Legal Definitions - Patent Cooperation Treaty

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is a treaty established in 1970 that simplifies the process of obtaining patents in multiple countries. It allows inventors to file a single application in one country and designate which other countries they want to apply for patents in. The World Intellectual PropertyOrganization (WIPO) administers the treaty.

• An inventor files a patent application in the United States and designates Canada, Japan, and Germany as countries they want to apply for patents in. This is done through a PCT filing.
• A company files a PCT application for patent protection in multiple countries, including the United States. The application is examined by the patent offices in each designated country.

These examples illustrate how the PCT simplifies the process of obtaining patents in multiple countries by allowing inventors to file a single application and designating which countries they want to apply for patents in.