What relation do patents cited on the front cover of a patent document have
to those within the patent document?
I'm I right in thinking that those on the front are applied by the patent
examiner in order to map out the landscape of the prior art? If this is the
case, how do they correspond to citations in the background section of the
patent document? And, do they break down in a similar way (i.e. as directly
related to the invention, indirectly related to the invention, as
within and superseded by the citing patent, as disclosing equipment,
processes and methods useful for producing the invention etc.)?
Illumination on any of these questions would be much appreciated.
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Max Brady
Science Policy Research Unit
Mantell Building
University of Sussex
Falmer, Brighton BN1 9RF
United Kingdom
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Tel: +44 1273 673554 (direct)
+44 1273 686758 (switchboard)
Fax: +44 1273 685865
Email m.brady@sussex.ac.uk
WWW http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru
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