What are the compression options for submitting a “Sequence Listing XML” on optical discs?

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.

When submitting a “Sequence Listing XML” on read-only optical discs, there are specific compression options available. According to MPEP 2413.03, the following compression options are allowed:

“The file may be compressed using WinZip®, 7-Zip, or Unix®/Linux® Zip;”

However, it’s important to note the following restrictions:

• A compressed file must not be self-extracting.
• If a compressed XML file does not fit on a single read-only optical disc, it may be split into multiple file parts, in accordance with the target read-only optical disc size.
• The split files must be labeled in compliance with § 1.52(e)(5)(vi).

It’s worth noting that while compression is allowed for disc submissions, it is not permitted for electronic submissions via the USPTO patent electronic filing system.