MPEP Chapter 900 Index

Executive summary:

This document contains the chapter index for one chapter of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (the "M.P.E.P."), Eighth Edition, Fifth Revision (August 2006). This page was last updated in July 2007. You may return to the main Section index to find a different chapter of the MPEP. A full text search of the MPEP is available using the search box that appears on the bottom of every page of BitLaw--be sure to restrict your search to the MPEP in the pop-up list. BitLaw also provides a key word index to the MPEP that can be directly accessed through the following list:

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Chapter 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
902.03 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 DVD -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
903.06 Harmonized Subclasses
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 Nonprovisional 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