Tricky Chinese Docketing FINAL CORRECTED
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Transcript of Tricky Chinese Docketing FINAL CORRECTED
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TrickyChinesePatentDocketing
uithe ReliabilityofyourIPDatayourIPDataIntegrity:
HowtoRuintheReliabilityofyourIPData
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TrickyChinesePatentDocketing
•Presentersandpanelists:o AnnMcCrackin,President,BlackHillsIP,LLCo KristiWheeler,ForeignFilingParalegal,Schwegman,Lundberg&Woessner,P.A.
o JenniferBommentre,ForeignFilingParalegal,Schwegman,Lundberg&Woessner,P.A.
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Topics
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§ HowtoCalculateDeadlinesinChina§ ImportantitemstoDocketbeforetheSubstantive
ExamProcess§ OverviewoftheSubstantiveExamProcess§ ItemstoDocketduringSubstantiveExam
§ OfficeActions§ DecisionsofRejection§ ReexaminationDecision– RevokingofDecisionofRejection§ NotificationofReexamination§ DecisionofReexamination– UpholdingDecisionofRejection
§ WhyareChinadeadlinessotrickyandwhatcanyoudo?
Calculating Deadlines in China
•WhereanydocumentissentbymailbythePatentOffice,the16thdayfromthedateofmailingshallbepresumedtobethedateonwhichthedocumentisreceived.• HowtoCalculate
o Thefirstdayofanytimelimitisnotcountedinthecalculation.o Forexample,whereanotificationisissuedonJuly4,2017bythePatentOffice,thedateonwhichthenotificationispresumablyreceivedisJuly19,2017.
o Theduedateiscalculatedfromthedateonwhichanotificationordecisionispresumablyreceived.
Calculating Deadlines in China (cont.)
• IfanOfficeActionwithatwomonthperiodforrespondingismailedbythePatentOfficeonJune6,2017,thedateonwhichitispresumablyreceivedisJune21,2017.• ThetwomonthduedateforrespondingdateisAugust21,2017.•August21istheactualdeadlinefortheresponse.
BeforeSubstantiveExam
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• ItemstoDocketbeforetheSubstantiveExamProcesso Formalitieso “RequestforExamination”
Ø 3yearsfromearliestpriorityØ ForDivisionalFilings,theduedateis2monthsfromfilingofthedivisional
o “DeadlinetoRecordinHongKong”Ø 6monthsafterthepublicationdateØ Publicationdateisinthe“NoticeofPublication”thatyouwillreceive
o “VoluntaryAmendmentsDue”Ø 3monthsafterReceiptDateof“NoticeofEntryintoSubstantiveExamination”
ChineseProsecutionFlowChart
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DocketingChinese“OfficeActions”
• Chinese“OfficeAction”isequivalenttoU.S.Non-FinalOfficeActiono FollowstheNotificationofSubstantiveExaminationandthecorrespondingVoluntaryAmendmentdeadline
• Howtodocket?o MayreceivemorethanoneOfficeActiono Responseperiodforthefirstofficeactionis4monthso SecondandsubsequentOfficeActionshavea2monthresponseperiodo 15daymailingperiodapplies
• Extensionsavailable?o One-timerequestforextensionof1or2months
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DocketingChinese“OfficeActions”
ExampleA:LanguagefromanagentletterregardingafirstOfficeActionmailedJan.5,2012
o “PleasebeinformedthatwereceivedthefirstOfficeActionfortheabovereferencedapplicationissuedonJanuary5,2012...PleasebenotedthattheextendibledeadlineforrespondingtotheOfficeActionisMay20,2012.WewouldliketohaveyourinstructionsbyMay5,2012soastoprepareandsubmitnecessarydocumentswiththeSIPO.”
o ActualMailingDate(1/5/2012)+15days+4months=ActualDeadline(5/20/2012)
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DocketingChinese“OfficeActions”
ExampleB:LanguagefromanagentletterregardingafirstOfficeActionmailedNov.4,2014
o “PleasebeadvisedthattheStateIntellectualPropertyOffice(SIPO)issuedafirstofficeactionraisingobjectionsagainstthesubjectapplication...Thedeadlineforfilingaresponsetotheofficeactionis17March2015.Ifpossible,pleaseletushaveyourinstructionsandcommentsontheresponsebefore6March2015,sothatwewillhavesufficienttimetopreparetheresponseandfileitwiththeSIPO.”
o ActualMailingDateaccordingtotheTranslatedOfficeAction(11/04/2014)+15days+4months=ActualDeadline(March19,2015)
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DocketingChinese“DecisionofRejection”
• Chinese"DecisionofRejection”isequivalenttoU.S.FinalOfficeAction• TypicallyfollowsaresponsetoanOfficeAction• Howtodocket?
o Docketadeadlinetofile“RequestforReexamination”o Due3monthsfromDecisionofRejectiono 15daymailingperiodapplies
• Extensionsavailable?o DeadlinetofileRequestforReexaminationisNOT extendable
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DocketingChinese“DecisionofRejection”
ExampleC:LanguagefromanagentletterregardingaDecisionofRejectionmailedMarch11,2014
o “PleasenotethatwehavereceivedtherejectiondecisionissuedonMarch11,2014fortheapplication.TheofficialdeadlineforrespondingtothisrejectiondecisionisJune26,2014,noextensionisavailable.”
o ActualMailingDate(3/11/2014)+15days+3months=ActualDeadline(June26,2014)
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DocketingChinese“DecisionofRejection”
ExampleD:LanguagefromanagentletterregardingaDecisionofRejectionmailedApril23,2015
o “PleasebeadvisedthattheStateIntellectualPropertyOffice(SIPO)issuedarejectiondecisionraisingobjectionsagainstthesubjectapplication.Thedeadlineforfilingapetitionforreexaminationis6August2015.Ifpossible,pleasesendusyourinstructionsbefore27July2015,sothatwewillhavesufficienttimetopreparethereexaminationbriefandfileitwiththeSIPOinduecourse. PleasenotethatNOextensionoftimeisavailableatthepresentstage.”
o ActualMailingDate(4/23/2015)+15days+3months=ActualDeadline(August8,2015)
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Docketing“ReexaminationDecision”– RevokingofDecisionofRejection
• Chinese“ReexaminationDecisionRevokingtheFinalRejection”• ApplicationisforwardedbacktotheoriginalexaminerbythePRB(PatentReviewBoard)o Theexaminermaydothefollowing
Ø IssueanOfficeAction(continueprosecution)Ø IssueaNoticeofAllowance
• Howtodocket?o NodeadlinesfortheApplicantatthispoint
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Docketing“NotificationofReexamination”
• PRB(PatentReviewBoard)maintainstherejectionandissuesaNotificationofReexaminationo The“Reexamination”processinChinaisequivalenttotheAppealprocessintheUS
• Howtodocket?o Periodforfilingaresponseis1montho 15daymailingperiodapplies
• Extensionsavailable?o One-timerequestforextensionof1or2months
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Docketing“NotificationofReexamination”
ExampleE:LanguagefromanagentletterregardingaNotificationofReexaminationmailedDecember28,2015
o “ThisistoreporttoyouthatwehavereceivedaNotificationofReexaminationissuedbythePatentReexaminationBoardinconnectionwiththeabove-identifiedapplicationonDecember28,2015...AresponsetotheNotificationofReexaminationisdueonFebruary12,2016(includingthe15daysgraceperiodforpost).”
o ActualMailingDate(12/28/2015)+15days+1month=ActualDeadline(2/12/2016)
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Docketing“NotificationofReexamination”
ExampleF:LanguagefromanagentletterregardingaNotificationofReexaminationmailedFebruary3,2016
o “Withrespecttothesubjectapplicationunderreexamination,wereceivedanotificationfromthePatentReexaminationBoard(PRB)oftheStateIntellectualPropertyOffice(SIPO)...Thedeadlineforrespondingtothenotificationis16March2016(includinga15-daygraceperiodforpostaldelivery)...”
o ActualMailingDate(2/3/2016)+15days+1month=ActualDeadline(3/18/2016)
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§ Docketing“DecisionofReexamination”–MaintainingDecisionofRejection
• Chinese“DecisionofReexamination– MaintainingDecisionofRejection”• TypicallyfollowsamendmentsandargumentsfiledaftertheNotificationofReexaminationcommunication• Howtodocket?
o Deadlineto“FileDivisionalaApplication”Ø Due3monthsfromdateofreceiptofnotification(15daymailingperiodapplies)
o Deadlineto“FileAppealintheIntellectualPropertyCourtofBeijingMunicipalityofthePRC”(thisisalawsuit)
Ø Due3monthsfromdateofreceiptofnotification(NO15daymailingperiodavailable)
• Extensionsavailable?o DeadlineisNOTextendable
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WhyareChinaDeadlinesTrickytoDocket?
• Agentsareinconsistentregardingtheduedatetheyputintheirreportoutletterso Doesduedateinclude15dayperiodornot?o Didagentshortenthedeadline?o Agentsmaycalladeadlinean”OfficialDeadline”evenwhenitisnot.o Agentsoftendonotindicatewhetherthe15daymailingperiodhasalreadybeenincludedintheirdeadline.
• Agentsmaynotprovidethe“actual”mailingdateo Maynotprovidemailingdateatallo Maygivetheir”actual”dateofreceiptratherthanthe15-daymailingperiodasthedateofreceipt
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WhyareChinaDeadlinesTrickytoDocket?(cont.)
• NotinEnglisho DifficulttotellwhatisthecorrectdateintheChineselanguagedocument
• Attorneysmayassumethattheyhave15additionaldayswhentheydonot• Documenttitlescanbeconfusing
o “reexamination”hasadifferentmeaningintheUSthaninChina
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Whatshouldyoudo?
• Makesuredocketers understandhowdeadlinesarecalculatedinChina• Ifyoucan,haveaconsistentpolicyforwhatgoesintoyourdocketingsystem
o Usecountrylawinsystem– don’toverride(usuallythatdoesnotincludethe15dayperiod)o Docketoffagentlettero Calculatedeadlineyourself
• Askagentstoprovidewhatyouwanto ActualmailingdatefromSIPOo Actualdeadlinewith15daymailingperiod(specifyclearlyintheagentletterthatthe15dayperiodisincluded)o Extensionsavailable
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Questions
• QuestionsonToday’sProgramo PleasesubmittedyourquestionsusingtheQ&Abuttononthecontrolbaronyourscreen.
• IfyouhavequestionsregardingBlackHillsIP’sservicesorprocesses,pleasecontact:[email protected]
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Pleasejoinusforournextpresentation:UnderstandingDocketingfortheAppealProcessinChina,
KoreaandJapan
March29,2017at1:00PMCentral
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