kind codes

WIPO Standard ST. 16 codes (kind codes) include a letter, and in many cases a number, used to distinguish the kind of patent document (e.g., publication of an application for a utility patent (patent application publication), patent, plant patent application publication, plant patent, or design patent) and the level of publication (e.g., first publication, second publication, or corrected publication).

-- see more about USPTO kind codes (PDF) -- see a list of kind codes

Detailed information on Standard ST. 16 and the use of kind codes by patent offices throughout the world is available on the WIPO web site at http://www.wipo.int/scit/en, under the links for WIPO standards and other documentation.

Context: Patent 

Codes indicating the stage of the published patent document, e.g. A1 = published application complete with International Search Report, (ISR) A2 = published application without ISR, A3 = published ISR.