science

Kind code

Kind code is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Kind code rather than just read about it. In short: In patent law, a kind code, or WIPO Standard ST.16 code, is a code used on patent documents published by intellectual property offices to distinguish different kinds of patent documents. A kind code includes a letter, and in many cases a number, used to distinguish the kind of patent document (e.g., publication of an application for a utility patent (patent application publication), patent, plant patent application…

Key takeaways

Kind code belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Kind code to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Kind code from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In patent law, a kind code, or WIPO Standard ST.16 code, is a code used on patent documents published by intellectual property offices to distinguish different kinds of patent documents. A kind code includes a letter, and in many cases a number, used to distinguish the kind of patent document (e.g., publication of an application for a utility patent (patent application publication), patent, plant patent application publication, plant patent, or design patent) and the level of publication (e.g., first publication, second publication, or corrected publication). The recommended use is the two-letter country code followed by the patent document number and then the kind code, e.g., "US 7,654,321 B1" for U.S. Patent No. 7,654,321 where there was no previously published patent application publication, and "US 2003/1234567 A1" for U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/1234567, published in 2003.

In the European Patent Office The European Patent Office (EPO) uses kind codes such as the following. Kind codes for patent applications begin with A and include

A1, for an application published with a European search report; A2, for an application published without a European search report; and A3, for a later publication of the European search report. Kind codes for granted patents begin with B and chiefly include B1 for a European patent specification (granted patent).

In Japan The Japan Patent Office (JPO) uses kind codes including

A for publications of patent applications; and B1 and B2 for publications of granted patents.

In the United States In the United States, effective January 2, 2001, the kind codes indicate a variety of documents published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), most importantly patent application publications and patents. The kind codes include

A1, for a patent application publication (pre-grant publication); B1, for a patent issuing from an application that was not previously published as a pre-grant publication; and B2, for a patent issuing from an application that was previously published as a pre-grant publication. Before January 2, 2001, the kind code for issued patents was A.

PCT documents For publication of international patent applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, the kind codes include

A1 for an application published with an international search report (ISR); A2 for an application published without an ISR; and A3 for later publication of the ISR.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States government.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Kind code

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Kind code claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Kind code before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Kind code ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Kind code

In research: Kind code appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Kind code in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Kind code is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Encodings, Patent law, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Kind code outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Kind code in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Kind code means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Kind code out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Kind code in simple terms?

Why does Kind code matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Kind code?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Kind code.