Abstract: A reporting database establishes linkages between patent applications so that first references reported in a first patent application are indicated as needing to be reported in a second patent application. In one scenario, a similar second linkage is also established between the second patent application and a third patent application. In such a case, there may be no linkage between the first patent application and the third patent application analogous to the first and second linkages. When it is detected in such a case that the first references have been reported in the second patent application, an indication that the first references need to be reported in the third patent application may prevented based on determining that the first references did not originate from the second patent application.