EP VALIDATION PROCESS

EP VALIDATION PROCESS

•Presenters:o AnnMcCrackin,President,BlackHillsIP,LLC

o BrynWilliams,EuropeanPatentAttorney,CreationIP

o KarenMcCartney,IPParalegal,CreationIP

EP Validation Process – A Three Stage Process

• Stage1– AcceptanceofTexto fromreceiptofIntentiontoGranttoDecisiontoGrant

• Stage2– Granto fromDecisiontoGranttoGrantDate

• Stage3– Validationo fromGrantDatetoValidationcompletion

Stage 1 – Intention to Grant – Rule 71(3)

§ Driven by issuance of Communication Under Rule 71(3)

Stage 1 – Intention to Grant – Rule 71(3)

§ Requirements:o Approvethetexto Verifythebibliographicdatao FiletranslationsoftheclaimsintoFrenchandGermano PaytheGrantandPublishingFeeso PayadditionalClaimsandPrintingFees(ifnecessary)

Stage 1 – Intention to Grant – Rule 71(3)

§ Approve the texto Istheallowedtextcorrect?o HastheExaminermadefurtheramendments?

§ Verify bibliographic datao Areproprietordetailscorrect?o ChangeofdetailsrecordedcentrallyatEPOpriortogrant

Stage 1 – Acceptance of Text - Docketing Requirements

§ Timeforrespondingisfourmonths§ 10dayruleapplies§ Timeisnotextendable§ Furtherprocessingisavailableatanadditionalcost

§ providesapproximately2monthsforcomplyingwiththecommunication.

Stage 2 - Grant

§ Driven by issuance of Decision to Grant Article 97(1)

Stage 2 _ GStage 2 – Grant - Docketing Requirements

§ GrantDate- referredtoonfrontpageofDecisiontoGrant§ Setsdeadlineforfilingdivisionalapplications

§ Thedayprior tothegrantdate§ Notextendible– dropdeaddeadline

§ Setsdeadlineforcompletingvalidations§ 3monthsfromthegrantdate

§ Notextendible– dropdeaddeadline

Stage 2 – Renewals/Annuities - Docketing Requirements

Checkwhenrenewaldatefalls:

• IfbeforegrantdaterenewaldueatEPO(onefee)• If aftergrantdaterenewalsduenationally(multiplefees

dependingontheEPnationalselectioncountries)

Stage 1/2 – Strategy for renewal payment reductions

• Year5renewaldueatEuropeanPatentOffice– $1127• Year5renewalfeesdueatFrench,German,UK,Dutch,Italian,SpanishandIrishPatentOffices- $1895

• AOne-offsavingcanbemadeifitwerepossibletobringthefifthyearrenewaldateintoStage2(Grant)ratherthanStage3(Validation)

Stage 1/2 – Strategy for renewal payment reductions

• ActionhastobetakenduringStage1toactivelydelaydateofgrant.• Howcanthisbedone?

o FileresponsetoIntentiontoGrant/allowanceasclosetodeadlineaspossibleo Allowcasetogointofurtherprocessing

Stage 3 – Validation

• Drivenbydateofgrant– validationsmustbecompletedwithin3months– NotExtendible• Keyrequirements–

o ComplywithnationallawstoallowEuropeanPatenttohaveeffectinnationalstates

o TranslationandPowerofAttorneyrequirementsvaryfromcountrytocountry

Stage 3 – Validation

•Validationrequirementsinclude:o Paymentofnationalfeeso Filingofnationalformso Filingoftranslationso Appointinganaddressforservice(localcounselinacountry)

ØAnaddressforserviceisnotcompulsorybutisrecommendedtoensurecommunicationsconcerningrenewalfeesfromnationalofficesandfromthirdpartiesconcerning,forexample,licences,arecorrectlyreceived.

Stage 3 – Renewals/Annuities Considerations

• Iftherenewaldatefallsduewithinvalidationtermrenewaldeadlinerevertstovalidationdeadline• Asaruleofthumb,forcountrieswhichrequiretranslationstobefiled,renewalfeescannotbepaiduntilvalidationiscomplete.

Stage 3 – London Agreement

• TheLondonAgreementisapatentlawagreementconcludedinLondonon17October2000andaimedatreducingthetranslationcostsofEuropeanpatentsgrantedundertheEuropeanPatentConvention(EPC).• Currently21ofthe39EPCmemberstatesaresignatoriestotheLondonAgreementwhohavedispensedwithatleastsometranslationrequirements.

Stage 3 – Validation Matrix

Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq.Albania Yes ClaimsTranslation Greece Yes FullTranslation Poland Yes FullTranslationAustria Yes FullTranslation Hungary Yes ClaimsTranslation Portugal No FullTranslationBelgium No NoTranslation Iceland No ClaimsTranslation Romania Yes FullTranslationBosnia/Herz. Yes ClaimsTranslation Ireland Yes NoTranslation SanMarino Yes FullTranslationBulgaria Yes FullTranslation Italy Yes FullTranslation Serbia Yes FullTranslationCroatia Yes ClaimsTranslation Latvia No ClaimsTranslation Slovakia Yes FullTranslationCyprus Yes FullTranslation Lithuania Yes ClaimsTranslation Slovenia Yes ClaimsTranslationCzechRep. Yes FullTranslation Luxembourg No NoTranslation Spain No FullTranslationDenmark No ClaimsTranslation Macedonia Yes ClaimsTranslation Sweden No ClaimsTranslationEstonia Yes FullTranslation Malta Yes NoTranslation Switzerland Yes NoTranslationFinland No ClaimsTranslation Monaco Yes NoTranslation TheNetherlands No ClaimsTranslationFrance No NoTranslation Montenegro Yes ClaimsTranslation Turkey No FullTranslationGermany No NoTranslation Norway Yes ClaimsTranslation UnitedKingdom No NoTranslation

Stage 3 - Validation - Docketing Requirements

Checkrequirements– don’trunoutoftime:• Powerforms:• OriginalsmayberequiredbyAssociate• Greece– Powerformmustbeonfilebythevalidation

deadline.Emailinadvanceisacceptable.

Stage 3 – Validation Matrix – Powers Required

Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq.Albania Yes ClaimsTranslation Greece Yes FullTranslation Poland Yes FullTranslationAustria Yes FullTranslation Hungary Yes ClaimsTranslation Portugal No FullTranslationBelgium No NoTranslation Iceland No ClaimsTranslation Romania Yes FullTranslationBosnia/Herz. Yes ClaimsTranslation Ireland Yes NoTranslation SanMarino Yes FullTranslationBulgaria Yes FullTranslation Italy Yes FullTranslation Serbia Yes FullTranslationCroatia Yes ClaimsTranslation Latvia No ClaimsTranslation Slovakia Yes FullTranslationCyprus Yes FullTranslation Lithuania Yes ClaimsTranslation Slovenia Yes ClaimsTranslationCzechRep. Yes FullTranslation Luxembourg No NoTranslation Spain No FullTranslationDenmark No ClaimsTranslation Macedonia Yes ClaimsTranslation Sweden No ClaimsTranslationEstonia Yes FullTranslation Malta Yes NoTranslation Switzerland Yes NoTranslationFinland No ClaimsTranslation Monaco Yes NoTranslation TheNetherlands No ClaimsTranslationFrance No NoTranslation Montenegro Yes ClaimsTranslation Turkey No FullTranslationGermany No NoTranslation Norway Yes ClaimsTranslation UnitedKingdom No NoTranslation

APowerformforGreecemustbeonfilebythevalidationdeadlinetocompletethenationalrequirements.

Stage 3 - Validation - Docketing Requirements

Checkrequirements– don’trunoutoftime:• Translations:• Fulltranslationsmayberequired– Italy,Spain

Stage 3 – Validation Matrix – Full Translations

Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq.Albania Yes ClaimsTranslation Greece Yes FullTranslation Poland Yes FullTranslationAustria Yes FullTranslation Hungary Yes ClaimsTranslation Portugal No FullTranslationBelgium No NoTranslation Iceland No ClaimsTranslation Romania Yes FullTranslationBosnia/Herz. Yes ClaimsTranslation Ireland Yes NoTranslation SanMarino Yes FullTranslationBulgaria Yes FullTranslation Italy Yes FullTranslation Serbia Yes FullTranslationCroatia Yes ClaimsTranslation Latvia No ClaimsTranslation Slovakia Yes FullTranslationCyprus Yes FullTranslation Lithuania Yes ClaimsTranslation Slovenia Yes ClaimsTranslationCzechRep. Yes FullTranslation Luxembourg No NoTranslation Spain No FullTranslationDenmark No ClaimsTranslation Macedonia Yes ClaimsTranslation Sweden No ClaimsTranslationEstonia Yes FullTranslation Malta Yes NoTranslation Switzerland Yes NoTranslationFinland No ClaimsTranslation Monaco Yes NoTranslation TheNetherlands No ClaimsTranslationFrance No NoTranslation Montenegro Yes ClaimsTranslation Turkey No FullTranslationGermany No NoTranslation Norway Yes ClaimsTranslation UnitedKingdom No NoTranslation

Stage 3 – Validation Matrix – Duplicate Translations

Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq.Albania Yes ClaimsTranslation Greece Yes FullTranslation Poland Yes FullTranslationAustria Yes FullTranslation Hungary Yes ClaimsTranslation Portugal No FullTranslationBelgium No NoTranslation Iceland No ClaimsTranslation Romania Yes FullTranslationBosnia/Herz. Yes ClaimsTranslation Ireland Yes NoTranslation SanMarino Yes FullTranslationBulgaria Yes FullTranslation Italy Yes FullTranslation Serbia Yes FullTranslationCroatia Yes ClaimsTranslation Latvia No ClaimsTranslation Slovakia Yes FullTranslationCyprus Yes FullTranslation Lithuania Yes ClaimsTranslation Slovenia Yes ClaimsTranslationCzechRep. Yes FullTranslation Luxembourg No NoTranslation Spain No FullTranslationDenmark No ClaimsTranslation Macedonia Yes ClaimsTranslation Sweden No ClaimsTranslationEstonia Yes FullTranslation Malta Yes NoTranslation Switzerland Yes NoTranslationFinland No ClaimsTranslation Monaco Yes NoTranslation TheNetherlands No ClaimsTranslationFrance No NoTranslation Montenegro Yes ClaimsTranslation Turkey No FullTranslationGermany No NoTranslation Norway Yes ClaimsTranslation UnitedKingdom No NoTranslation

Translationcostscanbesplitbetweentheseterritories.

Stage 3 – Validation Matrix – Relative Costs

Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq. Country PoA TranslationReq.Albania Yes ClaimsTranslation Greece Yes FullTranslation Poland Yes FullTranslationAustria Yes FullTranslation Hungary Yes ClaimsTranslation Portugal No FullTranslationBelgium No NoTranslation Iceland No ClaimsTranslation Romania Yes FullTranslationBosnia/Herz. Yes ClaimsTranslation Ireland Yes NoTranslation SanMarino Yes FullTranslationBulgaria Yes FullTranslation Italy Yes FullTranslation Serbia Yes FullTranslationCroatia Yes ClaimsTranslation Latvia No ClaimsTranslation Slovakia Yes FullTranslationCyprus Yes FullTranslation Lithuania Yes ClaimsTranslation Slovenia Yes ClaimsTranslationCzechRep. Yes FullTranslation Luxembourg No NoTranslation Spain No FullTranslationDenmark No ClaimsTranslation Macedonia Yes ClaimsTranslation Sweden No ClaimsTranslationEstonia Yes FullTranslation Malta Yes NoTranslation Switzerland Yes NoTranslationFinland No ClaimsTranslation Monaco Yes NoTranslation TheNetherlands No ClaimsTranslationFrance No NoTranslation Montenegro Yes ClaimsTranslation Turkey No FullTranslationGermany No NoTranslation Norway Yes ClaimsTranslation UnitedKingdom No NoTranslation

Foratypicalspecification,thegreencolouredcountriesarethelowestcostwiththeredcountriesbeingthemostexpensive.Thisisindicativeand

dependsontherelativelengthsoftheclaimstothedescription.

Questions

• QuestionsonToday’sProgramo PleasesubmittedyourquestionsusingtheQ&Abuttononthecontrolbaronyourscreen.

• IfyouhavequestionsregardingBlackHillsIP’sservicesorprocesses,pleasecontact:JimBrophyPh.612-867-4018jbrophy@blackhillsip.com

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Pleasejoinusforournextpresentation:HandlingOppositionProceedingDocketingintheEP

April19,2017at1:00PMCentral

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