The stages which a patent, trade mark or design application goes through from filing to grant varies in accordance with the patent or trade mark office concerned. The following flow charts set out some of the most common procedures and give an indication of the time scales involved. As a number of stages in the prosecution process are wholly dependent on the actions of another party, such as a patent office examiner or an opponent, it is not always possible to predict time scales accurately.
Click on one of the following to see the relevant chart:
PATENTS
Prosecution of a UK Patent Application (non-convention)
- an application filed at the UK Intellectual Property Office, which is not based on any earlier application.
Prosecution Stages of a UK Patent Application under Accelerated Prosecution (non-convention)
Prosecution of a UK Patent Application (convention)
- an application filed at the UK Intellectual Property Office which claims priority under the Paris Convention from an earlier UK or overseas application filed within the preceding year.
Prosecution of a European Patent Application (convention)
- an application filed at the European Patent Office which claims priority from an earlier UK, European or overseas application filed within the preceding year.
Prosecution of a PCT (International) Patent Application (convention)
- the international stages of an application handled by the European Patent Office, which claims priority from an earlier UK, European or overseas application filed within the preceding year.
Prosecution of a European Patent Application derived from the PCT
- an application filed at the European Patent Office derived from an International (PCT) application.
TRADE MARKS
Prosecution of a UK Trade Mark Application (convention / non-convention)
- an application filed at the UK Trade Marks Registry
Prosecution of a Community Trade Mark Application (convention / non-convention)
- an application filed at OHIM, the Community Trade Mark Office
Prosecution of an International (Madrid Protocol) Trade Mark Application (convention / non-convention)
- the international stages of an application filed at WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organisation
UK Trade Mark Application Opposition Procedure
Community Trade Mark (CTM) Application Opposition Procedure
DESIGNS
Prosecution of a UK Design Application (convention / non-convention)
- an application filed at the UK Designs Registry
Prosecution of a Community Registered Design Application
- an application filed at the Community Designs Office (OHIM)