Patent Metadata

• Before You Start
• Steps
• Title
• Name
• Date
• Description
• Subject
• Primary Source
• Coverage
• Identifier
• Note
• Special Cases
• Related Pages/Links

Before You Start

1. Sign into the editing system: http://edit.texashistory.unt.edu
2. Choose a record that has not been edited
3. Find the scans for the patent here

• The pre-set title in the record will give you the folder and the identifier for the item, e.g.:

folder >    usp001/00005661    < identifier

Steps

• For every field, enter separate information (e.g. multiple names, titles, keywords, etc.) as separate entries in the field
• More about how this works in the editing system can be found here: Help Guide

• To find more information on formatting names or information for any field, click on the field name in these instructions to go to the full guidelines
  

Title

Main Title

• Use the title from the header at the start of the text
• Punctuate it as written

Added Title

• If there is an illustration, use the title on the first illustration page as an added title
  

Name

• There are place-holders for the inventor, two witnesses, and the printer; make sure to remove the "[]" in the name field
  
• For names, write out standard abbreviations but include the alternate (abbreviated) form in the creator/contributor information, e.g.:
• Geo. = George
• Jno. = John
• Wm. = William
  
• If you need to add an entry in addition to the place-holders (e.g. for a second inventor), don't forget to choose the appropriate type/role from the drop-down menus
  

Creator

• Add creator name(s) using proper formatting:
• Invert names (last, first)
• Space between initials (Smith, J. J.)
• Put necessary suffixes at the end (Milner, Thomas, Jr.)
• For other formatting questions, see the full creator name guidelines
  
• Add the author statement from the header to the information section (Augustus C. Allen, of Houston, Texas.)
  

Contributor

• Add the two witnesses who are listed at the end of the text
• Use the same formatting for names as creator names (see also: full contributor name guidelines)
  
• If there is an illustration, include the name at the bottom of the illustration as the "printer"
• When in doubt as to the type (person/company), assume that it is a company (organization)
• When possible, use the same form of the name; authorized names for lithographers:
  
• A.M. Photo-Lithogr. Co.
• Norris Peters Co.  (sometimes written as "N. Peters")
  
• Add the statement to the information section
  
• Delete the place-holder entry for the printer if:
  
• There is not an illustration
• The illustration does not have anyone listed as a lithographer/illustrator
  

Date

• Use the format YYYY-MM-DD
  

Creation/Acceptance Date

• Enter the date of the patent twice (two entries)
  
• This is listed in the text header (and illustration, if included) - e.g., "dated May 20, 1873"
• Label the first entry as "Creation Date" and the second as "Acceptance Date" in the drop-down menu
  

Submission Date

• If listed, add an entry labeled "Submission Date"
  

• It will be in the text header, e.g., "application filed April 5, 1873"
  

Description

Content Description

• Add a brief (usually 1-2 sentence) description explaining what the patent is for
• If you quote the text, be sure to cite it
• Examples:

Patent for a new medical compound to treat chills and fevers which lists the ingredients and dosages.

 

Patent for "a new and improved mode of dressing millstones for the purpose of grinding every kind of grain into meal flour &c., &c." (lines 4-7) including instructions and illustrations.

 

Patent for a new windmill design with different sails and connections, including illustrations.

Physical Description

• Adjust the physical description as necessary

Subject

UNTL-BS

• Add appropriate UNT Libraries Browse Subjects (UNTL-BS)
• Use the pop-up modal and/or the full list
  

LCSH

• When relevant, add additional LCSH terms, e.g. [subject] -- Patents.
• Only add LCSH terms if you are familiar with constructing them
  

Keywords

• Add additional relevant keywords
• These should be lowercase and plural unless they are proper names
  
• For more technical terms, use the patent number to find the text in Google Patents
• Under "Current U.S. Classification" click on the linked number(s)
• The first number is the class and the second is the most specific sub-class
• Clicking on the link will take you directly to the heading for the specific sub-class
• Click on the number/title at the top of the new page and it should display the full hierarchy from class to sub-class for the specific item
• Add any relevant technical terms/keywords from the headings

Primary Source

• Check "Yes"
  

Coverage

• Add the place that the inventor is from
• This is in the text header and first paragraph
• Sometimes there is a city listed and sometimes only a county
  
• When you click on the text (United States), it will open a pop-up modal
• If you highlight the text and start typing the name of the city/county, you should be able to find the correct place in the list
• If the city is not in the list, add the place, using appropriate formatting: United States - Texas - [name] County - [city]
• Be sure to pay attention to spacing and capitalization if you add a new place

Identifier

• The patent number has been automatically entered
• Change the qualifier (in the drop-down menu) to "Patent Number"
• Remove the zero-padding from the number (all preceding zeroes), e.g.:

00005661 > 5661
00198785 > 198785

Note

• Notes are used for information that does not fit in another field
• So far, there has not been any standard information that belongs in a note

Special Cases

Related Pages/Links

• Metadata Guidelines

• Patent scans
• UNTL-BS

External Links

• Google Patents
• LoC Authorities