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Never done it in Mexico or Germany.</div>
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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).</div>
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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. </div>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><b>From:</b> Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces@oppedahl-lists.com> on behalf of Patent Lawyer via Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 29, 2024 10:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Patentpractice Patentpractice <patentpractice@oppedahl-lists.com><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Patent Lawyer <patentlawyer995@gmail.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Patentpractice] Patenting Strategy for China</span>
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<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">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. </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We will file a PCT application in November.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am considering the following approach to get quick protection in China:</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">File directly in China (simultaneously on the same day):</p>
<p style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
1. A regular patent application and</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 2. A Utility model application</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The utility model will be a direct filing in China, not a national phase entry of the to-be-filed PCT.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The utility model should be granted within 6-12 months.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The regular patent will take 3-5 years to grant.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">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.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Im 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.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Also, has anyone done something like this in Mexico or Germany?</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Thanks in advance.</p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">[If this is not the right group for this question, please forward the message]</p>
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