no
The BPO only conducts formality examination of utility model patent applications. The formality examination takes 3 months, and the content of the examination includes whether the applied for utility model patent application belongs to the object of protection, the issue of unity, etc. If the granted conditions are met, the patent is authorized.
- Grant fee: The applicant shall pay the granted fee within 3 months after receiving the granted notice.
- Annuity: pay year by year from the first year of the application date, and should be paid before the last day of the month of the application date at the latest, not exceeding one patent year, and the annual fee can be paid within a grace period of 6 months if it is overdue, and paid at the same time 200% late fee.
Bulgarian Patent and Trademark Office
English: Bulgarian Patent Office, abbreviation: BPO
Website: Патентното ведомство на Република България (bpo.bg)
Bulgarian Utility Model Patent Search: BPO Online - portal.bpo.bg
A 12-month novelty grace period is available if:
- The applicant authorizes others to use
- manifest misuse by a third party
no
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 31 months from earliest priority date.
4-6 months
yes. Designs in the same category, or belonging to the same set or combination of articles, may contain several designs in one design (this condition does not apply when the product containing or attached to the design is an ornament).
20 years
yes. For an invention with the same subject matter, the applicant may file a patent type conversion request within 2 months from the date of receiving the patent application decision, but no later than 10 years from the application date, and change the patent type from invention to utility model .