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How to Get a European Patent

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How to Get a European Patent European Patent Guide How to get a European patent 19th edition Updated to 1 April 2019 Contents Chapter 1 – Foreword .................................................................................. 7 Chapter 2 – General ..................................................................................... 9 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Nature and purpose of the European Patent Convention ....................................... 10 2.3 Relationship to other international conventions ..................................................... 11 2.4 Choosing a route: national, European or international........................................... 12 Legal factors ...................................................................................................... 12 Economic factors ............................................................................................... 13 2.5 Extending/validating European patents to/in non-contracting states ................... 14 Chapter 3 – Patentability ........................................................................... 16 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 16 3.2 Invention ...................................................................................................................... 16 3.3 Novelty ......................................................................................................................... 17 Basic principles ................................................................................................. 17 Prior rights ......................................................................................................... 18 3.4 Inventive step .............................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 4 – Preparing and filing a European patent application .......... 21 4.1 Formal requirements .................................................................................................. 21 Entitlement to file European patent applications ............................................... 21 States for which European patent applications may be filed ............................. 21 Languages for European patent applications .................................................... 22 Language arrangements to assist applicants from certain contracting states ................................................................................................................ 22 Items making up a European patent application ............................................... 23 Request for grant .............................................................................................. 23 Designation of inventor ..................................................................................... 23 Claiming priority ................................................................................................ 24 Filing by reference ............................................................................................. 26 Representation .................................................................................................. 26 4.2 Presenting your invention ......................................................................................... 28 Disclosing your invention .................................................................................. 28 Unity of invention ............................................................................................... 29 Drafting the technical application documents .................................................... 29 Description ........................................................................................................ 30 3 Biotechnology applications ................................................................................ 31 Nucleotide and amino acid sequences ............................................. 31 Depositing biological material to supplement the description ........... 31 Claims ............................................................................................................... 33 Claims incurring fees ......................................................................................... 34 Drawings ........................................................................................................... 34 Abstract ............................................................................................................. 35 Prohibited matter ............................................................................................... 35 Unitary character of European patent applications and patents ....................... 36 4.3 Filing European patent applications ......................................................................... 37 Where and how to file ....................................................................................... 37 Date of filing ...................................................................................................... 38 Acknowledgement of receipt ............................................................................. 38 Applications filed with national authorities and forwarded to the EPO .............. 39 Fees .................................................................................................................. 39 Fee amounts and payment methods ................................................................. 42 Refund of fees ................................................................................................... 43 4.4 Filing other documents .............................................................................................. 44 Where and how to file ....................................................................................... 44 Signature ........................................................................................................... 45 Confirmation on paper ....................................................................................... 45 Date of receipt ................................................................................................... 45 Acknowledgement of receipt ............................................................................. 46 Chapter 5 – The European patent grant procedure ................................ 47 5.1 General survey ............................................................................................................ 47 5.2 Procedure up to publication of the application ....................................................... 48 Examination on filing ......................................................................................... 48 Examination as to formal and other requirements ............................................ 49 European search report .................................................................................... 50 Lack of unity of invention ................................................................................... 51 5.3 Publication of the European patent application ...................................................... 52 5.4 Examination procedure .............................................................................................. 53 Request for examination ................................................................................... 53 Stages of the procedure .................................................................................... 54 Amending applications before and during examination proceedings ................ 57 National requirements governing translations of European patents ................. 58 5.5 Opposition procedure ................................................................................................ 59 Opposition period .............................................................................................. 59 Grounds for opposition ...................................................................................... 59 Form and content of the notice of opposition .................................................... 59 Examination of the notice of opposition for admissibility ................................... 59 Substantive examination of the opposition ........................................................ 60 4 5.6 Limitation and revocation procedure ....................................................................... 61 5.7 Appeals procedure ..................................................................................................... 63 Filing an appeal ................................................................................................. 63 Interlocutory revision ......................................................................................... 63 Stages of the procedure before the boards of appeal ....................................... 64 Petition for review .............................................................................................. 65 5.8 Divisional applications ............................................................................................... 65 5.9 Renewal fees ............................................................................................................... 66 5.10 General provisions governing periods ..................................................................... 67 Missed time limits .............................................................................................
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