How should the sheets of an international patent application be numbered?
According to MPEP 1812, the sheets of an international patent application must be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals using separate series for different parts of the application:
- First series: Request
- Second series: Description, claims, and abstract
- Third series: Drawings (if applicable)
- Fourth series: Sequence listing part of the description (if applicable)
The MPEP cites PCT Rule 11.7 and Administrative Instructions Section 207(b) for this requirement, stating: “All the sheets contained in the international application must be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals by using the following separate series of numbers: a first series applying to the request; a second series to the description, claims and abstract; a third series to the drawings (where applicable); and a further series to the sequence listing part of the description (where applicable)“.
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