| ARIPO | African Regional Industrial Property Organization |
| DO | Designated Office under the PCT (Chapter I) |
| EAPO | Eurasian Patent Office |
| EO | Elected Office under the PCT (Chapter II) |
| EPO | European Patent Office |
| IB | International Bureau (of the World Intellectual Property Organization) |
| IPE | International Preliminary Examination |
| IPEA | International Preliminary Examination Authority |
| IPER | International Preliminary Examination Report (pre-1/1/2004 applications) |
| IPRP (Chapter I) | International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter I of the PCT) |
| IPRP (Chapter II) | International Preliminary Report on Patentability (Chapter II of the PCT) |
| ISA | International Searching Authority |
| ISR | International Search Report |
| PCT | Patent Cooperative Treaty |
| PPH | Patent Prosecution Highway |
| OAPI | Organization Africaine de la Propriete Intellectuelle (African Intellectual Property Organization) |
| RO | Receiving Office |
| SIS | Supplementary International Search |
| SISA | Supplementary International Searching Authority |
| SIS Report (SISR) | Supplementary International Search Report |
| WIPO | World Intellectual Property Organization |
| WOISA | Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |