MPEP § 908 — MPEP § 908
Current through: 2022-07-01

908-[Reserved] 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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 Manual of Patent Examining Procedure 

 Chapter 0900 

 Section 908 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 908 [Reserved]

 [top] 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 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: PE2E 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 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 
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 Last Modified: 
 
 03/09/2026 20:50:54