Manual of Patent Examining Procedure - MPEP

Table of Contents


900 Prior Art, Classification, and Search

900 Prior Art, Classification, and Search
-    901 Prior Art
-    -    901.01 Canceled Matter in U.S. Patent 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 Infor-mation Center (STIC)
-    -    -    901.06(b) Borrowed Publications
-    -    -    901.06(c) Alien Property Custodian Publications
-    -    -    901.06(d) Abstracts, Abbreviatures, and Defensive Publications
-    -    901.07 Arrangement of Art in Technology Centers
-    -    901.08 Borrowing References
-    902 Search Tools and Classification Information
-    -    902.01 Manual of Classification
-    -    -    902.01(a) Index to the U.S. Patent Classification System
-    -    902.02 Class and Subclass Definitions
-    -    -    902.02(a) Definition Notes
-    -    -    902.02(b) Search Cards
-    -    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) Classification Insight on USPTO Local Area Network (LAN)
-    -    -    902.03(d) Patent Information and Search Tools: the Cassis CD-ROM Series
-    -    -    902.03(e) Automated Search Tools: EAST and WEST
-    -    902.04 Classification Orders
-    -    -    902.04(a) Reclassification Alert Report
-    903 Classification
-    -    903.01 Statutory Authority
-    -    903.02 Basis and Principles of Classification
-    -    -    903.02(a) New and Revised Classes
-    -    -    903.02(b) Scope of a Class
-    -    -    903.02(c) Establishing Subclasses and Cross-Reference Art Col-lections
-    -    903.03 Availability of Foreign Patents
-    -    903.04 Classifying Applications for Publication as a Patent App-lication Publication
-    -    903.05 Addition, Deletion, or Transfer of U.S. Patents and U.S. Patent Application Publications
-    -    903.07 Classifying and Cross-Referencing at Allowance
-    -    -    903.07(a) Cross-Referencing - Keep Systematic Notes During Prosecution
-    -    -    903.07(b) Issuing in Another Technology Center Without Transfer
-    -    903.08 Applications: Assignment and Transfer
-    -    -    903.08(a) New Applications
-    -    -    903.08(b) Classification and Assignment to Examiner
-    -    -    903.08(c) Immediate Inspection of Amendments
-    -    -    903.08(d) Transfer Procedure
-    -    -    903.08(e) General Guidelines Governing the Assignment of Non-provisional Applications for Examination
-    -    903.09 International Classification of Patents for Inventions
-    -    -    903.09(a) Locarno Classification Desig-nations
-    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
-    905 Miscellaneous
-    -    905.03 Ordering of Patented and Abandoned Provisional and Nonprovisional Application Files
-    -    905.06 Patent Family Information

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