US and PCT Patent Applications

Happy New Year Inventors !


We are finally getting situated in our new downtown San Diego office. The computer cables are getting tucked away, and we've been meeting the neighbors. We love it here! We are on the 12th floor overlooking downtown San Diego and my windows actually open. Wow, step back!


Well in addition to wishing everyone a happy new year I'd though I'd prepare a quick post on PCT international patent applications. We really like PCTs. A PCT doesn't actually issue as an international patent itself, but instead is a patent application filed under treaty Essentially a PCT allows the inventor to delay entry into designated PCT member states up to about 30 months. So national phase entry (or entry into desired countries or regions) must still occur. But the PCT also provides a central examination authority so you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect once the patent application gets examined in each country.

It's also possible to file a PCT patent application then enter the US. Since the US is a PCT member state, an inventor may prefer to file a PCT first, see the examination results under the PCT then decide whether to enter the US. More information regarding US national phase entry can be reviewed on our US national phase from PCT page.

That's it for now. We'll try to keep posting useful tidbits throughout 2008. If any further information about PCT patent applications is need please feel free to visit our patent pages.

Keep inventing!

Raymond