專利公開公報及專利公告公報的不同

專利公開公報及專利公告公報的不同。
1、 原則上每一件專利申請案，其專利說明書在申請日之18個月會被公開於"公開公報"，公開的內容為申請當時的說明書。公開號大致為2000/000000A。但美國專利實務中，有「申請不公開」的制度，所以如果申請人申請不公開時，該專利說明書就不會被公開。
2、 專利經審查而核准後，該專利就會被公告於"公告公報"中，每一件專利都一定會被公告，公告的內容為經過審查而被修改過後的說明書、申請專利範圍及圖式。公告號大致為分為兩種：一為曾公開過的US700000B2；另一種為不曾被公開過的US700000B1。
3、 因此，只要是有公開最後又順利核准的專利，都會被記錄於"公開資料庫"及"公告資料庫"。未被核准的就僅會記錄在"公開資料庫"。申請過不公開且又順利取得專利的僅會記錄在"公告資料庫"。

公開號及專利號中最後面的英文字母及數字，一般稱為"kind code"，有它特殊的意思，請參考：
http://www.patentlens.net/daisy/patentlens/2354.html
(published on or after 2 Jan 2001)


Exemplary publ. no. Code meaning

US 2003/0157684 A1 first publication of application

US 2004/0038291 A2 second or subsequent publication of application, requested by applicant

US 2004/0185440 A9 correction of error(s) in previous publication (either A1 or A2); error(s) made by USPTO

US 6,207,883 B1 patent which was not published as a patent application

US 6,791,013 B2 patent which was prior published as a patent application (US 2002/0068359 A1)

US 6,197,585 C1 re-examined patent; claims may be unchanged, amended or canceled; appear to only be published in Official Gazette (OG)

re-exams are requested by applicant or third party

US RE038,571 E1 re-issued patent; claims may be broadened or narrowed; re-issuances are requested by applicant

US 2004/0177423 P1 first publication of plant patent application

US PP15,114 P2 plant patent which was not published as a patent application

US PPnn,nnn P3 plant patent which was published as a patent application