World Intellectual Property Organization
Current status of the e-PCT standard
Standard for electronic filing under the PCT
SCIT SDWG December 2002
PCT-SAFE: (Secure Applications Filed Electronically)
Karl Kalejs
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e-PCT: Background
• Known as Part 7 and Annex F to the
PCT Administrative Instructions
• Legal framework and technical
standard to enable electronic filing
under the PCT
• Came into effect on January 7, 2002
• Widespread consultations over 24
months
• 5 formal revisions under PCT-SAFE
project
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e-PCT: current
• Nov 1 2002: Launch of PCT
electronic filing by European Patent
Office
• Preparations at several other PCT
receiving Offices, for commencing in
2003
• PCT-SAFE Pilot at the IB: proof of
concept for the standard and system
• IB as receiving Office expected to
implement Q2 2003
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e-PCT: modifications
• New section 2.5 of Annex F:
– Change procedure for modifications of
Annex F
– In effect from December 12, 2002
– To be published in PCT Gazette
No. 50/2002 on December 12, 2002
– Covers scope, logistics, annual cycle,
expedited proposals
– Web site for publication, submission of
comments, monitoring PFCs etc.:
www.wipo.int/pct/efiling_standard/en/welcome.html
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e-PCT: PFCs
• 13 PFCs being processed based to an
extent on change procedure model
• December 23, 2002: Comments by
interested parties on PFCs 2 to 13
• February 10, 2003: Informal draft
revision of Annex F published on web
site
• February 24, 2003: Comments on
informal draft
• March 2003: entry into force of new
version of Annex F
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e-PCT: summary of PFCs
PCT/EF/PFC 02/001 [withdrawn]
PCT/EF/PFC 02/002 IA Documents Packaging (Annex F, section 4)
proposal by the Japan Patent Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/003 Transmission (Annex F, section 5)
proposal by the Japan Patent Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/004 Package Header (Annex F, Appendix I, section 4.1)
proposal by the Japan Patent Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/005 DTDs for New PCT applications (E-PCT) (Annex F, Appendix I, section 3)
proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/006 File Naming Convention (Annex F, addition)
proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/007 Package Header (Annex F, Appendix I, section 4.1)
proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/008 Filing Requirements; Basic Common Standard (Part 7, Section 703)
proposal by the United States Patent and Trademark Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/009 Electronic Packaging (Annex F, sections 5 and 7)
proposal by the Korean Intellectual Property Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/010 Modifications of XML DTDs for the E-PCT Standard (Annex F, Appendix I)
proposal by the European Patent Office, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the
Japan Patent Office
PCT/EF/PFC 02/011 Modifications of XML DTDs for the E-PCT Standard (Annex F, Appendix I)
proposal by the International Bureau
PCT/EF/PFC 02/012 New XML DTDs for the E-PCT Standard (Annex F, Appendix I)
proposal by the International Bureau
PCT/EF/PFC 02/013 Paragraph Numbering (Annex F, section 3.1.1.1.1)
proposal by the International Bureau
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e-PCT: SCIT
• IB and member states active in e-filing
will continue to prove and refine the
standard
• Once proven, Annex F will form basis of
a generic patent filing SCIT standard
• SCIT will be required to determine
scope of generic e-filing standards:
– i.e. should it cover XML, transmission,
packaging, signature etc.
• Determine whether to debate evaluation
of Annex F/SCIT standard for other IP
systems (trade marks, designs etc).
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PCT-SAFE: Further information
PCT-SAFE Help Desk
WIPO
34 chemin des Colombettes
1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
tel: (+41-22) 338 95 23
fax: (+41-22) 338 80 40
e-mail: [email protected]
http://www.wipo.int/pct-safe
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