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608.05 Sequence Listing, Table, or Computer Program Listing Appendix Submitted in Electronic Form 37 C.F.R. 1.52  

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

This section covers sequence listings, tables, or computer program listings. For instance, biotechnology sequence listings and computer listing appendices may be submitted as ASCII text files with a “.txt” extension (e.g., “seqlist.txt”).

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The following document types may be submitted as text files via EFS-Web or as compact discs provided the specification contains a statement in a separate paragraph that incorporates by reference the material in the ASCII text file identifying the name of the ASCII text file, the date of creation, and the size of the ASCII text file in bytes:

  • A computer program listing
  • A sequence listing; or
  • Any individual table if the table is more than 50 pages in length, or if the total number of pages of all of the tables in an application exceeds 100 pages in length, wherein a table page is a page printed on paper


II.   Submissions On Compact Disc

A compact disc submitted must either be a CD-ROM or a CD-R.

  • The files stored on the compact disc must contain only ASCII characters. No non-ASCII characters or proprietary file formats are permitted.

Compact disc(s) filed on the date that the application was accorded a filing date are to be treated as part of the originally filed disclosure even if the requisite “incorporation by reference” statement is omitted.

All compact discs must be submitted in duplicate labeled as “copy 1” and “copy 2” respectively.

  • If more than one compact disc is required to hold all of the information, each compact disc must be submitted in duplicate to form two sets of discs: one set labeled “copy 1” and a second set labeled “copy 2.”


608.05(a) Deposit of Computer Program Listings

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

Special procedures for presentation of computer program listings in the form of compact disc files in U.S. national patent applications are set forth in 37 CFR 1.96.


(a) General. Descriptions of the operation and general content of computer program listings should appear in the description portion of the specification. A computer program listing for the purpose of this section is defined as a printout that lists in appropriate sequence the instructions, routines, and other contents of a program for a computer. The program listing may be either in machine or machine-independent (object or source) language which will cause a computer to perform a desired procedure or task such as solve a problem, regulate the flow of work in a computer, or control or monitor events. Computer program listings may be submitted in patent applications as set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.
(b) Material which will be printed in the patent: If the computer program listing is contained in 300 lines or fewer, with each line of 72 characters or fewer, it may be submitted either as drawings or as part of the specification.

(1) Drawings. If the listing is submitted as drawings, it must be submitted in the manner and complying with the requirements for drawings as provided in § 1.84. At least one figure numeral is required on each sheet of drawing.
(2) Specification.

(i) If the listing is submitted as part of the specification, it must be submitted in accordance with the provisions of § 1.52.
(ii) Any listing having more than 60 lines of code that is submitted as part of the specification must be positioned at the end of the description but before the claims. Any amendment must be made by way of submission of a substitute sheet.

(c) As an appendix which will not be printed: Any computer program listing may, and any computer program listing having over 300 lines (up to 72 characters per line) must, be submitted on a compact disc in compliance with § 1.52(e). A compact disc containing such a computer program listing is to be referred to as a “computer program listing appendix.” The “computer program listing appendix” will not be part of the printed patent. The specification must include a reference to the “computer program listing appendix” at the location indicated in § 1.77(b)(5).

(1) Multiple computer program listings for a single application may be placed on a single compact disc. Multiple compact discs may be submitted for a single application if necessary. A separate compact disc is required for each application containing a computer program listing that must be submitted on a “computer program listing appendix.”
(2) The “computer program listing appendix” must be submitted on a compact disc that complies with § 1.52(e) and the following specifications (no other format shall be allowed):

(i) Computer Compatibility: IBM PC/XT/AT, or compatibles, or Apple Macintosh;
(ii) Operating System Compatibility: MS-DOS, MS-Windows, Unix, or Macintosh;
(iii) Line Terminator: ASCII Carriage Return plus ASCII Line Feed;
(iv) Control Codes: the data must not be dependent on control characters or codes which are not defined in the ASCII character set; and
(v) Compression: uncompressed data.


As an alternative to submission on a compact disc, a computer program listing appendix may be submitted in an ASCII text file via EFS-Web.

Copies of publicly available program listings are available via Public PAIR, or may be purchased from the Office on paper or compact disc.

The computer program listing appendix submitted electronically via EFS-Web in ASCII text or on a compact disc will be identified in the patent.

 


608.05(b) Compact Disc Submissions of Large Tables

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

37 CFR 1.58 sets forth several different methods for submitting large tables, including the use of CD-ROM and CD-R. The files stored on the compact disc containing the table must contain only ASCII characters. No special formatting characters or proprietary file formats are permitted.

 

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(b) Tables that are submitted in electronic form (§§ 1.96(c) and 1.821(c)) must maintain the spatial relationships (e.g. , alignment of columns and rows) of the table elements when displayed so as to visually preserve the relational information they convey. Chemical and mathematical formulae must be encoded to maintain the proper positioning of their characters when displayed in order to preserve their intended meaning.

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608.05(c) Submissions of Biological Sequence Listings as ASCII Files

MPEP SECTION SUMMARY

Filing of biological sequence information on compact disc or in text format via EFS-Web is permitted in lieu of filing on paper.

 

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