Brief Summary:
This chapter gives a basic overview for patent examiners on how to conduct a prior art search. The prior art section discusses some questionable reference types and whether or not they are considered prior art.
The reference types outlined here include; matter cancelled in an application, copending abandoned applications and foreign patents.
Key Terms:
| Prior Art | Prior art refers to any evidence of an invention’s existence or description before a given date, used to determine the novelty and originality of a patent application. |
| Canceled Matter | Canceled matter refers to content that has been removed from a patent application during the examination process and is not considered part of the final granted patent. |
| Pending Applications | Pending applications are patent applications that have been filed with the patent office but have not yet been granted or rejected. |
Quick Statistics:
Number of Pages: 58 pgs
Sections: 901 – 909
List of Sections:
| 901 | Prior Art | |
| • 901.01 Canceled Matter in U.S. Patent Files | ||
| • 901.01(a) Ordering of Patented and Abandoned Provisional and Nonprovisional Application Files | ||
| • 901.02 Abandoned Applications • 901.03 Pending Applications • 901.04 U.S. Patents | ||
| • 901.04(a) Kind Codes | ||
| • 901.05 Foreign Patent Documents | ||
| • 901.05(a) Citation Data • 901.05(b) Other Significant Data • 901.05(c) Obtaining Copies • 901.05(d) Translation | ||
| • 901.06 Nonpatent Publications | ||
| • 901.06(a) Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC) • 901.06(b) Borrowed Publications • 901.06(c) Alien Property Custodian Publications • 901.06(d) Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications | ||
| • 901.07 Patent Family Information • 901.08 Global Dossier Public Access | ||
| 902 | Search Tools and Classification Information | |
| • 902.01 Classification Manual for the U.S. Patent Classification System | ||
| • 902.01(a) Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System | ||
| • 902.02 Class and Subclass Definitions in USPC | ||
| • 902.02(a) Definition Notes in USPC • 902.02(b) [Reserved] | ||
| • 902.03 Classification Information | ||
| • 902.03(a) Patent Classification Home Page on the Internet • 902.03(b) Patent Classification Home Page on the USPTO Intranet • 902.03(c) [Reserved] • 902.03(d) [Reserved] • 902.03(e) Automated Search Tools: EAST, WEST, and SEARCH | ||
| 903 | Classification in USPC | |
| • 903.01 Statutory Authority • 903.02 Basis and Principles of Classification in USPC | ||
| • 903.02(a) [Reserved] • 903.02(b) Scope of a Class in the USPC | ||
| • 903.03 Availability of Foreign Patents • 903.04 Classifying Applications for Publication as a Plant Patent Application Publication in USPC • 903.05 Addition, Deletion, or Transfer of U.S. Design Patents by USPC Classification • 903.06 Harmonized Subclasses • 903.07 Classifying and Cross-Referencing Design and Plant Applications at Allowance | ||
| • 903.07(a) Cross-Referencing Design and Plant Applications — Keep Systematic Notes During Prosecution | ||
| • 903.08 [Reserved] | ||
| • 903.08(a) [Reserved] • 903.08(b) [Reserved] • 903.08(c) [Reserved] • 903.08(d) [Reserved] • 903.08(e) [Reserved] | ||
| • 903.09 [Reserved] | ||
| • 903.09(a) [Reserved] | ||
| 904 | How to Search | |
| • 904.01 Analysis of Claims | ||
| • 904.01(a) Variant Embodiments Within Scope of Claim • 904.01(b) Equivalents • 904.01(c) Analogous Arts | ||
| • 904.02 General Search Guidelines | ||
| • 904.02(a) Classified Search • 904.02(b) Search Tool Selection • 904.02(c) Internet Searching | ||
| • 904.03 Conducting the Search • 904.04 Search of Related Post-Grant Proceedings | ||
| 905 | Cooperative Patent Classification | |
| • 905.01 Classification Scheme for CPC | ||
| • 905.01(a) CPC Titles • 905.01(a)(1) References within CPC Titles • 905.01(a)(2) Notes Found in CPC schemes • 905.01(a)(3) Warnings Found in CPC schemes • 905.01(a)(4) Guidance Headings Found in CPC Schemes | ||
| • 905.02 CPC Definitions • 905.03 Classifying in CPC | ||
| • 905.03(a) The CPC Database • 905.03(b) Approach to classification in CPC • 905.03(c) Combination Sets | ||
| 906 | International Classification of Patents for Inventions | |
| 907 | Locarno Classification Designations | |
| 908 | [reserved] | |
| 909 | Routing and Docketing of Applications | |
| • 909.01 Assignment, Transfer and Classification Challenges under Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) | ||
| • 909.01(a) New Applications in CPC • 909.01(b) Classification and Assignment to Examiner in CPC • 909.01(c) Immediate Inspection of Amendments • 909.01(d) Classification Challenge Procedure in CPC | ||
| • 909.02 Applications: Assignment and Transfer in USPC | ||
| • 909.02(a) New Design and Plant Patent Applications under 35 U.S.C. 161 • 909.02(b) Classification and Assignment to Examiner • 909.02(c) [Reserved] • 909.02(d) Transfer Procedure • 909.02(e) General Guidelines Governing the Assignment of Nonprovisional Design and Plant Applications for Examination |