yes
A novelty grace period of 6 months prior to the filing date/priority date may be granted if the invention is disclosed as a result of apparent misuse by the applicant or its former right holders, or if the invention is exhibited at an official or officially recognized exhibition.
Filing Language: German Necessary documents:
- Exterior Design Picture (Six Views)
- A Brief Description
Attachments (if any):
- Power of Attorney
- Certified Priority Document
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
The initial protection is 5 years, which can be renewed 4 times for a maximum protection of 25 years.
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" and "unintentional/due care" accepted.
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" and "unintentional/due care" accepted.
- Authorization Fee: None
- Annuity: After the granted, it will be paid year by year from the 6th year from the date of application, and should be paid within 3 months before the date of application each year. If the annual fee is overdue, the payment can be postponed within a grace period of 6 months, but a surcharge of 20% is required. There is no late fee for the first three months of the late payment period for the first annual fee (i.e. the sixth year).
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
- Validation of European Patent in EPO member states: within 3 months from the date of grant of the European patent.
ATPO conducts formality examination and substantive examination of invention patents. The search report will be published together with the patent application within 18 months from the filing date, and the substantive examination will start automatically, and the applicant does not need to file a separate request for substantive examination. It can be authorized if the granted conditions are met.
yes. Prior to patent grant/rejection, the patent type can be converted from utility model to invention at the request of the applicant. Can only be converted once.
- Authorization Fee: None
- Annuity: The annual fee is paid every 5 years. The overdue annual fee can be paid within a grace period of up to six months after the due date, and a 20% late fee will be paid at the same time. Pay within the first 3 months of the grace period with no late fees.