A clear start
A little guidance.Then back to your case.
Practical guides to document versions and cross-border reference preparation.
IDS preparation
Learn which information disclosure statement documents to gather and how to prepare them for review.
Foreign references for an IDS: copies, translations, and where to get them
What 37 CFR 1.98 requires for foreign patent documents and non-English references in an Information Disclosure Statement, and how to collect the copies cited in a foreign Office Action.
IDS preparation: what to attach and how to handle NPL
A US-focused IDS preparation checklist: start with the OA citation list, choose the right documents, and separate patent copies from NPL handling.
Office Action citations
Understand citation records, patent references, and the documents included in an Office Action download.
Office Action Cited References: Find, Check, and Download
Identify references in an Office Action, check the cited document type, and collect source files without confusing document collection with IDS filing.
How to collect every OA citation in one pass
A practical guide to extracting, checking, downloading and packaging the citations in an Office Action.
How OA citation downloads work
Upload an Office Action, inspect its citations, and download available cited patent documents with the citation list.
When a document needs a second look
A number is not recognized
Check the country prefix, digits and kind code. Use the publication number when available. Not every local label or application format is supported.
A PDF cannot be retrieved
The source may not provide the file, the publication may be unavailable, or the number may resolve differently. Keep the successful files and check the reference manually.
No English counterpart is found
The original stays available. If a Google machine translation is available, use the external link to view it on Google Patents; it is not included in downloads.