yes. A patent applicant can convert the patent type from a petty patent (utility model) to an invention before the patent application is granted. The converted patent application has the filing date of the original patent application.
DIP conducts substantive examination of design patent applications, and only examines whether the conditions of novelty and industrial applicability are met.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" accepted.
The DIP conducts formality examination and substantive examination of the invention patent application. The formality examination generally takes 1-1.5 years. After the completion of the preliminary examination, the patent application will be published and enter a 90-day opposition period. The applicant can only submit a substantive examination request within 5 years after the application is published, and the examination results of other countries such as Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe need to be provided to the DIP.
no
Reinstatement of priority on grounds of "due care" accepted.
8 months
6 months
The initial period of protection is 6 years, which can be renewed twice, up to a maximum of 10 years.
no