Further Study of Six-month Grace Period Practices in Taiwan PROGRAM OF JOINT INTERVIEW FOR RELATED INVENTION PATENT APPLICATIONS (Part I)

Wei-Ting Chou, Patent Director, Patent Group I

ˇ˝ Master of Agricultural Engineering, National Taiwan University

ˇ˝ Bachelor of Medical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University

Enacted on September 28, 2012 Amended on May 10, 2013

1. Purpose:

In order to facilitate the research, development and inventive achievements of industries, academics, and individuals to secure patent protection as quickly as possible, patent applications can be classified into a group to be examined according to their specific technical field, so as to formulate a complete patent strategy and deployment.  Therefore, the Office has stipulated the program of a ˇ§joint interview for related invention patent applicationsˇ¨.  Specifically, if the Applicant petitions for a joint interview for a group of invention applications in a preliminary phase, the Examiner will hold an interview to examine the applications in the group at the same time, so as to quickly understand the technical content in the applications and thus improve the efficiency and speed to examine the applications.

2. Definitions:

2.1 Related invention patent applications: these refer to a series of technically related invention patent applications in the name of the same Applicant in the preliminary examination stage.

2.2 Joint interview: this refers to the interview held to examine the mentioned technically related applications at the same time in the same place.

3. Procedures:

The Applicant can submit relevant application documents for at least two, but no more than ten, related invention patent applications to petition for the joint interview with the Office.  

4. Requirements:

If the group of invention patent applications in the preliminary examination phase meets the following requirements, the Applicant or its entrusted agent can petition for the joint interview:

4.1 Each of the applications is in the name of the Applicant.

4.2 The applications are technically related to one another.

4.3 A petition for a substantive examination has been submitted for each of the applications, and each of them has been published.

4.4 No domestic priority from each of the applications is claimed.

4.5 No Office Action from the Office is issued for each of the applications.

5. Documents to petition for the interview:

5.1 An intent form for the joint interview for the related invention patent applications

5.2 A detailed list of the related invention patent applications

5.3 An explanatory table explaining the technical relationship among the related invention patent applications

5.4 A Power of Attorney to empower the agent to act on behalf of the Applicant for the joint interview for the related invention applications (specifically, on the condition that some of the applications have a different agent, the respective power of attorney will be required)

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