What are-the-different-patent-filing-options-invn tree

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What are the different patent filing options? In simple words, “Patent filing ” can be defined as a process of submitting an application in a patent office requesting grant of patent to your invention. If you wish to protect your invention in different countries, then you will have to submit a patent application in each of those countries. There are various options or approaches you may use to protect your invention in one or more countries. By understanding the various patent filing options, you can construct a patent filing strategy based on your business objectives and economic constraints. This articles attempts to provide an overview of the patent filing options you can use. (You may be also interested in reading the article “How much does it cost to get a patent in India”) I will attempt to explian the options in a less complex way without trying to be “politically correct”. The options can be broadly divided into 4 classifications: 1. Filing a provisional patent application 2. Filing a complete patent application in your country 3. Filing a patent application in a foreign country 4. Filing a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application

description

Different patent filling option

Transcript of What are-the-different-patent-filing-options-invn tree

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What are the different patent filing options?

In simple words, “Patent filing” can be defined as a process of submitting an application in a

patent office requesting grant of patent to your invention. If you wish to protect your invention in

different countries, then you will have to submit a patent application in each of those countries.

There are various options or approaches you may use to protect your invention in one or more

countries. By understanding the various patent filing options, you can construct a patent filing

strategy based on your business objectives and economic constraints. This articles attempts to

provide an overview of the patent filing options you can use. (You may be also interested in

reading the article “How much does it cost to get a patent in India”)

I will attempt to explian the options in a less complex way without trying to be “politically

correct”. The options can be broadly divided into 4 classifications:

1. Filing a provisional patent application

2. Filing a complete patent application in your country

3. Filing a patent application in a foreign country

4. Filing a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application

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1. Filing a provisional patent application

A provisional patent application is filed to secure a priority date for your invention. A priority

date is the date on which the first patent application for your invention is filed. This date is

important because, knowledge available in public domain before the priority date is referred to as

“prior art”, and this prior art is considered by the patent office to decide if a patent has to be

granted to your invention. If you delay filing of the patent application, then naturally, more

knowledge in the public domain gets added to the prior art, hence decreasing the probability of

patent grant to your invention.

Normally, inventors/companies file a provisional application in two senarios. The first senario is

when time is of concern, and drafting a well constructed complete patent specification might

delay the patent filing process. This delay in filing, pushes the priority date further, thereby

reducing the probability of patent grant to your invention. The second senario is when money is

of concern. Depending on the country in which the patent application is filed, there can be a

substantial difference between the provisional and complete application fee that has to be paid to

the patent office. Further, depending on the patent consultant you choose to work with, there can

be substantial difference in the fee charged by the patent consultant to draft a provisional and a

complete specification. Hence, sometimes inventors/companies draft a provisional specification

on their own and file the same.

The main difference between a provisional and a complete patent application is, a complete

application will have a “claim” section, whereas the claim section will be absent in a provisional

application. Claims define the scope of your invention and describes what you wish to protect in

your invention.

It shall be noted that, a complete patent application has to be filed within 12 months from

the date of filing the provisional application. Failure to do so will be considered as abondining

the provisional application. Once abandoned, the advantages of filing the provisional application

cannot be availed.

A provisional application can be filed in the patent office of your country or in a patent office of

any convention countries (Annexure 1- list of contracting countries - Paris conventional).

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2. Filing a complete patent application in your country

A complete patent application has to be filed in the patent office of your country if you wish to

protect your invention in your country. A complete patent application can be filed in the first

place or if you have filed a provisional application provisously, then within 12 months from the

provisional application filing date.

A complete patent application in your country can be filed by using any one of the following

options:

a. File a provisional application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and file a

complete application in the patent office of your country within 12 months from the

priorit date.

b. File a complete application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and and file

a complete application in the patent office of your country within 12 months from the

priority date.

c. Use the PCT route – Explained under option 4

3. Filing a patent application in a foreign country

If you wish to wish to protect your invention in a foreign country, you can choose from one of

the options given below:

a. File a provisional application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and file a

complete application in each of the foreign countries in which you wish to protect your

invention within 12 months from the priorit date.

b. File a complete application in any convention country (secure a priority date) and and file

a complete application in each of the foreign countries in which you wish to protect your

invention within 12 months from the priority date.

c. Use the PCT route – Explained in detail below

4. Filing a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application

Filing a PCT application is a good strategy if you wish to protect your invention in more number

of countries. By filing a PCT application, you get 30 months duration (sometimes even 31

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months depending on the country) from the priority date to file patent applications in each

country in which you wish to protect your invention. Note that if you had not filed a PCT

application, then you would have only 12 months duration from the priority date to file patent

applications in each country in which you wish to protect your invention. Another important

point to be noted in case of PCT application is that, only comple patent applications are accepted

as PCT applications. Further, a PCT application can be filed in the patent office of your country.

A PCT application can be under the following senarious:

a. File a provisional application in any PCT member country (secure a priority date) and file

a PCT aspplication within 12 months from the priorit date. Subsequently, file patent

applications, within 30/31 months from priority date, in each country (has to be a PCT

member country, Annexure 2 - list of PCT contracting countries) you wish to protect

your invention.

b. File a complete application in any PCT member country (secure a priority date) and file a

PCT application within 12 months from the priority date. Thereafter, file patent

applications, within 30/31 months from priority date, in each country (PCT member

country) you wish to protect your invention.

c. File a PCT application in the first place and secure a priority date. Thereafter, file patent

applications, within 30/31 months from priority date, in each country (PCT member

country) you wish to protect your invention.

It should be noted the patent filing strategy may be constructed on a case to case basis. The filing

strategy may depend on business objectives, market conditions and economic constriants, among

other factors.

I hope you found this article helpful.

Please feel free check our patent services page to find out if we can cater to your patent

requirements. You can also contact us to explore the option of working together.

Best regards - Team InvnTree

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License

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About InvnTree

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We understand that no two clients are the same, and even for a single client, their needs may

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Further, we believe that safeguarding information disclosed by our clients is of paramount

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Annexure 1 - Contracting Parties > Paris Convention (Total Contracting

Parties : 173)

Data sourced from WIPO website www.wipo.int

CONTRACTING

PARTY

STATUS DATE DETAILS

Albania In Force October 4, 1995 Details

Algeria In Force March 1, 1966 Details

Andorra In Force June 2, 2004 Details

Angola In Force December 27, 2007 Details

Antigua and Barbuda In Force March 17, 2000 Details

Argentina In Force February 10, 1967 Details

Armenia In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Australia In Force October 10, 1925 Details

Austria In Force January 1, 1909 Details

Azerbaijan In Force December 25, 1995 Details

Bahamas In Force July 10, 1973 Details

Bahrain In Force October 29, 1997 Details

Bangladesh In Force March 3, 1991 Details

Barbados In Force March 12, 1985 Details

Belarus In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Belgium In Force July 7, 1884 Details

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Belize In Force June 17, 2000 Details

Benin In Force January 10, 1967 Details

Bhutan In Force August 4, 2000 Details

Bolivia (Plurinational

State of)

In Force November 4, 1993 Details

Bosnia and

Herzegovina

In Force March 1, 1992 Details

Botswana In Force April 15, 1998 Details

Brazil In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Bulgaria In Force June 13, 1921 Details

Burkina Faso In Force November 19, 1963 Details

Burundi In Force September 3, 1977 Details

Cambodia In Force September 22, 1998 Details

Cameroon In Force May 10, 1964 Details

Canada In Force June 12, 1925 Details

Central African

Republic

In Force November 19, 1963 Details

Chad In Force November 19, 1963 Details

Chile In Force June 14, 1991 Details

China In Force March 19, 1985 Details

Colombia In Force September 3, 1996 Details

Comoros In Force April 3, 2005 Details

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Congo In Force September 2, 1963 Details

Costa Rica In Force October 31, 1995 Details

Côte d'Ivoire In Force October 23, 1963 Details

Croatia In Force October 8, 1991 Details

Cuba In Force November 17, 1904 Details

Cyprus In Force January 17, 1966 Details

Czech Republic In Force January 1, 1993 Details

Democratic People's

Republic of Korea

In Force June 10, 1980 Details

Democratic Republic

of the Congo

In Force January 31, 1975 Details

Denmark In Force October 1, 1894 Details

Djibouti In Force May 13, 2002 Details

Dominica In Force August 7, 1999 Details

Dominican Republic In Force July 11, 1890 Details

Ecuador In Force June 22, 1999 Details

Egypt In Force July 1, 1951 Details

El Salvador In Force February 19, 1994 Details

Equatorial Guinea In Force June 26, 1997 Details

Estonia In Force August 24, 1994 Details

Finland In Force September 20, 1921 Details

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France In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Gabon In Force February 29, 1964 Details

Gambia In Force January 21, 1992 Details

Georgia In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Germany In Force May 1, 1903 Details

Ghana In Force September 28, 1976 Details

Greece In Force October 2, 1924 Details

Grenada In Force September 22, 1998 Details

Guatemala In Force August 18, 1998 Details

Guinea In Force February 5, 1982 Details

Guinea-Bissau In Force June 28, 1988 Details

Guyana In Force October 25, 1994 Details

Haiti In Force July 1, 1958 Details

Holy See In Force September 29, 1960 Details

Honduras In Force February 4, 1994 Details

Hungary In Force January 1, 1909 Details

Iceland In Force May 5, 1962 Details

India In Force December 7, 1998 Details

Indonesia In Force December 24, 1950 Details

Iran (Islamic Republic

of)

In Force December 16, 1959 Details

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Iraq In Force January 24, 1976 Details

Ireland In Force December 4, 1925 Details

Israel In Force March 24, 1950 Details

Italy In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Jamaica In Force December 24, 1999 Details

Japan In Force July 15, 1899 Details

Jordan In Force July 17, 1972 Details

Kazakhstan In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Kenya In Force June 14, 1965 Details

Kyrgyzstan In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Lao People's

Democratic Republic

In Force October 8, 1998 Details

Latvia In Force September 7, 1993 Details

Lebanon In Force September 1, 1924 Details

Lesotho In Force September 28, 1989 Details

Liberia In Force August 27, 1994 Details

Libyan Arab

Jamahiriya

In Force September 28, 1976 Details

Liechtenstein In Force July 14, 1933 Details

Lithuania In Force May 22, 1994 Details

Luxembourg In Force June 30, 1922 Details

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Madagascar In Force December 21, 1963 Details

Malawi In Force July 6, 1964 Details

Malaysia In Force January 1, 1989 Details

Mali In Force March 1, 1983 Details

Malta In Force October 20, 1967 Details

Mauritania In Force April 11, 1965 Details

Mauritius In Force September 24, 1976 Details

Mexico In Force September 7, 1903 Details

Monaco In Force April 29, 1956 Details

Mongolia In Force April 21, 1985 Details

Montenegro In Force June 3, 2006 Details

Morocco In Force July 30, 1917 Details

Mozambique In Force July 9, 1998 Details

Namibia In Force January 1, 2004 Details

Nepal In Force June 22, 2001 Details

Netherlands In Force July 7, 1884 Details

New Zealand In Force July 29, 1931 Details

Nicaragua In Force July 3, 1996 Details

Niger In Force July 5, 1964 Details

Nigeria In Force September 2, 1963 Details

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Norway In Force July 1, 1885 Details

Oman In Force July 14, 1999 Details

Pakistan In Force July 22, 2004 Details

Panama In Force October 19, 1996 Details

Papua New Guinea In Force June 15, 1999 Details

Paraguay In Force May 28, 1994 Details

Peru In Force April 11, 1995 Details

Philippines In Force September 27, 1965 Details

Poland In Force November 10, 1919 Details

Portugal In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Qatar In Force July 5, 2000 Details

Republic of Korea In Force May 4, 1980 Details

Republic of Moldova In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Romania In Force October 6, 1920 Details

Russian Federation In Force July 1, 1965 Details

Rwanda In Force March 1, 1984 Details

Saint Kitts and Nevis In Force April 9, 1995 Details

Saint Lucia In Force June 9, 1995 Details

Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines

In Force August 29, 1995 Details

San Marino In Force March 4, 1960 Details

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Sao Tome and

Principe

In Force May 12, 1998 Details

Saudi Arabia In Force March 11, 2004 Details

Senegal In Force December 21, 1963 Details

Serbia In Force April 27, 1992 Details

Seychelles In Force November 7, 2002 Details

Sierra Leone In Force June 17, 1997 Details

Singapore In Force February 23, 1995 Details

Slovakia In Force January 1, 1993 Details

Slovenia In Force June 25, 1991 Details

South Africa In Force December 1, 1947 Details

Spain In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Sri Lanka In Force December 29, 1952 Details

Sudan In Force April 16, 1984 Details

Suriname In Force November 25, 1975 Details

Swaziland In Force May 12, 1991 Details

Sweden In Force July 1, 1885 Details

Switzerland In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Syrian Arab Republic In Force September 1, 1924 Details

Tajikistan In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Thailand In Force August 2, 2008 Details

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The former Yugoslav

Republic of

Macedonia

In Force September 8, 1991 Details

Togo In Force September 10, 1967 Details

Tonga In Force June 14, 2001 Details

Trinidad and Tobago In Force August 1, 1964 Details

Tunisia In Force July 7, 1884 Details

Turkey In Force October 10, 1925 Details

Turkmenistan In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Uganda In Force June 14, 1965 Details

Ukraine In Force December 25, 1991 Details

United Arab Emirates In Force September 19, 1996 Details

United Kingdom In Force July 7, 1884 Details

United Republic of

Tanzania

In Force June 16, 1963 Details

United States of

America

In Force May 30, 1887 Details

Uruguay In Force March 18, 1967 Details

Uzbekistan In Force December 25, 1991 Details

Venezuela (Bolivarian

Republic of)

In Force September 12, 1995 Details

Viet Nam In Force March 8, 1949 Details

Yemen In Force February 15, 2007 Details

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Zambia In Force April 6, 1965 Details

Zimbabwe In Force April 18, 1980 Details

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Annexure 2 - list of PCT contracting countries

Data sourced from USPTO website www.uspto.gov

Name of State followed

by Country Code

Date on which State

became

bound by the PCT*

Albania AL 4 October 1995

Algeria DZ 1 8 March 2000

Antigua and Barbuda AG 17 March 2000

Armenia AM 1 25 December 1991

Australia AU 31 March 1980

Austria AT 23 April 1979

Azerbaijan AZ 25 December 1995

Barbados BB 12 March 1985

Belarus BY 1 25 December 1991

Belgium BE 14 December 1981

Belize BZ 17 June 2000

Benin BJ 26 February 1987

Bosnia and Herzegovina BA 7 September 1996

Botswana BW 30 October 2003

Brazil BR 9 April 1978

Bulgaria BG 21 May 1984

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Burkina Faso BF 21 March 1989

Cameroon CM 24 January 1978

Canada CA 2 January 1990

Central African Republic CF 24 January 1978

Chad TD 24 January 1978

China CN 1 January 1994

Colombia CO 28 February 2001

Comoros KM 3 April 2005

Congo CG 24 January 1978

Costa Rica CR 3 August 1999

Côte d'Ivoire CI 30 April 1991

Croatia HR 1 July 1998

Cuba CU 1 16 July 1996

Cyprus CY 1 April 1998

Czech Republic CZ 1 January 1993

Democratic People's Republic of

Korea KP

8 July 1980

Denmark DK 1 December 1978

Dominica DM 7 August 1999

Ecuador EC 7 May 2001

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Egypt EG 6 September 2003

El Salvador SV 17 August 2006

Equatorial Guinea GQ 17 July 2001

Estonia EE 24 August 1994

Finland FI 2 1 October 1980

France FR 1, 3

25 February 1978

Gabon GA 24 January 1978

Gambia GM 9 December 1997

Georgia GE 1 25 December 1991

Germany DE 24 January 1978

Ghana GH 26 February 1997

Greece GR 9 October 1990

Grenada GD 22 September 1998

Guatemala GT (will become bound on 14

October 2006)

Guinea GN 27 May 1991

Guinea-Bissau GW 12 December 1997

Honduras HN 20 June 2006

Hungary HU 1 27 June 1980

Iceland IS 23 March 1995

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India IN 1 7 December 1998

Indonesia ID 1 5 September 1997

Ireland IE 1 August 1992

Israel IL 1 June 1996

Italy IT 28 March 1985

Japan JP 1 October 1978

Kazakhstan KZ 1 25 December 1991

Kenya KE 8 June 1994

Kyrgyzstan KG 1 25 December 1991

Lao People's Democratic Republic

LA 14 June 2006

Latvia LV 7 September 1993

Lesotho LS 21 October 1995

Liberia LR 27 August 1994

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya LY 15 September 2005

Liechtenstein LI 19 March 1980

Lithuania LT 5 July 1994

Luxembourg LU 30 April 1978

Madagascar MG 24 January 1978

Malawi MW 24 January 1978

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Malaysia MY1 16 August 2006

Mali ML 19 October 1984

Mauritania MR 13 April 1983

Mexico MX 1 January 1995

Monaco MC 22 June 1979

Mongolia MN 27 May 1991

Morocco MA 8 October 1999

Mozambique MZ 1 18 May 2000

Namibia NA 1 January 2004

Netherlands NL 4 10 July 1979

New Zealand NZ 1 December 1992

Nicaragua NI 6 March 2003

Niger NE 21 March 1993

Nigeria NG 8 May 2005

Norway NO 2 1 January 1980

Oman OM 1 26 October 2001

Papua New Guinea PG 14 June 2003

Philippines PH 17 August 2001

Poland PL 2 25 December 1990

Portugal PT 24 November 1992

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Republic of Korea KR 10 August 1984

Republic of Moldova MD 1 25 December 1991

Romania RO 1 23 July 1979

Russian Federation RU 1 29 March 1978

Saint Kitts and Nevis KN 27 October 2005

Saint Lucia LC 1 30 August 1996

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

VC1

6 August 2002

San Marino SM 14 December 2004

Senegal SN 24 January 1978

Serbia and Montenegro YU 1 February 1997

Seychelles SC 7 November 2002

Sierra Leone SL 17 June 1997

Singapore SG 23 February 1995

Slovakia SK 1 January 1993

Slovenia SI 1 March 1994

South Africa ZA 1 16 March 1999

Spain ES 16 November 1989

Sri Lanka LK 26 February 1982

Sudan SD 16 April 1984

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Swaziland SZ 20 September 1994

Sweden SE 2 17 May 1978

Switzerland CH 24 January 1978

Syrian Arab Republic SY 26 June 2003

Tajikistan TJ 1 25 December 1991

The former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia MK

10 August 1995

Togo TG 24 January 1978

Trinidad and Tobago TT 10 March 1994

Tunisia TN 1 10 December 2001

Turkey TR 1 January 1996

Turkmenistan TM 1 25 December 1991

Uganda UG 9 February 1995

Ukraine UA 1 25 December 1991

United Arab Emirates AE 10 March 1999

United Kingdon GB 5 24 January 1978

United Republic of Tanzania TZ 14 September 1999

United States of America US 6, 7

24 January 1978

Uzebekistan UZ 1 25 December 1991

Viet Nam VN 10 March 1993

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Zambia ZM 15 November 2001

Zimbabwe ZW 11 June 1997

* All PCT Contracting States are bound by Chapter II of the

PCT relating to the international preliminary examination.

1 With the declaration provided for in Article 64(5)

2 With the declaration provided for in Article 64(2)(a)(ii)

3 Including all Overseas Departments and Territories.

4 Ratification for the Kingdom in Europe, the Netherlands

Antilles and Aruba.

5 Extends to the Isle of Man.

6 With the declarations provided for in Articles 64(3)(a) and

64(4)(a).

7 Extends to all areas for which the United States of America

has international responsibility.