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Facsimile database:

In addition to the access to the reference document of the patent family of a found document, you are also offered access to all the facsimile documents available in the facsimile database of the European Patent Office.

Depending on the age of the document, the full-text image file is available:

• on-line: documents published the last 10 years. The facsimile file can be retrieved from disk within several seconds.

  The document number is preceeded by a 'green dot'. Example:

  EP0750451

• near-line: documents older than 10 years. The facsimile file must be retrieved from tape, which can take 3-4 minutes.

  The document number is preceeded by a 'red dot'. Example:

  US5321456

More about Patents

Patent Families

Minimum PCT Documentation

The Reference Document

Full Patents in Facsimile

The Document Type