Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Abstract (AB)

Sub Fields

Definition

A brief summary or description of the invention.

Abstract-Original is the abstract in the document at the time of the original filing, in the language of the original filing.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Search Tips

Searching the primary field automatically searches all sub fields.  To limit your search to just one version/instance, use the appropriate sub field.

Also searched in...

Text Fields, Title/Abstract, Title/Abstract/Claims

Examples

AB=(((printer AND scanner) NOT inkjet));

ABF=(((imprimante and scanner) not ((jet adj dencre) or inkjet)));

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Agent/Correspondent (AGCR)

Sub Fields

Definition

The agent or correspondent acting on behalf of the patent applicant.  Information in this field is varied in terms of content, sometimes including just the name of a company or a law firm, but often also including address information.

In the case of US Applications, which are often published without Assignee information, Correspondent information can be helpful in inferring the Assignee. Since the Correspondent information often includes the company name, elements of the company's address, or a  particular person associated with the company, sometimes in-house counsel, it can be used to advantage in searching, alerting, or otherwise tracking companies of interest.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  US, EP, WO, and DE

Search Tips

1. Searches in this field can include company names, law firm names, names of individuals, or elements of an address.

2. Because this data comes from a number of patenting authorities and is not standardized, the best way to search for more than one term within this field is with the AND operator.

Examples

AGCR=(Saliwanchik & Saliwanchik);

AG=(David Silverstein);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Application Number (AN)

Definition

Unique number assigned to applications when they are filed. This is not the same as the Publication Number, which is assigned when the application is published.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Related Fields

Application Date, Application Year

Example

AN=(EP1994929013A);

Result Set

Special Result Set Feature

You can change/collapse your result set to display only one record for each group of records with the same Application Number.  Do this in the Display and Sort Options from your result set or from your preferences.  

A result set collapsed by Application Number is shown following.  The blue plus sign icon next to a record shows there are additional records in this result set with the same Application Number.  When you click the icon, the other records display.  The records with no icons "belong" to the record above with the icon.  The records with a disabled (grey) icon have no other records in this result set that share their Application Number.

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Application Date (AD)

Definition

Unique number assigned to an application when it is filed. This is not the same as the Publication Number, which is assigned when the application is finally published.

Sub Field

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Related Field

Application Number

Search Tips

1. The search form is designed to search for a range of dates.  If you are looking for a specific date, make the From and To dates the target day.

2. The record view will show the full date (as opposed to just the year) whenever it is available.

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name

Background/Summary

Definition

Background and summary information describing this invention.

On some patent documents, this information is included in the Description, on others it is shown as a separate entry. When it is shown as a separate entry, it is carried in this field.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:  US only

Related Field

Description, Drawing Description

Search Tips

This field is not searchable.

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Citations (CI)

Definition

Citations are records that are referenced by, or that reference, a focus record.  Citations can be patent or non-patent.  Non-patent citations include abstracts and articles from scientific and technical literature.  The author or examiner may make citations.

Sub Fields

The citation-related fields on the record view differ slightly from those on the search form and are described following:

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text

Available in:  All

Search Tips

1. If you are looking for patent and non-patent records that cite your focus patent, search the citation fields using the publication number of your focus record as your search criteria.

2. If you are looking for the records your focus patent cites, you do not need to search because those citations are listed on the record view of your focus patent.

3. Searching the primary field (Citations) automatically searches all sub fields (Cited Patents and Cited Non-patents).  To limit your search to just one element, use the appropriate sub field.

Examples

Result Set

Record Views

This is a record view from the result set of the following search: CI=(US4995394A AND Jones Donald );.  

Following is a record view with Citing Patents, Cited Patents, and Cited Non-patents.

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Claims (CL)

Definition

The claims made in the patent about the subject matter and scope of the invention.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  

Available in:  

Example

CL=(((printer AND scanner) NOT inkjet) );

Result Set

Result Set View

Record View

Initial record view display with first claim exposed and subsequent claims collapsed.

Expanded display showing all claims is shown following.

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

DE Translation of (DET)

Definition

Finds German translations of EP and WO records.  

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:  DE only

Search Tips

Your search criteria will be the EP or WO records for which you want to find German translations.  Your search results will always be DE records.

Example

DET=(EP1331376B1);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Description (DSC)

Definition

The full description of the invention.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:  US, EP, PCT and DE only

Related Field

Background/Summary, Drawing Description

Search Tips

Example

DSC=(((printer AND scanner) NOT inkjet));

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Designated States (DS)

Definition

The countries in which an invention is protected in addition to the country in which the patent for the invention is filed.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in: EP, PCT, and INPADOC only

Example

DS=(BR AND JP);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Drawing Description

Definition

The full description of the invention.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:  

Related Field

Background/Summary, Description

Search Tips

This field is not searchable.

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Examiner (EX)

Definition

The USPTO examiner who examined this patent.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:  US only

Example

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Government Interest (GOV)

Definition

A description of any interest the US government has in this patent.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:  US only

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Inventor (IN)

Definition

Unique number assigned to applications when they are filed. This is not the same as the Publication Number, which is assigned when the application is finally published.

Sub Field

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Search Tips

Example

IN=(Kamen);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Language (LAP)

Definition

The publication language of the record.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text only

Available in:

Related Field

Shown on the record view with the Translation of field.  The only connection between the fields, however, is that if the Translation of field is populated, then the Language field will always show German because the Translation of field is limited to the DE collection.

Example

LAP=(FR);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name

Parent Case

Definition

This field contains data describing prior applications related to the patent.  This data appears in the specifications of the patent record.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text: Full Text

Available in:  

Search Tips

This field is not searchable.

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Priority Data (PRA)

Sub Fields

Definition

Information related to the first filing of a patent application.  This information is important in establishing novelty of an invention.

Priority Date-Earliest and Priority Year-Earliest represent the earliest date/year of all the priority entries for the record on which they appear.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  

Available in:  

Search Tips

Searching the primary field automatically searches all sub fields.  To limit your search to just one element, use the appropriate sub field.

Examples

RPA=(EP1994929013A);

RAD=(20030128);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Related Applications (RPA)

Sub Fields

Definition

Information about prior applications related to this record.

May include continuations, continuation-in-parts, divisionals, or reissues of an earlier patent or application.

May include type of relationship and status information that is not searchable.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  US only

Search Tips

1. Searching Related Applications (RPA) automatically searches all sub fields.  To limit your search to just one element, use the appropriate sub field.

2. Search format for dates is YYYYMMDD.

Examples

RPA=(EP1994929013A);

RAD=(20030128);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Text Fields (ALL)

Sub Fields

Definition

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Search Tips

Also searched in...

Examples

Result Set

Record View Location

Record View Appearance

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Title (TI)

Sub Fields

Definition

The title shown on the patent document.

Title-Original is the title on the document at the time of the original filing, in the language of the original filing.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Search Tips

Searching the primary field automatically searches all sub fields.  To limit your search to just one version/instance, use the appropriate sub field.

Also searched in...

Text Fields, Ttitle/Abstract, Title/Abstract/Claims

Examples

TI=(((printer AND scanner) NOT inkjet));

TIF=( (imprimante not ((jet adj dencre) or inkjet)) );

TIT=(((print AND scan) NOT ink) );

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

US Maintenance Status (ST)

Definition

The USPTO status regarding fee maintenance for this patent.

See a list of all possible codes here.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  US only

Search Tips

Click the current status link next to the code to ...

Example

ST=(CC) AND TI=(robot);

Result Set

Record View

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

US Post-Issuance (USPI)

Definition

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full text

Available in:  US only

Search Tips

Example

Result Set

Record View Appearance

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

US Reassignment (AS)

Sub Fields

Definition  

Patent assignments reported to the USPTO after initial issuance of the patent (post-issuance).

Reporting is a voluntary process, and, therefore, not comprehensive.

Numerous events in addition to true assignments are reported in this manner and these can be important for establishing a chain of title with respect to a particular patent.

The Assignee is the recipient of the transfer of ownership.

The Assignor is the owner who is transferring the ownership.

The Date is the date the transfer was recorded.

The Conveyance information describes the transaction.  It can include phrases like: assignment of assignor's interest, judgement, license, merger, release, sale, security agreement, security interest, or settlement.

The Reel-Frame is the microfiche reel and frame that show the record of this reassignment.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Full Text

Available in:  US only

Search Tips

1. Searching US Reassignment (AS) automatically searches all sub fields.  To limit your search to just one element, use the appropriate sub field.

2. The US Reassignment field can show both a Date Recorded and a Date Signed.  Date Recorded is the searchable field.

3. Reel and Frame information is shown with a slash (/) in the record view (see image following) but the slash should be removed before searching.  Leave a space between the two elements and the system will use your within-fields default operator.

Examples

AS=(Renesas Technology AND 20051230);

ASR=(Wolfson) AND ASD=(20030820);

ASF=(014423 0636);

Result Set

Record View Appearance

Primary Field Name (and Tag)

Abstract-DWPI (ABD)

Sub Fields

Definition

Abstract-DWPI is a concise English-language abstract detailing the claims and disclosures of the invention and highlighting the main use and advantages of the technology.  The Abstract-DWPI can contain one or more of the following sections:

• Novelty (Abstract-DWPI Novelty/NOV): Describes the uniqueness of the invention.

• Detailed Description (Abstract-DWPI Detailed Desc/DTD): Included when it is not possible to summarize the main claims of the invention within the novelty field.

• Use (Abstract-DWPI Use/USE): Covers all the uses (applications) of the invention in terms of its different technology areas. If there are no disclosed uses, this is stated.

• Advantage (Abstract-DWPI Advantage/ADV): Covers the advantages of the invention as described by the author.

• Activity (Abstract-DWPI Activity/ACT): Describes the biological activity of chemical or biological entities.

• Mechanism (Abstract-DWPI Mechanism/MEC): Covers the biological mechanism of action for chemical or biological entities.

• Drawing Description (Abstract-DWPI Drawing Desc/DRW): Explains the technical drawings included in the record.

Collection Notes

Biblio/Full Text:  Both

Available in:  All

Search Tips

1. Searching the primary field automatically searches all sub fields.  To limit your search to just one version/instance, use the appropriate sub field.

2. DWPI related fields are only available if you have a subscription that entitles you to DWPI information.

3. DWPI related fields are only searched/displayed when you have those options selected.

Also searched in...

Text Fields

Ttitle/Abstract

Title/Abstract/Claims

Examples

ABD=(((printer AND scanner) NOT inkjet));

ABF=(((imprimante and scanner) not ((jet adj dencre) or inkjet)));

ACT=((antidepressant OR tranquilizer OR antimanic));

MEC=((histamine H3 AND (receptor OR antagonist)));

DRW=(((hydraulic connector) OR (pressure valve)));

Result Set

Record View