PCT is the abbreviation of patent cooperation treaty, and it is an international treaty for cooperation in patent field. Its purpose is to solve the problem of applying for a patent for the same invention in many countries and reduce the duplication of work between the applicant and the patent office. Under this background, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) was signed in Washington on June 1970, came into effect on June 1978 and was implemented in June of the same year. China joined the PCT on 1 99465438+1October1day. At the same time, China National Intellectual Property Administration, China, as an acceptance bureau, an international retrieval unit and an international preliminary examination unit, accepts international applications for PCT from citizens, residents and units in China. By March 20 17, the number of PCT member countries had increased to 152. On March 7th, 20 17, Jordan submitted the legal documents to join the PCT, becoming the152nd member of the PCT, and Jordan officially became a member of the PCT on June 9th, 20 17. )
PCT patent application flow chart
Reminder: Patent applicants can only apply for a patent through PCT, and cannot directly obtain a patent through PCT (PCT application is divided into international phase and national phase). In order to obtain a patent in a certain country, the patent applicant must also go through the formalities of entering the country, and the patent office of that country will examine the patent application. If it meets the requirements of the patent law of the country, a patent right shall be granted.