FILE A PCT PATENT

FILE A PCT PATENT APPLICATION IN YOUR PAJAMAS

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) announced on Feb. 11, 2004 the immediate launch of a new system allowing firms and inventors to file requests for global patent protection by electronic mail.

According to Mr. Francis Gurry, WIPO Deputy Director General who oversees the PCT, “This milestone in the history of the PCT heralds a new era in the operations of the PCT, which is the cornerstone of the international patent system. The availability of secure electronic filing using PCT-SAFE will ensure timely receipt and processing of international applications and will translate into significant efficiency gains both for users of the system and for WIPO.”

Electronic filing using the PCT-SAFE software offers PCT applicants significant benefits, including:

• Fee reductions of up to 300 Swiss francs;
• Confidence that applications are correctly formatted thanks to validation software within PCT-SAFE which creates documents that meet PCT requirements;
• Reduced printing, copying and mailing costs of applications;
• Almost immediate notification that their application has been received and is being processed;
• Documents are fully searchable both during the PCT procedure and once they enter the public domain;
• Access to a PCT-SAFE Editor offers a user-friendly option for preparing the body of a PCT application in the required electronic format. Applicants may either convert an application body created using a word processor or prepare the application body from scratch within the Editor. Applicants who use this tool qualify for the maximum discount of 300 Swiss francs;
• Secure transmission of international applications. The distribution of digital certificates to applicants using PCT-SAFE by the WIPO Customer Certification Authority ensures a high degree of data integrity and security.

Full deployment of PCT-SAFE within the WIPO receiving office means that PCT users can now file their international applications either on-line or using physical media such as CD-R. It follows a pilot phase which provided an opportunity for PCT users and WIPO to test and evaluate the PCT-SAFE system.

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Posted by Douglas Sorocco, February 11, 2004 at 7:20 pm
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