How to prepare Descriptions for Patent Applications(to be applied after January 1, 2009)

Details on how to prepare "descriptions"for patent applications are as follows.

1. Instructions on how to draft descriptions

• (1) Use white JIS A4 size (width 21.0cm x height 29.7cm) paper. The paper must not stain ink and the writing must not see through on the other side. Use the paper height long, and do not use letters, marks, frames or ruled lines unnecessarily.
• (2) Letters sizes are to be between 10-point and 12-point, and must be typed or printed in black so it is clear and not easily erasable. Use hiragana (katakana for words of foreign origin), Kanji designated for daily use and Arabic numerals when appropriate. The subject of the relevant invention in the 【Title of Invention 】column must not be written in hankaku (half-width). Further, "▲", "▼"(replacement marks), "【", "】"(Sumitsuki brackets)may not be used. (Except when using the "【"and　"】"for section titles.)
• (3) Use the left to right writing method, 40 letters in a line, and within 50 lines in a page and write a page number in a page blank at the upper light of each page.
• (4) Make sure there are at least 2cm margins on the left and right hand side, and top and bottom side of each paper, and in principle the left and right margins are not to exceed 2.3cm.
• (5) Bind the papers on the left hand side, preferably using a stapler etc. so the papers are easy to disassemble and rebind.
• (6) Crossing out, corrections、double writing and insertions are not permitted on each sheet.

2.About the 【Title of Document 】column

Write the title of the document as "description".

3. About the 【Title of Invention 】column

Create a title that concisely and clearly describes the subject of the invention such as "A biped robot control system"or "A charge control method for electric cars". Do not add phrases that are irrelevant to the subject of the invention such as "Tanaka style"or "new-style".

4. About the detailed description of the invention

As provided in the Patent Act Article 36(4) and the Regulations under the Patent Act Article 24(2), the statement of the detailed description of the invention shall be clear and sufficient as to enable any person ordinarily skilled in the art to carry out the invention.

As a rule, before the paragraphs, put paragraph numbers in 4 digit Arabic numbers using the brackets "【"and　"】", such as 【0001 】, 【0002 】, put section titles like the (1) to (5) shown below before the paragraph numbers, and then describe concisely the subject of the invention. (If due to the nature of the invention the section titles below are not suitable, then it is possible to put alternative titles.)

(1) 【Technical Field 】

This is a statement of the field of the art to which the invention pertains, and should be written concisely such as "This invention relates to ～ for ～".

(2) 【Background Art 】

Including published prior art, detailed information on prior art which are related to the invention for which the patent is sought is required. The following is an example of how to draft this section.

【Background Art 】

【0002 】

Among the previous ○○○, ⋅⋅⋅⋅have been proposed (for example see Patent Literature 1). Some have also arranged ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅ (for example see Non Patent Literature 1). …….

The previous○○○is described below by using the drawing ○and drawing ○.……….

(3) 【Citation List 】

When there are published prior art related to the invention for which the patent is sought and applicants know the prior art, the applicants should indicate information about the prior art, e.g., the name of the prior art document. The following is an example of how to draft this section.

(4) 【Summary of Invention 】

Put the section title "【Summary of Invention 】"before the section title "【Technical Problem 】".

• 【Technical Problem 】
  Describe in this section a technical problem or problems of the prior art that the invention for which the patent is sought is aiming to solve.
• 【Solution to Problem 】
  The invention described in the claims will be the solution to the technical problems to be solved. Therefore usually the constitution of the invention described in the claims is written here.
• 【Advantageous Effects of Invention 】
  Disclose how the invention for which the patent is sought is technically superior to the prior art and state this as an advantageous effect of the invention. This is an important fact in judging the inventive step of the invention.

(5) 【Brief Description of Drawings 】

When drawings are attached, change the line per drawing and describe as "【Fig. 1 】Front View", "【Fig. 2 】Plane View", and place the title 【Brief Description of Drawings 】before the drawings.

(6) 【Description of Embodiments 】, 【Example 】

To enable any person ordinarily skilled in the art to which the invention pertains to work the invention, describe the embodiments showing how to carry out the invention in the 【Description of Embodiments 】section.. If necessary draft concrete examples after the section title 【Example 】. The description of embodiments includes at least one embodiment which applicants consider the best mode.

(7) 【Industrial Applicability 】

If the industrial applicability of the invention for which the patent is sought is not clear, then try to write down the industrial applications, production methods and the usage methods. Since in most cases the industrial applicability of the invention is obvious, the description in this column is not required.

(8) 【Reference Signs List 】

When describing the signs which refer to the main parts of the drawing, add the section title【Reference Signs List 】before the description of the signs concerned.

5. Elements such as chemical formula in the description

If elements such as chemical formula are to be included in the description, they are to be numbered consecutively in the order such as chemical formula 【Chem1 】【Chem2 】, mathematical formula 【Math1 】【Math2 】, and Tables 【Table1 】【Table2 】. The chemical formulae etc. must not be longer than width 170mm and height 255mm, and a chemical formula etc. cannot be written beyond a page.

[Last updated 7 September2009]

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