patsnap-Webinar1

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

The Powerful Benefits of the Patent

Cooperation Treaty (PCT)

PCT Webinar organized by patsnap

WIPO, Geneva – October 18, 2017 – 10.00 (BST)

■ Speaker: Christine Bonvallet, Senior Legal Officer,

PCT Legal Division

The International

Patent System

Seeking patent protection

globally: Paris vs. PCT

patsnap-Webinar3

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Seeking patents multinationally: traditional

patent system

(“Paris Route”) vs. PCT system

0 12

File local

application

(months)

Traditional

(months)

12 30

International

search report &

written opinion

16 18

International

publication

File local

application

Enter

national

phase

PCT 0

176 States

152 States

File applications

abroad

1 country = 1 filing

File PCT

application

patsnap-Webinar4

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Traditional patent system: “Paris Route”

■Local patent application followed within 12 months by

multiple foreign applications claiming priority under Paris

Convention:

multiple formality requirements

multiple searches

multiple publications

multiple examinations and prosecutions of applications

translations and national fees required at 12 months

■Some rationalization because of regional arrangements:

ARIPO, EAPO, EPO, OAPI

0 12

File application

locally

(months) File applications

abroad

1 country = 1 filing

patsnap-Webinar5

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

The PCT system

Chapter I

(months)

Enter

national

phase

12 0

30

30

International

search report

and written

opinion of the

ISA

16 18

or, optional

International

publication

File local

application

20

Enter

national

phase

Chapter II

International

Preliminary

examination

File demand

SIS

Request

(optional)

File PCT

application

Typically a national

patent application in

the home country of

the applicant

Report on state

of the art (prior

art documents

and their

relevance)

+ initial

patentability

opinion

Disclosing to world

content of application

in standardized way

Request an additional

patentability analysis on

basis of amended application

Express intention

and take steps to

pursue to grant in

various states

22

Typically filed in

same national

patent office--

one set of fees,

one language,

one set of

formality

requirements--and

legal effect in all

PCT States

The International

Patent System

PCT Coverage and Statistics

patsnap-Webinar7

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PCT Coverage: 152 States

=PCT

Albania

Algeria

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahrain

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei Darussalam

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Congo

Costa Rica

Côte d'Ivoire

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Democratic People's

Republic of Korea

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Estonia

Finland

France,

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Grenada

Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Lao People’s Dem Rep.

Latvia

Lesotho

Liberia

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Mali

Malta

Mauritania

Mexico

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Mozambique

Namibia

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

Norway

Oman

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Republic of Korea

Republic of Moldova

Romania

Rwanda

Russian Federation

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and

the Grenadines

San Marino

Sao Tomé e Principe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Swaziland

St. Kitts and Nevis

Sweden

Switzerland

Syrian Arab Republic

Tajikistan

Thailand

The former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia

Togo

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United Republic of Tanzania

United States of America

Uzbekistan

Viet Nam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Recent accessions: Kuwait KW

Djibouti DJ

Cambodia KH

Jordan JO

patsnap-Webinar8

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

UN Member States not yet in PCT Afghanistan

Andorra*

Argentina**

Bahamas

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Bolivia

Burundi

Cape Verde

Democratic Republic of

Congo

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Fiji

Guyana

Haiti

Iraq

Jamaica

Kiribati

Lebanon

Maldives

Marshall Islands

Mauritius

Micronesia

Myanmar

Nauru

Nepal

Pakistan

Palau

Paraguay**

Samoa

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Sudan

Suriname*

Timor-Leste

Tonga

Tuvalu

Uruguay**

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Yemen

(41)

*preparing to accede **PCT discussions ongoing

patsnap-Webinar9

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1978-2005: 1 millionth

2005-2012: 2 millionth

2012-2017: 3 millionth

PCT Applications 1978-2017

patsnap-Webinar10

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Paris route vs. PCT national phase

patsnap-Webinar11

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

International applications filed in 2016

2016:

233,000

patsnap-Webinar12

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

International applications filed in 2016 by country of origin

patsnap-Webinar13

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

International applications filed in 2016 by region

patsnap-Webinar14

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

International applications filed in 2016 with women inventors

patsnap-Webinar15

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Most businesses worldwide which seek and use patents

wish to:

control costs while preserving options

make informed business decisions

use the best tools available when seeking

protection

The PCT responds to these objectives

The PCT… and business

patsnap-Webinar16

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1. postpones the major costs associated with internationalizing a

patent application

The PCT, as the cornerstone of the international patent system,

provides a worldwide system for simplified filing and processing

of patent applications, which—

Certain PCT Advantages

patsnap-Webinar17

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Traditional patent system

vs. PCT system Fees for:

--translations

--Office fees

--local agents

0 12

File local

application

File

applications

abroad

(months)

Traditional

(months)

File PCT

application

12 30

File local

application

Enter

national

phase

PCT 0

Fees for:

--translations

--Office fees

--local agents

patsnap-Webinar18

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1. postpones the major costs associated with internationalizing a

patent application

2. provides a strong basis for patenting decisions

The PCT, as the cornerstone of the international patent system,

provides a worldwide system for simplified filing and processing

of patent applications, which—

Certain PCT Advantages

patsnap-Webinar19

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Documents relevant to

whether or not your

invention may be

patentable

Symbols indicating

which aspect of

patentability

the document cited is

relevant to (for example,

novelty, inventive step,

etc.)

The claim numbers

in your application to

which the document is

relevant

Example: PCT International Search Report (PCT/ISA/210)

patsnap-Webinar20

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Example: PCT Written opinion of the International Searching

Authority (PCT/ISA/237)

Patentability

assessment

of claims

Reasoning

supporting the

assessment

patsnap-Webinar21

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

International Searching Authorities (23)

■ AT – Austria

■ AU – Australia

■ BR – Brazil

■ CA – Canada

■ CL – Chile

■ CN – China

■ EG – Egypt

■ ES – Spain

■ FI – Finland

■ IL – Israel

■ IN – India

■ JP – Japan

■ KR – Republic of Korea

Office of filing (Receiving Office) decides on which ISAs is/are available

■ PH – Philippines (Appointed October ‘17)

■ RU – Russian Federation

■ SE – Sweden

■ SG – Singapore

■ TR – Turkey

■ UA – Ukraine

■ US – United States of America

■ EP – European Patent Office

■ XN – Nordic Patent Institute

(Denmark, Iceland, Norway)

■ XV – Visegrad Patent Institute (VPI)

(Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,

Slovakia)

patsnap-Webinar22

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Choice of RO(s), language(s) of filing and

ISA(s), GB applicant(s))

■ Receiving Offices RO/GB RO/EP* RO/IB*

(UK IPO) (EPO) (WIPO)

■ Filing language(s) English, English, Any

Welsh French, language

German

■ ISA(s) EP EP EP ______________________

* See applicable national law restrictions to residents

patsnap-Webinar23

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1. postpones the major costs associated with internationalizing a

patent application

2. provides a strong basis for patenting decisions

3. harmonizes formal requirements

The PCT, as the cornerstone of the international patent system,

provides a worldwide system for simplified filing and processing

of patent applications, which—

Certain PCT Advantages

patsnap-Webinar24

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Harmonization of formal requirements

PCT Applicant’s Guide, paragraph 4.011: “There is a

prescribed form for the international application. This form

must be accepted by all designated Offices for the purposes

of the national phase, so that there is no need to comply

with a great variety of widely differing formal requirements in

the many countries in which protection may be sought.”

PCT Article 27(1): “No national law shall require

compliance with requirements relating to the form or

contents of the international application different from or

additional to those which are provided for in this Treaty and

Regulations.”

patsnap-Webinar25

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1. postpones the major costs associated with internationalizing a

patent application

2. provides a strong basis for patenting decisions

3. harmonizes formal requirements

4. protects applicant from certain inadvertent errors

The PCT, as the cornerstone of the international patent system,

provides a worldwide system for simplified filing and processing

of patent applications, which—

Certain PCT Advantages

patsnap-Webinar26

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Protection from inadvertent errors

invited corrections of defects & fee payments

non-competent receiving Office (PCT Rule 19.4)

double formality review

restoration of the right of priority (PCT Rules 26bis.3

and 49ter.2)

missing parts/incorporation by reference (PCT Rule

20.6)

rectification of obvious mistakes (PCT Rule 91)

excuse of national phase entry delay

patsnap-Webinar27

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1. postpones the major costs associated with internationalizing a

patent application

2. provides a strong basis for patenting decisions

3. harmonizes formal requirements

4. protects applicant from certain inadvertent errors

5. evolves to meet user needs

6. is used by the world’s major corporations, universities and

research institutions when they seek multinational patent

protection

The PCT, as the cornerstone of the international patent system,

provides a worldwide system for simplified filing and processing

of patent applications, which—

Certain PCT Advantages

The International

Patent System

PCT applicants

Testimonials

PCT = time and money saver

patsnap-Webinar29

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Distribution of PCT Applicants in 2016

Top Applicants

• Businesses: ZTE CN – 4,123 applications published

• Universities: University of California US – 434 applications published

• Government and Research Institutions – Commissariat à l’Énergie

Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives FR – 329 applications published

patsnap-Webinar30

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Top PCT Applicants 2016

1. ZTE—CN (4,123)

2. Huawei Technologies—CN (3,692)

3. Qualcomm—US (2,466)

4. Mitsubishi Electric—JP (2,053)

5. LG Electronics—KR (1,888)

6. Hewlett-Packard—US (1,742)

7. Intel—US (1,692)

8. BOE Technology Group—CN (1,673)

9. Samsung—KR (1,672)

10. Sony—JP (1,665)

11. Ericsson—SE (1,608)

12. Microsoft—US (1,528)

13. Bosch—DE (1,274)

14. Sharp—JP (1,205)

15. Panasonic—JP (1,175)

16. Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics—CN (1,163)

17. Siemens—DE (1,138)

18. Philips—NL (1,137)

19. Halliburton—US (1,097)

20. Olympus— JP (1,077)

() of published

PCT applications

patsnap-Webinar31

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Top University PCT Applicants 2016 1. University of California (US) (1st PCT applicant for sector since 1993)

2. MIT (US)

3. Harvard University (US)

4. Johns Hopkins (US)

5. University of Texas (US)

6. Seoul National University (KR)

7. University of Tokyo (JP)

8. Stanford University (US)

9. Hanyang University (KR)

10. University of Florida (US)

11. University of Pennsylvania (US)

12. University of Michigan (US)

13. Korea University (KR)

14. Shenzhen University (CN)

15. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KR)

16. Tsinghua University (CN)

17. China University of Mining and Technology (CN)

18. CalTech (US)

19. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (SA)

20. Kyoto University (JP)

patsnap-Webinar32

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PCT Testimonial: Inventor

Professor Shuji Nakamura—co-winner of

the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics for his

work on blue LED technology—is quoted in

a December 2014 WIPO Magazine article:

“… The PCT is critical for these early stage

technologies because it gives us the opportunity to

protect our patents globally while allowing the market

and the technology to mature further before

determining which countries might be most valuable

to commercial partners.”

patsnap-Webinar33

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Nokero (produces solar-powered lights which replace kerosene lamps and

candles used in developing and least -developed countries--it has so far

distributed over 1.4 million lights in 120 countries and won a United States

Patent and Trademark Office's Patents for Humanity Award)

Source: WIPO Magazine, February 2016

PCT Testimonial: Start-up

“When it comes to patenting, because we operate in so many

different markets, we use WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty

(PCT). Every start-up has limited funds and the PCT is a great

mechanism for delaying patent filing costs, allowing time to test

the market and overcome any unforeseen technical problems.

Without the PCT, protecting an invention in international

markets would be a high-risk strategy with huge upfront costs.”

patsnap-Webinar34

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PCT Testimonial: Large Company

Qualcomm: Started in 1985 with 7 people

Today more than 170 offices in more than 40

countries, and 33,000 employees

$25.3 billion in revenue in FY 2015

#2 user of PCT in 2015: 2,442 PCT

applications published

“Over the past 25 years, Qualcomm has been one of the largest users of

the PCT system. To date we have filed more than 9,000 patent

applications. International patent applications are important to the

protection of innovations around the globe. The PCT helps put

innovation into practice by providing a simple and cost-effective way to

file international patent applications. The PCT is critical for Qualcomm

because we are, above all, an innovation company.…[PCT] has been a

vital partner in the success of our company and the growth of the

wireless industry.” CEO Paul Jacobs, 2011

patsnap-Webinar35

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

1. postpones the major costs associated with internationalizing a

patent application

2. provides a strong basis for patenting decisions

3. harmonizes formal requirements

4. protects applicant from certain inadvertent errors

5. evolves to meet user needs

6. is used by the world’s major corporations, universities and

research institutions when they seek multinational patent

protection

7. can result (if PCT reports are positive) in accelerated national

phase processing (PCT-PPH)

The PCT, as the cornerstone of the international patent system,

provides a worldwide system for simplified filing and processing

of patent applications, which—

Certain PCT Advantages

The International

Patent System

PCT-PPH

patsnap-Webinar37

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) and PCT

■ Accelerated examination in the national phase based on a positive

work product of an International Authority (written opinion of the ISA

or the IPEA, IPRP (Chapter I or II))

■ Conditions:

At least one claim has been determined by the ISA or the IPEA to

meet the PCT criteria of novelty, inventive step and industrial

applicability; and

ALL the claims must sufficiently correspond to the claims deemed

to meet the PCT criteria (they are of the same or similar scope or

they are of narrower scope than the claims in the PCT

application)

■ Global PPH and PCT:

Introduction of Global PPH Pilot in January 2014

Single set of qualifying requirements that simplifies the existing

PPH network so that it is more accessible for users

patsnap-Webinar38

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PPH Network in 2017

■ 46 participating Offices (including 18 PCT International

Authorities) as of July 6, 2017

■ Full table of who offers what available at

https://www.jpo.go.jp/ppph-portal/links.htm

patsnap-Webinar39

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Global PPH Network

■ 24 participating Offices (including 13 PCT International

Authorities) as of July 6, 2017

patsnap-Webinar40

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Total use of PPH

■ 130,761 PPH requests (PPH and PCT-PPH) were received

up to end December 2016

Offices of Earlier

Examination (OEE):

JPO (53,229 requests)

USPTO (39,554 requests)

EPO (14,318 requests)

KIPO (11,449 requests)

SIPO (4,033 requests)

Offices of Later

Examination (OLE):

USPTO (42,843 requests)

SIPO (19,833 requests)

JPO (18,310 requests)

KIPO (13,935 requests)

CIPO (10,915 requests)

EPO (8,405 requests)

Source: https://www.jpo.go.jp/ppph-portal/statistics.htm

patsnap-Webinar41

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Various PCT services

■ PCT Highlights

■ Licensing availability

■ Third Party Observations

■ PATENTSCOPE

■ WIPO Pearl

■ Arbitration and Mediation Center Fee Reductions

■ PCT training options

■ WIPO GREEN

patsnap-Webinar42

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PCT Highlights

■ High-level summary of recent

and future developments in

the PCT, with hyperlinks to

more detailed information,

databases, videos, etc.

■ Targeted, in particular, at

managers and attorneys

■ Possibility to subscribe to the

PCT Highlights mailing list for

update notifications

■ http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/

highlights/index.html

patsnap-Webinar43

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Licensing availability (1)

■ Applicants interested in concluding license agreements in relation

to their international application may request the International

Bureau to make this information available in PATENTSCOPE:

How? Applicants should submit a “Licensing Availability

Request” to the IB using an ePCT “Action”

Alternatively, Form PCT/IB/382 may be used

When? At the time of filing or within 30 months from the

priority date

Free of charge

Applicants can file multiple licensing requests or update

previously submitted ones (within 30 months from the

priority date)

patsnap-Webinar44

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Licensing availability (2)

International applications containing licensing information can

be searched for in PATENTSCOPE

The licensing indication displayed under the “Bibliographic

data” tab may be revoked by the applicant at any time, that is,

also after 30 months from the priority date

patsnap-Webinar45

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Third Party Observations

Main Features (1)

■ Available since July 2012 (5-year anniversary)

■ Allows third parties to submit prior art observations relevant to novelty and inventive step

■ Web-based system using ePCT or web-forms in PATENTSCOPE

■ Free-of-charge

patsnap-Webinar46

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Third Party Observations

Main Features (2)

■ Submissions possible until the expiration of 28 months

from the priority date

■ Applicants may submit comments in response until the

expiration of 30 months from the priority date

■ Anonymous submission of third party observations

possible

■ Third-party supplied documents will not be available via

PATENTSCOPE, but will be made available to

International Authorities and national Offices

patsnap-Webinar47

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PATENTSCOPE (1)

■ Interface available in 10 languages (plus mobile version)

■ “Document” tab updated to include: “Search and Examination-

Related Documents”

The new section is intended to help users interested in assessing

the likely patentability of the claimed invention by bringing

together all available search and examination-related documents,

including the ISR, search strategies, written opinions, IPRPs,

English translations of reports and opinions, and third party

observations, to the extent that they have been received or

prepared by the International Bureau

patsnap-Webinar48

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PATENTSCOPE (2) ■ Information on national phase entry for more than 50 countries

■ Access to more than 40 searchable national and regional patent

collections

■ New secure access to PATENSCOPE (via the secure http

protocol https)

■ Cross-Lingual Information Retrieval (CLIR) (Cross Lingual

Information Retrieval)

allows the search of a term/phrase and its variants in several

languages by entering the term(s) in one language; the

system will suggest variants and translate the term/s,

allowing the search of patent documents in other languages

■ New video tutorials:

https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/tutorial.jsf

■ Webinars: http://www.wipo.int/patentscope/en/webinar/

patsnap-Webinar49

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

WIPO Pearl

■ Launched in September 2014

■ Multilingual terminology portal which gives access to scientific

and technical terms derived from patent documents

■ Helps to promote accurate and consistent use of terms across

different languages and makes it easier to search and share

scientific and technical knowledge

■ Available in all ten PCT languages (English, French, German,

Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Japanese, Korean and

Portuguese)

■ All content validated with reliability scores

■ Integrated with PATENTSCOPE

■ Further details can be found at:

www.wipo.int/wipopearl/search/home.html

patsnap-Webinar50

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Arbitration and Mediation Center (AMC)

■ Independent and impartial body that offers alternative dispute

resolution options for the resolution of commercial disputes

between private parties (time and cost efficient alternatives to

litigation)

■ Provides mediation, arbitration and expert determination

services for IP and other commercial disputes

■ 25% lifetime reduction on AMC’s registration and

administration fees where at least one party to the dispute has

been named as an applicant or inventor in a published PCT

application (no relationship to the dispute is required)

■ Fee calculator

http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/calculator/adr.jsp

patsnap-Webinar51

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

PCT training options

■ 29 PCT training videos on WIPO’s Youtube channel and WIPO’s PCT page

■ PCT distance learning course content available in the 10 PCT publication languages

■ PCT webinars

providing free updates on developments in PCT procedures, and PCT strategies—previous webinars are archived and freely available

upon request also for companies or law firms, for example, for focused training on how to use ePCT

■ In-person PCT seminars and training sessions

■ Advanced PCT Seminar on WIPO premises (in Fall)

The International

Patent System

ePCT

(September 2017)

patsnap-Webinar53

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

What is ePCT?

■ Online portal that provides PCT services for both applicants and Offices

(https://pct.wipo.int)

■ User interface available in all PCT publication languages

■ Provides secure and direct interaction with PCT applications

maintained by the International Bureau

■ Applicants can conduct most PCT transactions electronically with the

International Bureau

■ ePCT-Filing - Web-based filing of PCT applications

■ Receiving Offices, International Searching Authorities, and International

Preliminary Examining Authorities have access to PCT applications via

secure ePCT Office accounts

■ Applicants can conduct a number of electronic PCT transactions via

ePCT also with participating Offices

patsnap-Webinar54

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

ePCT in a nutshell

■ Getting started https://pct.wipo.int/ePCT

■ ePCT modes: Access with and without strong

authentication

■ ePCT-Filing: direct electronic filing: check your RO?

■ ‘eOwnership’ of PCT applications: access rights to

content of international applications

■ eHandshakes, sharing/removal of access rights: “making

friends” in ePCT

■ Features and functions

■ Future developments

patsnap-Webinar55

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

ePCT modes

■ Single WIPO User Account (username and password) gives access

to ePCT and WIPO’s other online services

https://pct.wipo.int/wipoaccounts/ePCT/

■ ePCT without strong authentication

Limited functionality, document upload

Practical alternative to paper and fax (fax no longer

recommended as of January 1, 2018)

■ ePCT with strong authentication: best practice = set up at least 2

strong authentication methods

Additional identity verification

Access to full range of services and functions including the

creation and filing of PCT applications

Access to PCT applications filed as of January 1, 2009,

including before publication

patsnap-Webinar56

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

ePCT-Filing

■ Web-based filing of PCT applications available to all PCT

applicants

■ Real-time validation of data against the electronic processing

system of the International Bureau

■ Request form can be prepared in all PCT publication

languages

■ Several filing formats available: PDF, DOCX or XML,

■ “Same day corrections available” (countdown to midnight in

RO time zone)

patsnap-Webinar57

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Types of Access Rights

■ eOwner

Complete control over all aspects of the PCT

application in ePCT

May be the applicant, agent or other individual

(e.g., paralegal, assistant, secretary) who actually

filed the PCT application, or another individual to

whom access rights were granted by an existing

eOwner

■ eEditor

Can do everything except assign access rights

■ eViewer

“Look” but don’t “Touch”

patsnap-Webinar58

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

ePCT main features ■ Workbench: your landing page- a list of all PCT applications to which

you have access (eOwner, eEditor, eViewer)

■ Portfolios: User-defined, personal ‘virtual folders’ for grouping PCT

applications

■ Data: Up-to-date bibliographic data for the PCT application

■ Documents: Access to documents on Record as held by the IB, but also

documents submitted to ePCT participating Offices in their capacity as

RO, ISA, IPEA

■ Actions: Full suite of Actions only available if signed in to ePCT with

strong authentication and with eOwner/eEditor access rights to an

application

■ Timeline: Graphical representation of PCT time limits

■ History: List of actions taken by all ePCT users for the PCT application

in question

■ Notifications, address book, etc.

patsnap-Webinar59

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

ePCT in DEMO mode

■ pctdemo.wipo.int

■ Demo environment in which you can practice and

familiarize yourself with ePCT

■ Do not use confidential or sensitive data in the ePCT

demo environment

patsnap-Webinar60

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Need help with ePCT – SUPPORT (1)

■ Use the “SUPPORT” link in the ePCT header

http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/epct/support.html

■ PCT eServices

Tel: +41-22-338-9523

E-mail: pct.eservices@wipo.int

Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm Geneva time

patsnap-Webinar61

18.10.2017

The International

Patent System

Need help with ePCT – SUPPORT (2)

■ FAQs and user documentation

Database of help info

Live Chat (during business hours) available via FAQ

answers and CONTACT US

■ Webinars on ePCT

http://www.wipo.int/pct/en/seminar/webinars/index.html

The International

Patent System

Thank you for your attention !

Christine Bonvallet

Senior Legal Officer

PCT Legal Affairs Section -- PCT Legal Division

+ 41 22 338 70 67

+ 41 22 910 00 30

Christine.Bonvallet@wipo.int