Hi,

I want to register a patent myself, and I am just working out the diagrams.
Prior I had a look on a lot of patent documents, and I was asking myself
1. Why is everything in black/white?
2. Why are there no photographs, just illustrations?

So I am asking you:
Are there any rules or regulations for the visual content of a Patent registration?

(My stuff explains the best with photographs and perspective
computer visualizations)

Thank you!

Dear ismail2000-ga,

You have not stated where you are intending to file this patent, so I
have looked at the UK and the US patent office regulations.

It appears both are concerned that there is a standard method of
submitting patents, to ensure they can be reproduced easily, and to
ensure they can be understood by people using the patent. However,
both offices do allow photographs but only under certain
circumstances. I copy below short extracts from their rules but I
recommend that you view each of these links in their entirety.

UK Patent Office.
=============

?Your drawings must consist of black, well-defined lines so that good
quality photocopies may be made of them.?
http://www.patent.gov.uk/patent/howtoapply/drawings.htm
Drawings - Fact Sheet
http://www.patent.gov.uk/patent/info/fact02.pdf

The full manual on Patent Filing appears on this page
http://www.patent.gov.uk/patent/reference/formalities/

Part 5 deals with drawings and photographs.

?Photographs
5.26 Photographs are often submitted with the intention that they be
used as drawings. They may have been supplied in the form of specially
prepared, A4 sized photographic sheets, or they may have been simply
mounted upon a card or paper backing sheet.
5.27 Photographs do not meet the formal requirements for drawings.
However, provided that the contrast is sufficient for photocopying
purposes, the Formalities Examiner should not raise an objection as a
matter of course. The sufficiency of the contrast may be simply tested
by the use of our own photocopier.
5.28 Where mounted photographs have been supplied, the Formalities
Examiner should prepare photocopies for publication purposes and
specifically identify them for that purpose. Any doubts about the
suitability of photographs for publication purposes should be
discussed with the Formalities Manager.
http://www.patent.gov.uk/patent/reference/formalities/pdfs/chap05.pdf


US Patent Office
============
?The reason for specifying the standards in detail is that the
drawings are printed and published in a uniform style when the patent
issues, and the drawings must also be such that they can be readily
understood by persons using the patent descriptions. [...]
(b) Photographs. 
(1) Black and white. Photographs are not ordinarily permitted in
utility patent applications. However, the Office will accept
photographs in utility patent applications only after granting a
petition filed under this paragraph which requests that photographs be
accepted. Any such petition must include the following:
(i) The appropriate fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(i); and 
(ii) Three (3) sets of photographs.?
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/drawing.htm

Further information appears on this page,

General Information Concerning Patents
?(b) Photographs.
(1) Black and white. Photographs, including photocopies of
photographs, are not ordinarily permitted in utility and design patent
applications. The Office will accept photographs in utility and design
patent applications, however, if photographs are the only practicable
medium for illustrating the claimed invention. For example,
photographs or photomicrographs of: electrophoresis gels, blots (e.g.,
immuno- logical, western, southern, and northern), autoradiographs,
cell cultures (stained and unstained), histological tissue cross
sections (stained and unstained), animals, plants, in vivo imaging,
thin layer chromatography plates, crystalline structures, and, in a
design patent application, ornamental effects, are acceptable. If the
subject matter of the application admits of illustration by a drawing,
the examiner may require a drawing in place of the photograph. The
photographs must be of sufficient quality so that all details in the
photographs are reproducible in the printed patent.?
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/doc/general/#drawing


I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder


Search strategy
Searched drawings OR photographs on both the above web sites.

Thanks!