The citation source category indicates the relevance of the citation. Note that categories may appear in combinations such as PDX, indicating that categories P, D, and X are present. This occurs when examiners assign different categories to different claims or group of claims within the same patent citation.

Values include the following:

Source CategoryDescription
ATechnological background: defining the state of the art and not prejudicing novelty or inventive step.
DDocument cited in the application.
EEarlier patent document, but published on or after the filing date of the application searched. Indicates potentially conflicting patent documents.
I

References cited by publications with a publication date of April 2011 or later may have category "I". Category "I" is category "X" further defined:
Prejudicing novelty I. Particularly relevant if taken alone, prejudicing inventive step.

LDocument cited for other reasons.
ONon-written disclosure.
PIntermediate document.
RCN only. Referring to a patent application or a utility model filed on the same day which relates to the same invention.
TTheory or principle underlying the invention.
XParticularly relevant if taken alone.
YParticularly relevant if combined with another document of the same category.


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