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New Numbering System for Patent Applications in India announced

India has resolved to standardise its IPR procedures. The year 2015 ends marking the year of patent owners in India. As the world welcomes New Year, Indian Patent Office has made a welcoming change in its unique numbering system for Patent Application.

In an effort to attain uniformity in accessibility and processing of patent applications by all Patent Offices in India, it has streamlined and standardised the numbering system for Patent Application and Request for Examination filled in Indian Patent Office. Accordingly, a new format of numbering will be implemented with effect from 1st January, 2016.

An overview of previous numbering system in Indian Patent Office:

Patent Application Number PCT Application Number Patent Number
nnnnn/LLL/yyyy

 

(since 1972)

IN/PCT/yyyy/nnnnn/LLL

 

(before 2003)

 

nnnnnn

 

(since 1912)

 

 

 

 

nnnnn/LLLNP*/yyyy

 

(since 2003)

  • Up to five digits for the serial number (n)
  • three digits for the filing office/city code** (L)
  • four digits for the year (y)

 

  • Up to five digits for the serial number (n)
  • three digits for the filing office/city code** (L)
  • four digits for the year (y)

 

  • up to six digits for the serial number (n)
  • no city code
  • no year

* NP for national phase

** Filling offices:

Kolkata (formerly Calcutta)    = KOL (CAL)

Mumbai (formerly Bombay) = MUM (BOM)

Chennai (formerly Madras)    = CHE (MAS)

Delhi (Not Changed)                 = DEL

 

The new numbering system for patent applications shall have 12 characters fixed length numeric standard Patent Application Format, applicable to all the Patent Offices in India and shall include identifiers of Year of filing, Jurisdiction, type of application and application number.

Revised Numbering system format as effect from 1st January 2016:

Patent Application Number: YYYYJTNNNNNN
  • “YYYY” denotes four digit fixed length Year of filing
  • “J” denotes fixed length single digit Jurisdiction* in numerals
  • “T” denotes fixed length single digit Type of Application** in numerals
  • “NNNNNN” denotes 6 digits fixed length common continuous running serial number applicable for all Patent Offices in India
* Jurisdiction

  • 1 = Delhi
  • 2 = Mumbai
  • 3 = Kolkata
  • 4 = Chennai
**Type of Application

  • 1 = Ordinary
  • 2 = Ordinary-Divisional
  • 3 = Ordinary-Patent of Addition
  • 4 = Convention
  • 5 = Convention-Divisional
  • 6 = Convention-Patent of Addition
  • 7 = PCT NP
  • 8 = PCT NP-Divisional
  • 9 = PCT NP-Patent of Addition

 

The “NNNNNN” series of applications shall be unique and sequentially incremented for all the four patent offices in the order of their filing.

Similarly, the numbering system of Request for Examination shall also be unified and standardized. A normal Request for Examination of patent can be filled as per rule 24(1)(i) of Patent Rules 2003 and an express patent examination request for PCT application can be filled as per rule 20(4)(ii) of Patent Rules 2003.

Request for Examination u/r 24B (1) (i) (Normal): Request for Examination u/r 20 (4) (ii) (Express):
RYYYYJNNNNNN XYYYYJNNNNNN
  • “R denotes Request for examination u/r 24B (1) (i)
  • “YYYY” denotes four digit fixed length “Year of filing”
  • “J” denotes Jurisdiction for Patent Application against which Request of Examination has been filed
  • “NNNNNN” denotes 6 digits fixed length common continuous running serial number* applicable for all Patent Offices in India
  • “X” denotes Request for examination u/r 20 (4) (ii)
  • “YYYY” denotes four digit fixed length “Year of filing”
  • “J” denotes jurisdiction of Patent Application against which Request has been filed
  • “NNNNNN” denotes 6 digits fixed length common continuous running serial number* applicable for all Patent Offices in India
*Both the serial numbers u/r 24B (1) (i) and u/r 20 (4) (ii) shall be common

 

Date of Application shall accompany the Patent application number and Request for Examination application in the following format: YYYY/MM/DD

Where,

“YYYY” denotes year of filing, “MM” denotes Month and “DD” denotes Day of filing.

The streamlining of type of patent application will be very helpful in reducing the time required for examination of patents and prosecution of patent application in India.

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