yes. The applicant can request to change the patent type from utility model to invention before the patent is granted.
no
4-12 months
The novelty grace period is 6 months before the filing date/priority date.
12-18 months
ROSPATENT conducts formality examination and substantive examination of utility models, and only one independent claim is allowed to be submitted, and utility model patent applications must have novelty and industrial applicability.
The initial protection is 5 years, which can be renewed every 5 years, up to a maximum of 25 years.
no
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
Multiple variant designs may be included in one application if the designs relate to the same object and differ only in minor features, or can be identified as a set of goods and have a single design concept.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 31 months from earliest priority date.