Important: This task can only be performed in a Microsoft® Word document and requires that the name and number for the applicable part label be spelled out at least once in the document.
In situations where you must denote a lengthy part label numerous times in a patent document, the PatentOptimizer™ service can ease the process, requiring you to designate the applicable label only once, after which you can type a single short placeholder at all other necessary places in your document then have the service automatically substitute the designated part label for all instances of the placeholder.
Note: To address varied user preferences, the PatentOptimizer service allows you to modify the default placeholder prefix
1. In the Microsoft Word application, open the desired patent document.
2. At each location within the abstract, claims, and/or detailed description section where you want to insert the part label using a placeholder, type placeholder information using the following convention (substituting actual data for the bracketed material and omitting the brackets): [part prefix] [number of parts being used] The default placeholder prefix is fp. So, to insert a placeholder for part 104, you would type fp104. Note that there should be no spaces between the part prefix and part number and that this functionality is not case sensitive.
3. Select
Check Parts (
) from a
PatentOptimizer menu, toolbar, or right-click menu.
Tip: If the service displays a message stating that the detailed drawing description section could not be found instead of displaying the Check Parts dialog box, you may have given the section a heading that the Check Parts feature doesn't recognize (for example, you may have used the abbreviation "DRWGS DESCR"). To fix this, see How do I specify unique variations in wording of section headings, specifically entering your chosen wording in Detailed Description of Drawings .
4. Click the Insert Names tab to view all placeholders appearing in your document. The Part Place Holder pane displays a list of all placeholders identified in your document in table format along with suggested part-label substitutions.
The following image shows the Check Parts dialog box displaying the Insert Names tab.
5. Review the suggested part label for each placeholder, then proceed as applicable based on the desired course of action:
- To change a suggested part label, proceed to step 6.
- To proceed without changing any suggested part labels, proceed to step 10.
6. In the Part Place Holder pane, click the rows corresponding to the placeholders for which you want to change the suggested part label. The row is highlighted.
7. Click within the Suggested column in the highlighted row. The corresponding field becomes editable.
8. Type the desired part label in the box.
9. Change additional suggested part labels or proceed without doing so, as desired:
- To change additional suggested part labels, repeat steps 6 through 8.
- To proceed without changing additional suggested part labels, go to step 10.
10. In the Part Place Holder pane select the listings corresponding to the placeholders for which you want to substitute part labels.
Tip: You can select multiple consecutive or non-consecutive placeholders at once, as follows:
- To select multiple consecutive placeholders, click the listing corresponding to the first desired placeholder, then press and hold the SHIFT key, next click the listing corresponding to the last desired placeholder, and, finally, release the SHIFT key
- To select multiple non-consecutive placeholders, click the listing corresponding to the first desired placeholder, then press and hold the CTRL key, next click each listing corresponding to the remaining desired placeholders, and, finally, release the CTRL key
11. Click Insert. A message is displayed, citing the number of part labels to be inserted and informing you that any changes made can be negated using the Edit/Undo command in the Microsoft Word application.
12. Click OK to close the message and substitute the part labels for the selected placeholders in your patent document.
13. When you have finished inserting part labels, click Close.