The decision between filing a national application or a regional application involves numerous factors: the number of countries where protection is so...
How do I decide whether to enter the national stage?
During the PCT process, you may find yourself asking questions like: “Should I enter the national stage?” “How do I decide in which countries to...
What countries are PCT states? What are the regional offices? What countries are not PCT states?
It can be confusing trying to determine which countries are PCT contracting states, which aren’t, and which are considered other regional offices. B...
ePCT
As of July 2012, the ePCT application of WIPO provides secure online access to PCT application files. (It is the equivalent of the USPTO public and pr...
Publication of PCT applications
PCT applications publish in the same manner as national or domestic patent applications. There is an internet publication of the application on the WI...
Prior Art for the PCT process
For PCT searches and Written Opinions, prior art includes everything made available to the public by written disclosure anywhere in the world prior to...
What is a Chapter II Demand?
After you receive your International Search Report and Written Opinion, the next step in the PCT process is to consider submitting informal comments, ...
Choosing the International Search Authority (ISA)
For a PCT application, the patent office that performs the search on the invention is called the International Search Authority (ISA). Not all patent ...
Licensing Availability of PCT applications
As of January 2012, WIPO’s PATENTSCOPE website became an audience for patentees to offer their patent for license. To participate in this program, a...
AIA Brings Changes to PCT applications
As of September 16, 2012, the America Invents Act (AIA) allows entities (businesses) to be applicants if they are an assignee or employer of the inven...