1 Sep 21 update: updated State annotations, included key Paris Convention articles, added internal hyperlinks between parts, full-text search now available, legal changes of 1 July 21 added. See blog post for details. |
Reviews: - I passed EQE paper D by reading and tabbing the .app books! |
PCT.App - online or printed book
PCT.App tackles the well-known problem that the Articles define only basic matter, and the Rules have become so
convoluted that they are difficult to comprehend.
Combining knowledge from 10 years of teaching PCT, and the highly automated IP.appify platform, we have created a pioneering legal reference for IP professionals who wish to go beyond the guidance provided in official WIPO user guides.
For lawyers, patent attorneys & formalities officers. Crucial for daily practice and essential for European Qualifying Exam (EQE) students. Available in English & German.
Available online for those who prefer digital access and want to tailor the content with their own annotations and highlighting, and hide unwanted parts. Subscribers can make printable colour pdf's at any time, or use print-on-demand for a colour hardcopy. A fully-commented black-and-white paper book is also available.
Always double check the status of info with the latest official resources. Consult an authorised professional or legal counsel before relying on the information presented.
Readable on your phone or tablet
PCT.App is in the cloud, and readable using any internet browser on mobile phone or tablet. It is searchable, with hyperlinks & cross-references to internal & external resources. The screenshots here were made using a Sony Xperia 10, narrow 6-inch screen (21:9 ratio) screen = 1080 x 2520 pixels, Android 10, Chrome browser set to 70 percent text and full screen mode. Similar results were possible using Opera & Brave browsers. Note that the Update and Author modes are only for authors.
For editing & modifying content, it is recommended to use a larger screen with a mouse & keyboard.
You can optimise the readability on a phone or tablet by:
- using full-screen mode by adding a link to the Homescreen, and opening the browser with the link
- changing Text scaling to 70 - 80% in Settings / Accessibility
- using the pinch to zoom in or out
Logical legal structure
130 SUBJECTS are o
rganised into 18 PARTS by merging the order of the Articles with the chronological order of the WIPO PCT Applicant's Guide. This mirrors the life of a PCT application.
Each SUBJECT includes paragraphs from the most relevant provisions - less relevant parts are hidden or cross-referenced.
All PCT Articles and Rules are included at least once.
Comprehensive guide to PCT law & procedure
Legal texts and comments are displayed side-by-side.
Authors’ comments are assigned per paragraph, and include references to other provisions, external resources and annotations.
Umbrella & implementing provisions are frequently indicated.
Explanations & overviews are provided for complex subjects such as:
- Legal Effects of Filing Date & Publication
- Relationship between PCT & National Law
- Entitlement to Priority, Claiming of Priority
- Communications between rO, ISA, IPEA and dO/eO's
- Loss of Rights in International Phase
- Remedies and Loss or Maintenance of National Effect
- Review in National Phase of Decisions by rO/IB
- Excusing of Delays
Similar structure to PCT Applicant's Guides
Where possible, the structure mirrors the PCT Applicant's Guide - Introductions to International Phase (AG-IP) & National Phase (AG-NP). This allows a straightforward jump to PCT.App if you want to know the relevant law.
PCT.App | AG-IP (International) |
1. What is the PCT? | 2. What is the PCT? |
2. Filing an International Application | 5. Filing an International Application |
3. Processing of Application by RO | 6. Processing of Application by RO |
4. International Search: Processing of Application by ISA | 7. International Search: Processing of Application by ISA |
5. Supplementary International Search by SISA | 8. Supplementary International Search |
6. International Publication & Other Processing by IB | 9. International Publication & Other Processing by IB |
7. International Preliminary Examination by IPEA | 10. International Preliminary Examination under Chapter II |
8. Misc. Questions concerning International Phase | 11. Misc. Questions concerning International Phase |
PCT.App | AG-NP (National) |
9. End of International Phase | 3. Time Limit for Entering International Phase |
10. Acts to be Performed for Entry | 4. Acts to be Performed for Entry |
11. Special National Phase Requirements | 5. Special Requirements to be Complied With in National Phase |
12. Misc. Questions concerning National Phase | 6. Misc. Questions concerning National Phase |
13. Entry into specific Regional & National Phases (EP & US) | National Chapters - EP & US |
Use with Applicant's Guides
As
P
CT
.App concentrates mainly on the Articles & Rules, it is useful to use with my Complete PCT Applicant's Guide, which includes all official WIPO Guidelines. Also included are our Detailed Tables of Contents, overviews of major changes in last 3 years & page numbers:
- Introduction to International Phase (AG-IP)
- Administrative Instructions (AI)
- Receiving Office Guidelines (RO GL)
- International Search & Examination Guidelines (ISPE GL)
- Introduction to National Phase (AG-NP)
Standardised layout & marking
Standard phrases in legal texts have been replaced by well-known abbreviations, such as IB, ISA, IPEA, rO, and dO. Inline comments in the legal text are sometimes used, such as /eO. Standardised marking is used to empha
size key words, time limits, fees, languages, and legal consequences, either in black & white (printed book) or color (online):
- normal marking (book: solid underline, online: black underline) => main issues & requirements
- strong marking (book: bold font, online: yellow highlight) => right-column annotation relevant for phrase
- fees (book: dotted underline, online: green underline)
- time-limits (book: dashed underline, online: orange underline)
- languages (book: wavy underline, online: blue underline)
- legal consequence (book: double underline, online: red underline)
Efficient for exams
The extensive comments & annotations allow it to be used as-is for exams, like the EQE. During preparation be
fore the exam, learn the structure and distribution by answering as many legal questions as possible. Use it with the PCT Applicant's Guide and Euro-PCT Guide, and ignore parts not relevant for the exam.
During the exam
Step 1 = where in the procedure does the case takes place? - this gives the relevant PART:
- Priority Filing, Priority Year
- International Phase (Filing, Search, Publication, After Publication)
- Optional International Phase: Supplementary Search / Examination, After Publication)
- For subjects covering more than one PART, go to 8. Misc. Questions concerning International Phase
- National/Regional Entry (Special case: EP Regional Entry => Euro-PCT)
- National/Regional Phase
- For subjects covering more than one PART, go to 12. Misc. Questions concerning National Phase
Find specific Articles & Rules
Customise & self-edit your PCT.App
Subscribers can digitally navigate up-to-date legal texts on their mobile devices. The contents can be freely adapted with personal annotations & highlighting, and unwanted parts can be hidden.
For editing & modifying content, it is recommended to use a larger screen with a mouse & keyboard. The screenshot depicted is from a PC with an author's personal highlighting scheme.
Legal updates occur automatically without disturbing your individual annotations, so there is no need to transfer your notes. See here for FAQ's.
Read & navigate: hyperlinked internal references to Articles & Rules, and external references to Guidelines & OJEO notices. Marking styles are in color, and can be personalized. Users can also define and apply two of their own marking styles - see here for more details.
Hide and add text: hide legal texts and comments you do not want to see. The text is not deleted permanently, and can be restored. Add comments and references in areas you struggle with. Subscribers to EPC.App can add bidirectional hyperlinked references.
- Further shape to your logic: add Articles & Rules that you consider more relevant. Your comments are linked to legal paragraphs, so they appear wherever the paragraph is visible. Overviews of each section are generated automatically.
Never out-of-date: your adaptations are saved in a personal cloud, and legal texts are regularly updated automatically. Generate an A4 color printable pdf of your own PCT.App for printing in your office or a customized color copy via a print-on-demand service.
Order a customized printed book
Since 1 Jan 21, subscribers can order a print-on-demand customized color copy of their own reference. It is approx. 600 pages, but it depends on the degree of customization. It is 25.4 x 17,8cm, printed on 60g paper.
You determine the content and the marking styles, using your preferred colors for the standard styles and two of your own styles. For example, standard styles may be redefined as:
- normal marking (black underline, 1 pixel) => main issues & requirements
- strong marking (yellow highlight, #FFF68F) => right column annotation relevant for phrase
- time limits (light purple highlight, #FFDAFB)
- fees (green highlight, #ADFFBA)
- languages (light blue highlight, #94FFF8)
- legal consequence (red underline, 1 pixel and red text, #FF0000)
Order a printed book
A fully-commented paper book is available through Amazon in different countries. It is 660 pages (38 mm thick). A more portable version, printed on thin (50g) bible paper (21mm thick), is also available.
It includes all the comprehensive annotations, comments and cross-references by the authors.
The marking styles are black and white only, using different underlining styles and bold text. It is available in English and German, and is regularly updated. Editing and colour hardcopies are only available to online subscribers.
Commented EPC Treaty (online & book)
EPC.App
includes up-to-date legal texts and essential references & comments for a well-prepared candidate to quickly find the legal points at the EQE. It should preferably be used extensively to answer legal questions before the exam, so that the notes trigger the correct knowledge of the standard interpretation of law & established Case Law. For daily practice, it allows the most relevant information to be found quickly.
It is also available through IP.appify, allowing you to add comments & annotations as you study, to shape according to your own logic, and to make your own EPC.App that never goes out of date.
Use with my EPC reference books:
- Indexed EPO-EPC Guidelines, with a detailed table of contents, an overview of major changes in last 3 years & page numbers.
- EPO as a PCT Authority (including indexed Euro-PCT Guide & EPO-PCT Guidelines with detailed tables of contents, overviews of major changes in last 3 years & page numbers.
History, organization & finances
Comments & cross-references have been included based on the original and updated minutes from the Washington Diplomatic Conference (WDC 1970), where the legal text was finalised. Treaty provisions that deal with the WIPO organization, internal financing, treaty
amendment and accession process are also commented. We provide a printing service for these WIPO texts - they are less relevant for applicants, but highly relevant for those studying the history and those who keep PCT up to date:
- Part 1 What is the PCT includes principles, advantages & disadvantages, definitions from provisions, and the relationship between PCT & national laws.
- Part 14 Technical Services deals with Art. 50-52
- Part 15 Administrative Provisions deals with Art. 53-58
- Part 16 Disputes deals with Art. 59
- Part 17 Revision & Amendment deals with Art. 60-61
- Part 18 deals with Treaty Accession, Entry into Force and Notifications with Art. 62-69
Nothing in our training or study materials is to be considered as legal advice - our resources are intended for educational and informational purposes only. IP law is highly complex and continuously changing, so always double check the status with the latest official resources. Consult an authorised professional or legal counsel before relying on the information presented. In particular, the authors and Fireball Patents do not accept liability for the accuracy of the information or for any printing errors.