201.14(d)   Proper Identification of Priority Application

In order to help overcome problems in determining the proper identification of priority applications for patent documentation and printing purposes, the following tables have been prepared which set out for various countries the forms of acceptable presentation of application numbers.

The tables should enable applicants, examiners and others to extract from the various formats the minimum required data which comprises a proper citation.

Proper identification of priority applications is essential to establishing accurate and complete relationships among various patent documents which reflect the same invention. Knowledge of these relationships is essential to search file management, technology documentation and various other purposes.

The tables show the forms of presentation of application numbers as used in the records of the source or originating patent office. They also show, under the heading "Minimum Significant Part of the Number," the simplified form of presentation which should be used in United States Patent and Trademark Office records.

Note particularly that in the simplified format that:

    • (A) Alpha symbols preceding numerals are eliminated in all cases except Hungary.
    • (B) A decimal character and numerical subset as part of a number is eliminated in all cases except France.
    • (C) Use of the dash (—) is reduced, but is still an essential element of application numbers, in the case of Czechoslovakia and Japan.
MINIMUM SIGNIFICANT PART OF AN APPLICATION NUMBER PROVIDING UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION OF AN APPLICATION 
Country # Example of application number at source Minimum significant part of the number Remarks
Austria [AT]  A 12116/69  12116/69  The letter A is common to all patent applications. 
Czechoslovakia [CS]  PV3628-72  3628-72  PV is an abbreviation meaning "application of invention." 
Denmark [DK]  68/2986  68/2986   
Egypt [EG]  487-1968  487-1968   
Country #  Example of application number at source  Minimum significant part of the number  Remarks 
Finland [FI]  3032/69 (old numbering system) 752032 (new numbering system)  3032/69 752032  New numbering system introduced on January 1, 1975. First two digits indicate year of application. 
France [FR]  69.38066 7319346  68.38066 7319346  Deletion of the intermediary full stop from this number onwards. 
Note: All French applications are numbered in a single annual series, e.g., demande de brevet, demande de certificate d’addition (first addition, second addition, etc.)  Annual series of numbers is used for all applications of patent documents. The number allotted to an application at its filing (national registration number) is also the number of the granted patent. 
Germany, Fed. Rep. of [DE]  P 1940738//6-24 G6947580.5  1940738 D6947580  P=Patent. The first two digits of the number represent the last two digits of the year of application less 50 (e.g., 1969 less 50=19; 1973 less 50=23). The first digit after the slash is an error control digit. The two digits following the dash indicate the examining division. G= Gebrauschsmuster. The first two digits of the number represent the last two digits of the year of application. The difference in numbering scheme of the first two digits affords unique identification of this type of application. However, see note below (D). The digit after the period is for error control.  
Ireland  1152/69  1152/69   
Italy [IT]  28039-A/70  28039/70  Application numbers are not presented on published patent documents or given in an official gazette. An exclusive block of application numbers is given annually to each of 93 provincial bureaus where patent applications may be filed. In 1973, 90,000 numbers were allotted, wherein an estimated total of 30,000 applications were expected to be filed. While, as a consequence, gaps will exist in the ultimately used numbers, each application has a unique number. For this purpose, neither the dash nor the letter identifying the receiving bureau, which follows the application number, is needed.  
Japan [JP]  46-69807 46-81861  46-69807 D46-81861  The two digits before the dash indicate the year (1925 or 1988) of the Emperor’s reign in which the application was filed (46=1971). Patent and utility model applications are numbered in separate series. 
Netherlands [NL]  7015038  7015038  First two digits indicate year of application. 
Norway [NO]  1748/70 (old numbering system) 74001 (new numbering system)  1748/70 74001  New numbering system introduced on January 1, 1974. First two digits indicate year of application. 
South Africa [ZA]  70/4865  70/4865   
Sweden [SE]  16414/70 7300001-0 (new system)  16414/70 7300001  The new numbering system was introduced January 1, 1973. First two digits indicate year of application. The digit after the dash is used for computer control. 
Switzerland [CH]  15978/70  15978/70   
United Kingdom [GB]  41352/70  41352/70   
Yugoslavia [YU]  P1135/66  1135/66   
Zambia [ZM]  142/70  142/70   
Argentina [AR]  231790  231790   
Australia [AU]  59195/69  59195/69  Long series spread over several years. New series started in 1970. 
Belgium [BE]  96469  96469  Application numbers are not presented on published patent documents or given in an official gazette. A series of parallel numbers is provided to each of 10 offices which, respectively, may receive applications (control office + 9 provincial bureaus) and assign application numbers. Series was started in 1958. Since an application number does not uniquely identify a BE document, the patent number is often cited as the "priority application number." 
Brazil [BR]  222986  222986   
Bulgaria [BG]  11572  11572   
Canada [CA]  103828  103828    
Colombia [CO]  126050  126050   
Country # Example of application number at source Minimum significant part of the number Remarks
Brazil [BR]  222986  222986   
Bulgaria [BG]  11572  11572   
Canada [CA]  103828  103828   
Colombia [CO]  126050  126050   
Cuba [CU]  33384  33384   
German (Dem. Rep.) [DD]  AP84c/137355 WP135b/147203  137355 147203  AP=Ausschliessungspatent; WP=Wirtschaftspatent. The other symbols before the slash are classification symbols. A single numbering series covers both AP and WP applications. 
Greece [GR]  44114  44114   
Hungary [HU]  OE 107  OE 107  The letters preceding the number are essential for identifying the application. They are the first letter and the first following vowel of the applicant's name. There is a separate numbering sequence for each pair of letters. 
Israel [IL]  35691  35691   
Luxembourg [LU]  60093  60093   
Mexico [MX]  123723  123723   
Monaco [MC]  908  908   
New Zealand [NZ]  161732  161732   
OAPI [OA]  52118  52118   
Philippines [PH]  11929  11929   
Poland [PO]  P144826 44987  144826 D44987   
Portugal [PT]  P52-555-5607  52555 D5607   
Romania [RO]  65211  65211   
Soviet Union  1397205-15  1397205  The numbers following the slash denote the examination division and a processing division. 
United States [US]  889877  889877  The highest number assigned in the series of numbers started in January 1960. New series started in January 1970, January 1979, D January 1987, January 1993, and January 1998. 
# ICIREPAT Country Code is indicated in brackets, e.g., [AR]. 
D In order to distinguish utility model applications from patent applications, it is necessary to identify them as to type of application in citations or references. This may be done by using the name of the application type in conjunction with the number or by using the symbol "U" in brackets or other enclosure following the number.