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<p class="MsoNormal">Timothy, in China an invention patent and a utility model covering the same invention must be filed on the same day. This approach is quite common. In theory, you could file the utility model on the same day as the PCT, and then enter
the national stage of in China as the invention patent, but I think most Chinese counsel will discourage this approach.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It's been a while since I worked with German portfolios but I seem to recall that you can simply file the German patent, and can subsequently spin off Gebrauchtsmusters. There is not the requirement of filing on the same day, like there
is in China.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><b><span style="color:#00853E">Jeroen Valensa<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#7F7F7F">Assistant General Counsel – Intellectual Property</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.aosmith.com/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="127" height="44" style="width:1.3229in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DAFA09.33ACC020"></span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><br>
<b><span style="color:black">11270 W Park Place<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Milwaukee, WI 53224</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#7F7F7F"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#7F7F7F">*</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#7F7F7F"> email:</span><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#00853E">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a href="mailto:jevalensa@aosmith.com"><span style="color:blue">jevalensa@aosmith.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Timothy Snowden via Patentpractice<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 29, 2024 11:19 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Patentpractice Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Timothy Snowden <Timothy@thompsonpatentlaw.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Patentpractice] Patenting Strategy for China<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424">Never done it in Mexico or Germany.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424">Assuming your PCT and Chinese direct filing are identical subject matter, what if you filed the UM ASAP, then file Invention patent app off of PCT. Assuming you can get a positive IPRP during
PCT, you could qualify for PPH and move forward even more quickly, while still enjoying UM protection in CN, with likely less duplicative examination efforts. For an imprvoement to a mechanical device, getting a positive IPRP from EPO would likely work well
if you use problem+solution approach to argue (assuming you don't get a positive ISR/WO).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424">Re: Mexico – are you familiar with new APG program in Mexico? AGP = Accelerated Patent Grant – essentially once you get a
<i>grant</i> from certain countries (including US and EPO), then you can ask for accelerated grant, which is
<i>supposed</i> to be essentially a rubber-stamp examination. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black">From:</span></b><span style="color:black"> Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com</a>> on behalf of Patent Lawyer via Patentpractice
<<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 29, 2024 10:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Patentpractice Patentpractice <<a href="mailto:patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com">patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Patent Lawyer <<a href="mailto:patentlawyer995@gmail.com">patentlawyer995@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Patentpractice] Patenting Strategy for China</span> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">A US company has developed an improved version of a commonly used mechanical device. The company filed a provisional application in December 2023, and production will begin soon in China.
To date, all disclosures have been under NDA to get the production set up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">We will file a PCT application in November.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I am considering the following approach to get quick protection in China:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">File directly in China (simultaneously – on the same day):<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">1. A regular patent application and<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> 2. A Utility model application<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The utility model will be a direct filing in China, not a national phase entry of the to-be-filed PCT.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The utility model should be granted within 6-12 months.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">The regular patent will take 3-5 years to grant.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Once the regular patent is granted, we can keep both the regular patent and the utility model if there is no overlapping claim scope. If the claim scope overlaps, we would abandon the utility
model to avoid double patenting.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I’m consulting with local counsel on this matter, but I would appreciate any thoughts or feedback from the group, especially if anyone has done something similar.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Also, has anyone done something like this in Mexico or Germany?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Thanks in advance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">[If this is not the right group for this question, please forward the message]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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