PCT in the Media

Eco Panplas: better recycling of lubricant containers

“Are you targeting markets beyond Brazil? Yes. We have taken part in several programs overseas and there is clear market demand for our technology outside of Brazil. Latin America, Europe, China, the Middle East and India are potential candidates for our plan to expand into international markets. But first, we need to ensure the solutions we are currently developing are protected in those markets. That’s why we are looking to use the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), as it simplifies the process of filing for patent protection in multiple countries and is a cost-effective way of doing so.”

By Monica Miglio Pedrosa, freelance writer (Read the full article)

Tech transfer at NASA: bringing NASA technology down to earth

“Another possible growth area is international collaboration. While the startup program is focused on the United States, NASA does license to companies overseas (except where there are export restrictions on the technology). But for budget reasons, NASA rarely files patent applications outside of the US, so it expects non-domestic companies to come on board at an early stage and pay the international filing fees under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) (see box) or other application fees.”

By James Nurton, freelance writer (Read the full article)

EHang: The Sky’s the Limit

“EHang has applied for 318 domestic patents, 43 foreign patents and has filed 76 international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Our patent "Aircraft Control Method Based on Intelligent Terminal" (ZL201510990563.4) won the 6th Guangdong Province Patent Award in 2019. We have also applied for more than 450 trademarks of which 381 have been registered, including in Australia, China, the European Union, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, South Africa, the United States, and other countries. In just a few years, EHang has significantly enhanced its ability to acquire, manage and protect its IP rights. This has helped us establish a strong IP strategy and to develop an operating system that supports our business development goals.” (Read the full article)

Key IP considerations for smaller enterprises

“While the patenting process can be onerous for SMEs, the WIPO-administered Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) offers a cost-effective option when seeking protection in multiple countries. For example, by filing a single international application under the PCT, an applicant can defer the payment of some significant patent filing fees relating to internationalization by 2.5 years, allowing time to assess the commercial value of an invention. In addition, a growing number of countries offer discounts to SMEs, to make the process more affordable,” states Phil Wadsworth.

By Phil Wadsworth, Senior Advisor, Innovation Council, previously Chief Patent Counsel, Qualcomm, with Jennifer Brant and Peter Brown, Innovation Council (Read the full article)

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