PCT (Foreign) Patent Applications

Kevin Prince Registered Patent Agent Turn off video auto-start for entire site. Hard-Copy Order Form

PCT Patent Applications are one of the best ways to protect your invention in foreign countries. While the PCT application itself is not ever granted as a patent, it acts like a reservation for your foreign patents, and gives you additional time to determine which member countries are worthwhile to file in (up to 30 months instead of the normal 12 months). Plus, PCT applications save you the search fees in each foreign country that you're considering, since the search done by the PCT counts in those member countries. More information about PCT applciations can be found at the US PTO's Website. You have one year to file your PCT application after filing your provisional or non-provisional US application. After the one year anniversary of your US filing date, you're no longer eligable to file international patents. Please contact us right away if you're considering filing a PCT application and it is close to your one year anniversary date. Benefits and Drawbacks of PCT Applications Benefits Drawbacks Strongest International Protection Expensive (filing fees are considerably more expensive than US patents alone) Extends up to 30 months your filing deadline in member countries. Must be filed within 12 months of either your provisional or non-provisional US application. This is not extendable. In the long run, saves you money by combining search fees. Does not, itself, ever issue as a patent. Subsequent "national stage" foreign applications required, possibly including translations, etc. All PCT Patent Applications include: Full Specification and Claims (converted from your US utility patent application) Any application paperwork that is required Drawings (add'l $100 per sheet) if we can't convert your utility patent dwgs What are the total costs involved with a PCT application? To get started, complete the form below. Alternately, you may fax or mail this hard-copy order form with copies of your prior US applications (soft copies preferred), payment, and any other necessary information. Please note that PCT patents typically take three weeks to file after payment has been received, but may take longer if there is a waiting list. We will advise you of an anticipated filing date upon receipt of your order. Please tell us about yourself: * First Name:  * Last Name: Company or Firm: * Residential Address:   * City: * State: * Zip: Phone Numbers: * Daytime: Extension: Fax: Cellular: Home: Other: * Email: US Citizen?: Yes No... (if not, indicate citizenship: ) Number of Inventors: (please email us with above info for each add'l inventor) Please tell us about your previous US applications, if any: Did you previously file a US application (either a provisional or non-provisional)? Yes No If yes, Serial # Filing Date: Did we file your US Application? Yes No If no, please email or mail a soft copy of the application and drawing files, or send us a hard copy by mail. Please tell us about this particular invention: Note: Please email or fax us additional details, sketches, etc. as necessary. For a signed Non-disclosure agreement,visit our NDA page before completing this form. * Invention Title: * General Description of the Invention: Detail any features of your invention that have changed between now and your US filing date : Patent Drawings: Formal drawings are priced at $100/sheet for utility patents. Typically two or three are needed. Informal drawings only delay the need to file formal drawings. Please prepare formal drawings I will complete drawings myself Use Previous Application Drawings Quote patent dwgs first Special Circumstances: Other prior related patents apply: Government assistance was used (grant money, etc.) At least one inventor is over the age of 65 Need other Petition to Make Special You are a "small entity" (any small business concern as defined under section 3 of the Small Business Act, and to any independent inventor or nonprofit organization as defined in regulations issued by the Director) I had requested that my previous US application not be published (if checked, you cannot file your PCT until you remove this designation from your US application first. Please contact us.) Communication: The secrecy of your invention and the details of your patent are important to us. While we prefer to communicate with you via email for ease and speed, we are also aware that many clients prefer to communicate by other, possibly more secure but more expensive means. As such, please let us know the way you would prefer that we communicate with you, send you drafts of your claims and specification, and so forth. We passwrod-encrypt all .pdf files emailed to you, using the last 4-digits of your phone number above as the password. (Note that if you check anything other than 'email' below, you really should print our hard-copy form and either fax or mail it to us, instead of submitting an on-line form like this one!) Email Fax Priority Mail * Total Amount Due: $900.00 Our fee to convert a US Application into a PCT Application $300.00 Deposit for drawings, if required $1,700.00 Filing fee for USPTO (as of 9/2005) $2,900.00 Total Deposit Needed to Start I will send a check or money order by mail (will delay start of search) I will call or fax in my credit card info to 1-800-399-0181. I will use a credit card on-line through PayPal (see next page after submitting order for instructions) Misc. Info: You have the obligation to the US Patent & Trademark Office to fully disclose any non-patented prior art. Also, if you sold or offered the invention for sale more than one year ago, your patent rights may be reduced. Please provide any information that may limit your patent rights or otherwise affect the strength of the application below, or any other pertinent information or concerns that we should know about. How did you find our website?: Important Notice: In order to qualify for foreign patent protection, you must file your foreign patent within one year of your earliest US patent application. If you have not filed a US application, you must not have publicly disclosed your invention or offered it for sale. Further, your invention must be new, useful, and non-obvious in light of all other prior art inventions. If it would be obvious to "one skilled in the art" or field of your invention, you may not ultimately receive a patent. Please be sure you understand the level of novelty of your device before assuming that merely by applying for a patent you will ultimately receive one. Patent Searches, if done through us or elsewhere, are never 100% complete, so there is always some risk that a patent search will have missed a relevant reference. "File as early as possible" is usually good advice. Each country has its own patent laws and filing requirements. You should make us aware of any potential public use or offer for sale of your invention beforehand so we can advise you as to the potential ramifications of public disclosure. Merely submitting this form does not form a client/attorney or client/agent relationship. * Do you agree to these terms? Yes No