Information about Australian Patents

The following information concerns Australian patents

Deciphering Australian Granted Patent and Patent Application Numbers

Australian patents and patent applications have several different number formats, depending on when the application was filed and the type of application.

Applications filed on or after 5 July 2002

For applications filed on or after 5 July 2002, Australian patent applications are given a 10 digit application number that remains the same when the patent is granted. When an application filed after this date is granted, it is not given a new six-digit grant number. Instead, the grant number is the same as the application number, but has a different kind code.

Format: YYYYXZZZZZ

  • The four "Y" digits are the year that the application was filed.
  • The one "X" digit indicates the application type (1 indicates an innovation patent application, 2 through 8 indicate a standard patent application, and 9 indicates a provisional patent application).
  • The five "Z" digits are the unique application number.

Examples (not actual patent or application numbers):

Applications filed before 5 July 2002

Applications filed before 5 July 2002 had a nine-digit application number that was used during the prosecution phase, but if the application was granted, the patent was given a new six-digit number. In addition, applications had several different number formats.

Format for Standard Applications: YYYYZZZZZ

  • The four "Y" digits are the year that the application was filed.
  • The five "Z" digits are the unique application number.

Alternative Format for Standard Applications: ZZZZZ/YYYY

    • The four "Y" digits are the year that the application was filed.
    • The five "Z" digits are the unique application number.

Format for Accepted (Granted) Applications: WWWWWW

    • The six "W" digits are the unique patent number.

Format for Provisional Applications: PFWWWW

  • The four-digit number designated by the Ws is the unique application number.

Examples:

  • 200212345 is a standard patent application that was filed in 2002.
  • 123456 is an Accepted (granted) standard patent.
  • 12345/1999 is a standard patent application that was filed in 1999
  • PF1234 is a provisional patent application

Applications filed in this time period also have a kind code (see below).

What are kind codes?

Kind codes are a letter followed by a number that is added to the end of a patent application number. The kind code provides additional information about the application, such as what type of application it is, whether it has been published, whether it has been granted or accepted, or whether it has been corrected or amended. In general, "A" kind codes correspond to applications, "B" kind codes correspond to granted patents, and "C" kind codes correspond to corrected or amended patents.

Kind Code

Description

A1

First publication of an unexamined standard patent application or the divisional standard/petty application of a standard patent/patent application

A2

Amended first publication

A4

Publication of granted innovation patent

A5

Publication of an innovation patent application prior to grant

A6

Publication of amended granted innovation patent

A8

Corrigenda to the bibliographic data of an A level publication

A9

Corrigenda to the patent specification of an A level publication

B1

First publication of an accepted standard patent application

B2

Publication of a patent application after acceptance

B3

Publication of a granted petty patent

B4

Publication of a certified innovation patent

B8

Corrigenda to the bibliographic data of a B level publication

B9

Corrigenda to the patent specification of a B level publication

C1

Amended accepted standard patent or amended granted petty patent

C4

Amended certified innovation patent

C8

Corrigenda to the bibliographic data of a C level publication

C9

Corrigenda to the patent specification of a C level publication

Examples of patent application numbers with Kind Codes:

  • 2007212345 A1 is an unexamined standard patent application filed in 2007 that has been published.
  • 2004212345 B2 is the publication of a standard patent application that was filed in 2004 and has been accepted (granted). The B2 indicates that it had also been published as an application.
  • 2006312345 B1 is the publication of a standard patent application that was filed in 2006 and has been accepted (granted). The B1 indicates had not been published as an application.
  • 2003212345 C1 is the publication of an amended standard patent filed in 2003.
  • 200112345 B2 is the publication of a standard patent that was filed prior to 5 July 2002 that has been accepted.

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Dates Associated with Australian Patents in Patent Lens Searches

Filing Date

The date that the application was filed in Australia. In many cases, the filing date is not the same as the "Priority Date". See the tutorial "What is the difference between a filing date and a priority date?" for more information about filing dates and priority dates.

Publication Date

Publication Journal Date

The date that the application is designated as being "Open to Public Inspection" by publication in the AOJP. This applies to both applications that were filed in Australia directly, and PCT applications designating Australia.

Accepted Journal Date

The date that an accepted standard patent or a granted petty patent is published in the AOJP. For standard patents, the accepted journal date is roughly equivalent to the grant date.

Granted Journal Date

The date that a granted innovation patent is published in the AOJP. Innovation patents are granted without any substantive examination, and are not enforceable.

Certified Journal Date

The date that that a certified innovation patent is published in the AOJP.

Amended Journal Date

The date that an amended standard or innovation patent is published in the AOJP.

Correction Date

The date that a corrected or amended patent is published in the AOJP.

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