EPO - Discussion forums

Hello,

What is the difference between CITED_PAT_PUBLN_ID and CITED_APPLN_ID when I want to compute the generality and originality index of a patent ? I suppose I only need to use CITED_APPLN_ID, is this correct?

Thanks in advance.

Citations can refer to an application, but mostly (99.5%) they refer to publications.
So the cited_appln_id is not an alternative key to get to cited patent publication in the same record.
It is simply another citation.
For info: most of the references to applications originate from the applicants as examiners and patent officers will normally always refer to the publication numbers and not the application number.
Many researchers will only use the citations that originate from the search or examination steps and therefore skip the citations provided by the applicant altogether.

thanks Vienna