The novelty of the invention will not be lost if the information about the invention is disclosed within 6 months before the filing date or the priority date if the following conditions are met:
- Disclosure due to apparent misuse by the applicant or its predecessor owners
- The invention is disclosed at an official or officially recognized international exhibition
The novelty grace period is 12 months before the filing date/priority date.
PRH conducts formality examination and substantive examination of invention patents. In Finland, the substantive examination of patent applications starts automatically without filing a specific request. Generally, it takes 8 months for PRH to issue the first office action notification, and the applicant needs to reply to the office action within 2-4 months. Patent granted can be obtained if the granted conditions are met.
5 months
yes. Multiple designs may be included in one design.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 31 months from earliest priority date.
- Validation of European Patent in EPO member states: 3 months from the date of European patent grant
Initial protection for 5 years. It can be renewed 4 times, each time for 5 years, with a maximum protection of 25 years. If the design is part of a complex product and is used to restore the integrity of the product, it is valid for a maximum of 15 years from the filing date.
- Grant fee: The applicant shall pay the granted announcement fee within 2 months after receiving the official notification.
- Annuity: The annual fee will be paid year by year starting from the third year (including the first-third year annual fee). Overdue annual fee can be paid within a grace period of 6 months, and a 20% late fee will be paid at the same time.
Reinstatement of priority is accepted on the grounds of "due care".
3 months
Finnish Patent Registry
English: Finnish Patent and Registration Office, abbreviation: PRH
Website: PRH - Finnish Patent and Registration Office
Finnish invention patent search: Kitinet - Patentti- ja rekisterihallitus (prh.fi)