<html><head></head><body><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Dear All,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">CURRENT SITUATION</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">I have an allowed US non-provisional patent application where the oldest benefit claim is from May 2016.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The client wants to file a continuation to 'keep something alive' - there is no other reason for now to submit the CON.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The client also believes that investors would prefer a portfolio where the US grants have a CON alive.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">THE PROBLEM</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Since the client is a large entity, the filing fees would be approximately $6,000 since we would be stuck paying </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">$4,000 for "<span>Filing an application or presentation of benefit claim more than nine years after earliest benefit date"</span></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><span><br></span></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">$6,000 is a lot of money.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">PROPOSED SOLUTION -- file the CON as a PCT</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">On the other hand, if we file this continuation in the PCT, the fees now would only be around $3,000, especially if we request a search</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">in Philippines [<span><span style="color: rgb(27, 27, 27); font-family: "Public Sans Web", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;"> (IPOPHL)</span></span>] or in KIPO.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The search report would be 'negative' but "who cares."</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">This PCT would have no Paris convention claim, so it would have a lifespan of 30 months - keeping it alive for 2.5 years for only $3,000 in fees is great.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">POTENTIAL PROBLEM --> </div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">When the PCT enters into the US national phase, I would submit an ADS with many many many benefit claims [the allowed application is a CON of a CON of a CON of a 371 of a PCT]. This ADS adding MULTIPLE benefit claims [of multiple generations] would need to be submitted within 4 months of national phase entry.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">MY QUESTION --> this seems too good to be true. Could something go wrong?</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Many thanks,</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Bill</div></div></body></html>