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USPTO Glossary of Patent and Intellectual Property terms
"How do I read a patent" by Brown & Michaels Law Firm. A good explanation of the front page of a patent.
USPTO Databases Important Changes
The US Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO) databases, Patent Full-Text and Images (PatFT) and Application Full-Text and Images (AppFT) are being retired on September 30, 2022, and will be replaced by Patent Public Search. All three are freely available for searching until the USPTO makes the switch permanent. See the Patent Searching page for more information.
If you would like to make an appointment with me for help with patent searching, please email me at laura.palumbo@rutgers.edu. More help is available on the Patent Searching page.
Types of Patents
There are three broad types of patents:
- Utility patent- the most common. A utility patent covers "any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or compositions of matters, or any new useful improvement thereof."
- Design patent - "Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture."
- Plant patent- "Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new variety of plant." Color photographs of patented plants are kept at the Library of Science and Medicine. If you need to see them, please contact laura.palumbo@rutgers.edu before coming to the library.
More information about the types of patents are available on this helpful page from the USPTO on the Patent Process Overview.
Kind Codes
The Kind Code is found at the end of the US Patent number listed at the top right of the patent. This code answers the question, "What kind of patent is this?" The following kind codes were adopted in January 2001. If you are looking at an older patent, please see the USPTO website for these discontinued codes.
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Summary of USPTO Kind Codes Used on Documents Published Beginning January 2, 2001
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WIPO ST.16 Kind Codes
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Kind of document
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Comments
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A1
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Patent Application Publication
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Pre-grant publication available March 2001
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A2
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Patent Application Publication (Republication)
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Pre-grant publication available March 2001
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A9
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Patent Application Publication (Corrected Publication)
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Pre-grant publication available March 2001
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B1
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Patent
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No previously published pre-grant publication
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B2
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Patent
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Having a previously published pre-grant publication and available March 2001
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C1, C2, C3
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Reexamination Certificate
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Previously used codes B1 and B2 are now used for granted Patents
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E
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Reissue Patent
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No change
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H
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Statutory Invention Registration (SIR)
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No change
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P1
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Plant Patent Application Publication
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Pre-grant publication available March 2001
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P2
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Plant Patent
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No previously published pre-grant publication
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P3
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Plant Patent
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Having a previously published pre-grant publication and available March 2001
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P4
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Plant Patent Application Publication (Republication)
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Pre-grant publication available after March 2001
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P9
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Plant Patent Application Publication (Corrected Publication)
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Pre-grant publication available March 2001
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S
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Design Patent
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No change
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Summary of USPTO Kind Codes Added As Result of America Invents Act of 2011
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WIPO ST.16 Kind Codes
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Kind of document
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Comments
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F1, F2, F3
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Supplemental Examination Certificate
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Procedure in effect September 16, 2012
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J1, J2, J3
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Post Grant Review Certificate
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Procedure in effect September 16, 2012
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K1, K2, K3
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Inter Partes Review Certificate
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Procedure in effect September 16, 2012
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O1, O2, O3
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Derivation Certificate
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Procedure in effect March 16, 2013
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Patent Classification Systems
Patent classification can be used for effective patent searching. You can think of this as the subject area. The two most widely used classification systems are the WIPO International Patent Classification (IPC) and the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC). The CPC merged the USPC (United States Patent Classification System) and the ECLA (European Classification System), and is currently used by the USPTO and the European Patent Office (EPO). The IPC is used universally all over the world, which enables a user to search US patents as well as documents published by many other countries using no other classification system than the IPC.
Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) is used by USPTO. Patent Classifications are:
- A Human Necessities
- B Performing Operations; Transporting
- C Chemistry; Metallurgy
- D Textiles; Paper
- E Fixed Constructions
- F Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating; Weapons; Blasting
- G Physics
- H Electricity
- Y General tagging of new technological developments, more...
A search tool for looking up the meaning of a CPC classification code is available.
WIPO International Patent Classification (IPC) system uses the same classification sections outlined above, through H. The Y section is not used. A detailed explanation of the IPC is available in the Guide to the International Patent Classification, 2022 Edition.