• 2-minute read
• 20th October 2020

How to Cite a Patent in IEEE Referencing

If you’re writing on a technical subject, you may need to cite a patent in your work. But how does this work in IEEE referencing? Check out our post below to find out how to format in-text citations and the reference list entry.

Citing a Patent in IEEE Referencing

As with any source in IEEE referencing, you can cite a patent in your work via bracketed numbers in the text, with the number matching the source’s position in the reference list. For instance:

If we examine the patent for this device [8], we can see how the design integrates several innovative features not seen in previous solutions.

Here, we’re citing the eighth source from the reference list. For more information on citing sources IEEE style, see our blog post on the subject.

Patents in an IEEE Reference List

The basic format for a patent in an IEEE reference list is:

[#] INITIAL(S) Surname, ‘Title of Patent’, Country of Patent + Patent Number, Date of Issue.

The IEEE reference guide suggests a slightly different style for online patents. In this case, the format should start with the name of the invention:

[#] Name of the Invention, by INITIAL(S) Surname. (Date of Issue). Patent Number [Online]. Available: URL

You can see examples of both reference formats below:

[8] I. M. A. Genius, ‘Brain Grow-a-Matic 4 Kids’, US Patent 3 400 126, 21 Mar. 2019.

[9] Magnetic brain trainer puzzle game, by B. V. Clever. (1 August 2020). GB2859174B [Online]. Available: https://www.ipo.gov.uk/p-ipsum/Case/PublicationNumber/ GB2859174B

Make sure to include a small hanging indent for each line after the first, too.

Expert IEEE Proofreading

To be sure your referencing, and the rest of your writing, is error free, don’t forget to have your work proofread. We have IEEE experts ready to help! Submit a 500-word trial document today and select ‘IEEE’ as your referencing style on upload to find out more for free.