yes. As long as the application is not abandoned, the patent type can be converted from invention to utility model within 3 months of filing the invention patent application, or within 3 months from the date when IMPI requires the applicant to make the conversion, after paying the relevant fees.
1-2 years
6-8 months
15 years
- Grant fee: The applicant should pay the granted registration fee within 2 months after receiving the granted decision notice, and pay the annual fee for the first to third years at the same time.
- Annuity: Subsequent payment of annual fee every 5 years, overdue payment can be made within the grace period after 6 months, but a penalty must be paid at the same time.
- IMPI conducts formal and substantive examinations of designs. Substantive examination begins automatically, without a request.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
- via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
- via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.
yes
A 12-month novelty grace period applies if the inventor or his successor has communicated in any form, put the design into practice or made it public at national and international exhibitions.