PCT International Search and Preliminary Examination Guidelines

PART VII QUALITY

Chapter 21 Common Quality Framework for International Search and Preliminary Examination

8. Search Process Documentation

21.26 For internal purposes each Authority should document its search process which may include inter alia:

(i) the databases consulted (patent and non-patent literature);

(ii) the keywords, combinations of words and truncations used;

(iii) the language(s) in which the search was carried out;

(iv) the classes and class combinations searched, at least according to the IPC or equivalent; and

(v) a listing of all search statements used in the databases consulted.

(vi) each Authority should further document at least for internal purposes special cases such as:

(vii) limitation of search and its justification;

(viii) lack of clarity of the claims; and

(ix) lack of unity.