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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks all.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>After I wrote my question to the group, a Chinese associate reiterated the requirement of simultaneous filings. So it will be much easier to file two direct applications on the same day than to try to have one of them be based on the PCT. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Timothy, thanks for that information on Mexico\u2019s AGP program. Mexico is not a priority now, but I wanted to know the details if needed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Again, thank you all.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>__________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Siritzky Law, PLLC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>1765 Greensboro Station Place, Suite 900, McLean, Virginia 22102-3470, U.S.A.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>T +1.703.260.7390 | M +1.301.461.2307 | F +1.703.260.7480 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>This e-mail may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any unauthorized review, use or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please contact the sender and destroy all copies of the original message. No attorney/client relationship is or shall be created by the transmission of this email to non-clients of Siritzky Law, PLLC. A signed retainer agreement is required before an attorney/client relationship is formed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>To comply with IRS regulations, we advise you that any discussion of Federal tax issues in this email is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by you, (a) to avoid any penalties imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or (b) to promote, market, or recommend to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>From: </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com> on behalf of Patentpractice Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br><b>Reply-To: </b>Patentpractice Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br><b>Date: </b>Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 12:50 PM<br><b>To: </b>Patentpractice Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br><b>Cc: </b>"Valensa, Jeroen" <jevalensa@aosmith.com><br><b>Subject: </b>Re: [Patentpractice] Patenting Strategy for China<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><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><div><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 \u2013 Intellectual Property</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.aosmith.com/"><span style='color:windowtext;text-decoration:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img border=0 width=127 height=44 style='width:1.3229in;height:.4583in' id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image001.jpg@01DAFA20.151A6600"></span></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></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><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></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;border-collapse:collapse'><tr><td width=4 style='width:3.0pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:none;background:#CF0000;padding:3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt'></td><td style='border:solid black 1.0pt;border-left:none;background:#FFD11C;padding:3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt'><p><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>This message has originated from an <strong><span style='font-family:Helvetica'>External Source</span></strong>. Please use proper judgment and caution when opening attachments, clicking links, or responding to this email.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Helvetica'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt 3.0pt'></td><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td></tr></table></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424'>Never done it in Mexico or Germany.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><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></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#242424'>Re: Mexico \u2013 are you familiar with new APG program in Mexico? AGP = Accelerated Patent Grant \u2013 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></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=0 width="100%" align=center></div><div id=divRplyFwdMsg><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><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p>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></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>We will file a PCT application in November.<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>I am considering the following approach to get quick protection in China:<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>File directly in China (simultaneously \u2013 on the same day):<o:p></o:p></p><p style='text-indent:.5in'>1. A regular patent application and<o:p></o:p></p><p> 2. A Utility model application<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>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></p><p>The utility model should be granted within 6-12 months.<o:p></o:p></p><p>The regular patent will take 3-5 years to grant.<o:p></o:p></p><p>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></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>I\u2019m 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></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>Also, has anyone done something like this in Mexico or Germany?<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>Thanks in advance.<o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p>[If this is not the right group for this question, please forward the message]<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>-- Patentpractice mailing list Patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com http://oppedahl-lists.com/mailman/listinfo/patentpractice_oppedahl-lists.com <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>