Entry into Full Production Mode of PCT Online Document Upload Facility
Further to the announcement in PCT Newsletter No. 01/2009 of the pilot phase of the PCT Online Document Upload facility, the International Bureau (IB) is pleased to announce that this service will be fully operational for all PCT users as of Monday, 18 January, 2010.
The Online Document Upload facility permits PCT applicants and/or their agents to submit to the IB via a web interface electronic documents, in PDF format, relating to international applications. The main advantage of this service is that post-filing electronic documents can be submitted quickly and efficiently to the IB, thus avoiding the costs and delays relating to paper mailing and also overcoming image quality problems that can result from fax transmissions or paper scanning.
IMPORTANT: This service is not to be used for the initial filing of international applications online, but is limited to the submission of later-filed documents that are normally addressed to WIPO in its capacity as International Bureau only (and not in its capacity as receiving Office). Note also that documents cannot be uploaded for any international application for which the IB has not already received the Record Copy from the receiving Office and started processing the application.
Examples of the types of documents that can be sent in this way are:
- amendments to the claims under PCT Article 19;
- requests for recording change of person, name, address, etc., under PCT Rule 92bis;
- notices of withdrawal;
- requests for Supplementary International Search (SIS), and where applicable, translations of international applications and sequence listings under PCT Rule 13ter for SIS purposes;
- informal comments on the written opinion of the International Searching Authority; and
- general correspondence for the attention of the IB.
With regard to the transmittal of such documents online, it is recommended that:
- PDF-text documents be uploaded, that is, documents created in MS Word (or some other word processor) and then printed to PDF, so that the embedded text content can be processed electronically by the IB;
- the document type be clearly identified, especially in the case of a notice of withdrawal; and
- the use of text string signatures be used on letters, for example: “/ John Smith /” (in other words, there is no need to print a letter on paper in order to sign it and then rescan it for submission).
As from 18 January 2010, the Online Document Upload facility, as well as user guidelines, which explain the online upload facility and provide simple instructions for use, can be accessed via WIPO’s PATENTSCOPE® website, by clicking on the link “PCT Service Centre” at:
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