patent number, kind code, citation date, name of the country, name of the patentee, and the relevant classification, if appropriate, must be given.”
For Technology Centers using the International Patent Classification (IPC), the appropriate IPC subclass/group/subgroup should be cited in the spaces provided for “Classification” on the application’s “Search Notes” FWF form and PTO-892.
For more information on citing foreign language terms in patent and publication dates, refer to MPEP § 901.05(a).
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