What is a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application?

A Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application is an international patent application that is filed in order to receive patent protection in multiple countries. The application is filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), which then distributes the application to the national or regional patent offices. The PCT application is used to start the process of seeking patent protection in several countries simultaneously, but can not be used to obtain an actual patent. The PCT is an agreement between different countries that allows applicants to file a single, standardized patent application with WIPO, instead of filing separate applications in each of the countries they wish to obtain protection. This saves time and money, as it eliminates the need to repeatedly translate documents and pay filing fees to multiple authorities. The PCT application is examined by WIPO and then forwarded to the national or regional patent offices in the countries or regions specified by the applicant. The national and regional patent offices conduct their own patent examinations, and the applicant must respond to any objections raised by the patent office. Once the patent office issues the patent, the patent is only valid in the countries or regions it was applied for. In North Carolina, PCT applications are handled by the US Patent and Trademark Office. There are specific rules and regulations that must be followed when applying for a patent in the US and the application must be filed in English. Additionally, PCT applications from US inventors must be filed via the USPTO’s Electronic Filing System.

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What is a Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application?

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