[Pct] [Patentcenter] Check 371 continuity dates in Patent Center

[Sharon Rubin]

For the reason you mentioned, we never use the web-based ADS, and instead upload a USPTO fillable AIA/14 Application Data Sheet, so that wasn’t the problem.

I know that the ADS governs with respect to Domestic Benefit/National Stage Information (as opposed to any other place you might insert such information in the initial filing), but it’s just silly that when you initiate a 371 filing, Patent Center actually validates that the PCT International application # and filing date match, yet can’t “understand” that said filing date must also be the international filing date associated with the 371 for everything (so that an error in the National Stage Information in the ADS would be irrelevant.)

Sharon Rubin

From: Carl Oppedahl <carl at oppedahl.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2025 6:33 PM
To: For bug reports, feature requests, and tips and tricks about Patent Center. <patentcenter at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: for users of the Patent Cooperation Treaty <pct at oppedahl-lists.com>
Subject: Re: [Patentcenter] Check 371 continuity dates in Patent Center


Yes I had recent times when Patentcenter would randomly insert the wrong year in the bibliographic data.  It was very scary because the USPTO delights in charging a fee to correct it if the filer made some real or imagined mistake in the initial US-national-phase entry screen.

This was somehow linked to a problem that Patent Center would refuse to accept an upload of a PDF ADS as part of the 371 entry process, and the online (web-based) ADS kept inserting the wrong year in various places.
On 6/17/2025 4:26 PM, Sharon Rubin via Patentcenter wrote:
We filed a 371 (U.S. national stage) application in early April.  The international filing date was, let’s say, 09/01/23.  The international application # and filing date were correctly entered in Patent Center to initiate the filing.  The correct information was also entered in the ADS.

However, both the  Electronic Acknowledgement Receipt and the Electronic Payment Receipt listed the International Filing Date as 09/01/24.  We checked the continuity tab in Patent Center after noticing the error in the receipts, and it also lists 09/01/24.  (Clicking through the PCT link takes you to WIPO, where the International Publication naturally indicates the correct filing date of 09/01/23.)

Of course, we always carefully proofread the eventual Filing Receipt (which we don’t expect to receive any time soon) for errors, but 371 filings shouldn’t be able to have this type of error. This is an annoying waste of our time.

We contacted the consistently competent PCT Helpdesk. The representative had not seen this particular error, but he agreed that it would likely carry through to the eventual Filing Receipt if not corrected, which he is endeavoring to do. (Then we won’t have to deal with a defective Filing Receipt as well as a corrected one, which means less paperwork down the line.)

Has anyone else experienced this?  I suggest proofreading 371 filing receipts very carefully, and if you are awaiting some, I also suggest checking the corresponding continuity dates in Patent Center.

Sharon Rubin



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