PCT International Search and Preliminary Examination Guidelines

PART VII QUALITY

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.