NUMBER FORMAT CHANGE FOR CN APPLICATIONS

 
June 2006: Chinese Patent Applications in
Derwent World Patents Index®

Since the beginning of 2006, many Chinese patent applications have been transferred from PCTs. This marks the appearance of new elongated CN application numbers (applied since October 2003) for PCT applications entering the Chinese national phase.

To avoid creating duplicates with the existing CN patent number series in DWPISM, the following number standards will be used on Chinese PCT transfers published since January, 1 2006.
The first of the new number formats appear in DWPI First ViewSM and DWPI in June 2006 (Update 36).


Chinese PCT National Phase Application Numbers Applications
The changes apply to all Chinese PCT-based application numbers filed from October, 1 2003 onwards with the original format YYYY80NNNNNN.

All CN PCT-based application numbers will be output as 8-digit serial numbers incorporating the 2-digit "80" kind code.


Chinese Application Numbers
Since October 2003, CN application numbers have been in the original format YYYY10NNNNNN.

The current DWPI format for these is YYYYCN-NNNNNN, with the patent application kind "10" removed.

This will change to include the 2-digit kind code for all CN application numbers and priority numbers, including utility models (kind code "20"), from the start of 2006 (application year). The first CN 2006 application numbers are expected to appear on CN(A) documents around June/July 2006.


Summary of New Formats

Document Type Kind Code DWPI Application
Number format
Domestic/Foreign Applications 10 YYYYCN-10NNNNNN
Utility Models (priorities only) 20 YYYYCN-20NNNNNN
Designs (priorities only) 30 YYYYCN-30NNNNNN
PCT Transfers 80
90 		YYYYCN-80NNNNNN
YYYYCN-90NNNNNN


Backfile Changes
Thomson Scientific intends to change all of the CN application numbers, including those appearing as foreign priorities and utility models appearing as foreign priorities, to the above format. This will cover backfile of application numbers dating back to October 2003.

These backfile records will be released in stages throughout June and July 2006.