What are the meanings of the patent document symbols?

In North Carolina, patent document symbols are used to identify a patent’s application, publication, and registration. Patent document symbols are denoted as a combination of numbers, letters, and punctuation, and can be found in the cover page of a patent. The first group of characters is the patent number, which consists of seven to nine digits (e.g. US 7,982,567). This number identifies the patent and is used by the public to search for the full text of the patent document. The patent application number is composed of two letters followed by six numbers (e.g. US 15/123,456). This number is assigned to a patent application to track the status of the applicant’s filing. The patent publication number is displayed as two letters followed by seven numbers (e.g. US 17/321,456). This number is assigned when a patent application is published, and is used to refer to the patent application. The patent registration number is composed of two letters and seven digits (e.g. US 18/432,567). This number is assigned when a patent application is registered. Finally, the patent reexamination certificate number is also composed of two letters and seven numbers (e.g. US 19/543,678). This number is assigned when a patent is reexamined. By understanding the meanings of the various patent document symbols, it is possible for the public to identify the current status of a specific patent.

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