Ross Patent Law Office
Specializing in Patents,
Trademarks and Copyrights
International Patent Applications
A patent application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is called an
international application or PCT application.  The Patent Cooperation Treaty is an
international patent law treaty that provides a unified procedure for filing patent
applications to protect inventions in each of its Contracting States.  One major advantage of
filing a PCT application is that it allows the Applicant time to delay costs associated with
filing patent applications in foreign countries.  In most Contracting States in the PCT there
is a 30 month deadline (measured from the Priority Date) to file a foreign application in
designated foreign countries or regions.   Prior to the 30 month deadline the applicant must
decide if he wants to enter the National or regional phases by filing in individual foreign
countries or foreign regions. By first filing in the PCT, the Applicant is able to access the
commercial viability of his invention for up to a 30 month period before he makes the
commitment to file in foreign countries.  If the Applicant decides not to enter the national
stage prior to the 30 month deadline, his PCT application will abandon.
Genius is one
percent inspiration
and ninety-nine
percent
perspiration... .

Thomas A. Edison