Patent Application Encyclopedia

20 years

via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date

PRV only conducts formality examination on design patents. After the design is officially submitted to the PRV, no modification or addition of other designs is allowed. An applicant may request a deferment of publication for up to 6 months from the filing date/priority date, and this request must be made at the same time as the new application is filed.

If the invention is disclosed due to malicious disclosure by a third party, or due to the behavior of the applicant or its original right holder, or due to the application for a UK patent, the novelty grace period can be enjoyed 12 months before the filing date/priority date.

Intellectual Property Office of the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand

English: Department of Intellectual Property, abbreviation: DIP

Website: Home (ipthailand.go.th)

Thailand Invention Patent Search: DIP (ipthailand.go.th)

Italian Patent and Trademark Office

English: Italian Patent and Trade Mark Office, abbreviation: UIBM

Website: www.uibm.gov.it

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. An invention patent application can be converted from an invention to a utility model before the granted, and the filing date of the first application shall be the filing date of the converted patent application.

3-6 months

1-2 years

• 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: 3 months from the date of European patent grant.

yes. If the appearance of the designs embodying the same design concept is similar, the combined design may be submitted in one design application.

yes. The applicant can request to change the patent type from utility model to invention before the patent is granted.

• via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
• Ways to take effect in the EU: 3 months from the date of grant of the European patent.
• via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.

The novelty grace period is 12 months before the filing date/priority date.

5-7 years

6 months before the filing date/priority date.