How should foreign priority applications be properly identified in a patent application?

To properly identify foreign priority applications in a patent application, applicants should follow the guidelines provided by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The MPEP states:

To ensure an accurate and complete citation of a foreign priority application, applicants should review the list of the various intellectual property offices and the recommended presentation of a foreign application number for each, which can be found in the tables of the online WIPO Handbook on Industrial Property Information and Documentation

Specifically, applicants should refer to:

• Part 7: Examples and Industrial Property Offices Practices
• Part 7.2.1: Presentation of Application Numbers

These resources provide the recommended format for citing foreign application numbers, ensuring accurate and complete relationships among patent documents.

To learn more:

• foreign priority
• patent application
• WIPO
• application numbers
• citation