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903.03 Availability of Foreign Patents - 900 Prior Art, Classification, Search
903.03 Availability of Foreign Patents
All foreign patent documents received in the Office before October 1, 1995 were placed in the shoes in the Technology Center (TCs), according to either the United States Patent Classification System or, in relatively few instances, an IPC classification. Foreign patents received by the Office after October 1, 1995 are available on the USPTO's automated search systems and through the Foreign Patent Access System (FPAS).
If the examiner desires to update the classification of a foreign patent by changing, canceling, or adding copies, he or she should forward the patent to his or her post classifier with a request for the desired transaction attached.
The Scientific and Technical Information Center (STIC) retains copies of foreign patents (see MPEP § 901.06(a)) so that foreign patents, known by country, number, and publication date, can be inspected in STIC and so that photocopies can be ordered.
Examiners confronted with language problems in classifying foreign-language patents may call upon the Translation Branch of STIC for assistance (see MPEP § 901.06(a)).
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