PCT stands for “Patent Cooperation Treaty.” The PCT is an international treaty that provides a streamlined process for filing and obtaining patents in multiple countries. It was established in 1970 by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to simplify the process of obtaining patents in multiple countries.
The PCT system allows an inventor or a company to file a single international patent application, known as a PCT application, instead of having to file separate applications in each country where they wish to obtain a patent. The PCT application is then reviewed by a national or regional patent office, known as a “receiving office,” which conducts a formal examination to ensure that the application meets certain formal requirements.
After the receiving office has completed its examination, the PCT application is then forwarded to the “International Searching Authority” (ISA) for a search for prior art. The ISA will conduct a search of existing patents and publications to ensure that the invention is novel and non-obvious.
Once the ISA has completed its search, the PCT application is then forwarded to the “International Bureau” (IB) which publishes the application and makes it available to the public. The IB also publishes the results of the international search, which is known as the “International Search Report” (ISR) and the “Written Opinion” (WO).
After the PCT application has been published, the applicant can then enter the “national phase” in any of the countries where they wish to obtain a patent. At this stage, the applicant can choose to enter the national phase in one or more of the countries designated in the PCT application. The national phase is where the applicant must file a national patent application, pay any required fees, and meet any additional requirements in each country where they wish to obtain a patent.
In short, PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) is an international treaty that provides a streamlined process for filing and obtaining patents in multiple countries. It allows inventors or companies to file a single international patent application, known as a PCT application, instead of having to file separate applications in each country where they wish to obtain a patent. The PCT application is then reviewed by a national or regional patent office and subsequently forwarded to International Searching Authority for a search for prior art and then International Bureau for publication and making it available to public. After the PCT application has been published, the applicant can then enter the “national phase” in any of the countries where they wish to obtain a patent.