PPC International Patent Systems & PCT Flashcards
6 cards from real PPC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 PPC International Patent Systems & PCT flashcards as text
What is a 'Patent Cooperation Treaty demand' (PCT demand) and who may file it?
Answer: A request by the applicant for Chapter II International Preliminary Examination, filed within a specific deadline
A PCT demand is a request filed by the applicant to initiate Chapter II International Preliminary Examination, which must be filed within 3 months of the ISR/Written Opinion or 22 months from the priority date, whichever is later.
In international patent practice, what is the 'unity of invention' requirement under PCT Rule 13?
Answer: The claims must relate to a single general inventive concept linking all claimed inventions
PCT Rule 13 requires that an international application's claims relate to one invention or a group of inventions linked by a single general inventive concept, similar to the US restriction practice but applied internationally.
What is an 'EP validation' after a European patent is granted, and why is it important?
Answer: The process of paying national fees and filing translations in individual EPC member states to make the European patent effective in those countries
After the EPO grants a European patent, the patentee must validate it in each desired EPC member state by paying national fees and, in many countries, filing an official translation within a set deadline (typically 3 months from grant).
What is the 'Patent Prosecution Highway' (PPH) program and how does it benefit international applicants?
Answer: A bilateral or multilateral program allowing accelerated examination in one country based on a favorable ruling in another participating office
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) allows applicants whose claims were found allowable by one patent office to request expedited examination in a participating partner office, leveraging the first office's work to speed up prosecution.
Under the Paris Convention, what is 'reciprocity' and why does it matter for US patent applicants seeking foreign protection?
Answer: The principle that member countries extend the same IP protections to foreign nationals that they give to their own citizens
Reciprocity under the Paris Convention means member states treat nationals of other member states on equal footing with their own nationals regarding IP rights, ensuring US applicants receive fair treatment in foreign patent offices.
What is the significance of the 'absolute novelty' standard in many foreign patent systems compared to the US grace period?
Answer: Many foreign countries require the invention to be completely undisclosed before the filing date, with no grace period for the inventor's own prior disclosures
Unlike the US, which grants inventors a 1-year grace period for their own disclosures, most foreign patent systems apply absolute novelty, meaning any public disclosure before the filing date—even by the inventor—destroys patentability in those countries.