10 years
yes. Multiple designs may be included in one design application.
10 years
3-6 months
- Inventions under the via Paris Convention : 12 months from the earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT inventions: 30 months from the earliest priority date.
yes
1-2 years
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
The JPO conducts formality examination and substantive examination of the design patent application, and the substantive examination starts automatically, and the applicant does not need to submit a separate substantive examination request. JPO mainly examines the novelty and inventiveness of designs.
- (*Secret design: applicants can request that their design remain secret for 3 years from the filing date).
yes.
- Within the period of 9 years and 6 months from the date of application for the invention patent, or within 3 months from the date of receipt of the notification of rejection, the patent type of the invention patent may be changed from invention to utility model/design upon request
- A request to change the patent type from invention to utility model/design can be filed within three months from the date of the JPO’s first decision to reject the application
A conversion fee shall be paid for patent type conversion. Once the original patent application is converted, it will be deemed withdrawn.
25 years