Quick Guide to Common Patent and Trademark Related Citations: 

The Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) 

Issued Patents and Trademarks. T1.2.

  • Issued Patents. In the parenthetical(s), include use filed and/or issued date, depending on what makes sense in context. Author may also use “Column:Line(s)” pincites. The following are all acceptable citations. 
    • Cryptographic Commc'ns Sys. & Method, U.S. Patent No. 4,405,829 col. 2 l. 30 (filed Dec. 14, 1977) (issued Sept. 20, 1983). 
    • U.S. Patent No. 4,405,829 col. 2, l. 30 (filed Dec. 14, 1977). 
    • U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,829, 2:30–32 (filed Dec. 14, 1977).
  • Issued Trademarks.
    • GOLDEN OREO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 2961410 (issued June 7, 2005).  

Patent and Trademark Applications. 

  • Patent Applications
    • U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/341,910 (filed Dec. 11, 2005).
    • U.S. Pat. App. No. 12/341,910 (filed Dec. 11, 2005).
  • Trademark Applications
    • U.S. Trademark Application Serial No. 77/341,910 (filed Dec. 1, 2007).
    • U.S. TM App. No. 77/341,910 (filed Dec. 1, 2007).
  • Pre-Grant Publications (PG-PUBs)
    • U.S. Pre-Grant Pub’l. No. 2007/0035812 [0002] (published Feb. 15, 2007). 
    • U.S. PG-PUB US 2007/0035812 at [0002].

 

PTAB/TTAB Decisions. 

  • SAP Am., Inc. v. Versata Dev. Grp., Inc., No. CBM2012-00001 (P.T.A.B. June 11, 2013).
  • Ex parte Baggett, No. 2007-2648 (B.P.A.I. Mar. 10, 2008).
  • Ex parte Fallaux, No. 2008-2251, 2008 WL 2463014 (B.P.A.I. June 17, 2008).
  • Bos. Red Sox Baseball Club, Ltd. v. Sherman, 88 U.S.P.Q.2d (BL) 1581 (T.T.A.B. 2008).
  • In re Jolles, 628 F.2d 1322, (C.C.P.A. 1967)
  • Commissioner Reports. 
    • Ex parte Latimer, 1889 Dec. Comm'r Pat. 123.

 

Office Communications.

From the Office

  • Non-Final Office Actions.
    • Non-Final Office Action dated Oct. 3, 2010, U.S. Patent App. No. 12/123,321 at 5:11–55.
    • See Non-Final Act. 6:1–10.
  • Final Office Actions.
    • Final Office Action dated Jan. 3, 2011, U.S. Pat. App. No. 12/123,321 at 2:1–10.
    • Final Act. 6:1–10.
    • “U.S. Patent App.” is an appropriate abbreviation for “U.S. Patent Application”
  • Notice of Allowance.
    • Notice of Allowance dated Oct. 24, 2005, U.S. Patent App. No. 11/079,670.

 

To the Office

  • Appeal Brief. 
    • Appeal Brief dated Apr 3, 2005, U.S. Patent App. No. 11/079,670
    • Appeal Br. 17.
  • Atty Responses to OA. 
    • Response to Office Action dated Apr 3, 2004, U.S. Patent App. No. 11/079,670.
  • Etc, including Appeal Brief, Response Brief, Response to Petition. 
    • Short Description Of Whatever It Is dated Sept 19, 2006, U.S. Patent App. No. 11/079,670.

 

 

PTO Memorandum. 

  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Formulating a Subject Matter Eligibility Rejection and Evaluating the Applicant's Response to a Subject Matter Eligibility Rejection (May 4, 2016).
    • May 2016 Memorandum at 3.

 

 

Federal Register Notices. R14.2. 

  • 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance Notice, 84 Fed. Reg. 50 (Jan. 7, 2019) (“2019 PEG”). 
  • 2014 Interim Guidance on Patent Subject Matter Eligibility, 79 Fed. Reg. 74,619 (Dec. 16, 2014). 
  • October 2019 Update: Subject Matter Eligibility, available at https://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/peg_oct_2019_update.pdf.

 

 

 

All other citations should follow The Bluebook (21st) recommended formatting.  

 

The Bluebook, 21st Edition by Colum. L. Rev., Harv. L. Rev., U. Pa. L. Rev. & Yale L.J.

Publication Date: 2020 

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