APA Citation Generator

Patent

How to Cite a Patent in APA Style

Citing a patent in APA 7th edition style requires the following elements:

  • Inventor(s) name(s) (LastName, FirstInitial. MiddleInitial.)
  • Year patent was issued
  • Title of the patent (in italics)
  • Patent number
  • Issuing authority (patent office)
  • URL (if available)

General Format

Inventor, A. A. (Year). Title of the patent (Patent No. X,XXX,XXX). Issuing Authority. URL


Patent Citation Examples in APA Style

Example 1 (U.S. Patent): Doe, J. K. (2023). Artificial intelligence system for predictive maintenance (Patent No. 11,234,567). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patent.uspto.gov/patent/11234567

Example 2 (European Patent): Smith, A. B., & Johnson, C. D. (2021). Advanced social media analysis tool (European Patent No. EP 3,654,321 B1). European Patent Office. https://worldwide.espacenet.com/patent/EP3654321B1

Example 3 (Japanese Patent): Tanaka, H. (2022). 高効率太陽電池システム [High-efficiency solar cell system] (Japanese Patent No. JP 7654321 B2). Japan Patent Office. https://www.j-platpat.inpit.go.jp/7654321

Example 4 (Patent Application): García, M. L., & Chen, L. (2023). Biodegradable plastic alternative (U.S. Patent Application No. 17/123,456). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://appft.uspto.gov/patent/app/17123456

Example 5 (Design Patent): Brown, K. S. (2020). Electric vehicle charging station (U.S. Design Patent No. D123,456). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/D123456.pdf

Example 6 (Patent without URL): Lee, S. H., & Park, J. Y. (2019). Quantum computing processor (U.S. Patent No. 10,987,654). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.


Key Points to Remember

Use the issue year of the patent, not the application year.

Italicize the title of the patent.

Include the specific patent number, preceded by "Patent No."

Specify the issuing authority (e.g., U.S. Patent and Trademark Office).

Include a URL if the patent is available online.

For non-English patents, provide an English translation of the title in square brackets after the original title.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I cite a patent with multiple inventors?

A: List up to 20 inventors in the order they appear on the patent. For more than 20, list the first 19 followed by "... & Last Author."

Q: What's the difference between citing a patent and a patent application?

A: For a patent application, use "Patent Application No." instead of "Patent No." and include "Patent Application" in square brackets after the title.

Q: How do I cite a patent that's been assigned to a company?

A: Cite the inventor(s), not the assignee company. You can mention the company in the text if it's relevant to your discussion.

Q: Should I include the patent classification number?

A: APA style doesn't require including the classification number, but you can add it after the patent number if it's relevant to your work.

Q: How do I cite a patent that I've accessed through a database?

A: Cite the patent as you would normally, using the URL of the patent office where it was issued, not the database URL.

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