What is the requirement for citing documents in a language other than English in an IDS?
When citing documents in a language other than English in an Information Disclosure Statement (IDS), you must provide:
- The original document in the foreign language
- A concise explanation of the relevance in English, if not already available
According to MPEP 609.04(a): If a foreign patent document or non-patent literature document is in a language other than English, an English language translation should be submitted along with the document if an English language translation is readily available to the applicant.
Additionally, Where the information listed is not in the English language, but was cited in a search report or other action by a foreign patent office in a counterpart foreign application, the requirement for a concise explanation of relevance can be satisfied by submitting an English-language version of the search report or action which indicates the degree of relevance found by the foreign office.
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