Patent Application Encyclopedia

20 years

Yes (reason: due care), a request for restoration of rights can be filed within 2 months from the date of removal of the obstacle

1-1.5 years

Japan Patent Office

English: Japan Patent Office, abbreviation: JPO

Website: Japan Patent Office (jpo.go.jp)

Japanese Invention Patent Search: Japan Platform for Patent Information｜J-PlatPat [JPP] (inpit.go.jp)

10-12 months

Bulgarian Patent and Trademark Office

English: Bulgarian Patent Office, abbreviation: BPO

Website: Патентното ведомство на Република България (bpo.bg)

Bulgarian Utility Model Patent Search: BPO Online - portal.bpo.bg

• Grant fee: The announcement fee includes the granted official fee.
• Annuity: pay year by year from the second year of the application date, and should be paid on the date of the application date. If the annual fee is overdue, it can be paid within a grace period of 6 months, and at the same time pay 160.00 Bahraini dinar (large entity) late fee.

• Licensing Fee: None.
• Annuity: The renewal fee is paid every 5 years. The renewal fee must be paid within 6 months before the last day of the month when the registration expires. The grace period for the penalty is 6 months, and the penalty must be paid at the same time.

20 years

10 years

IPONZ conducts formal and substantive examinations of designs. IPONZ automatically starts the substantive examination within 15 days of receiving the design application, no need for the applicant to submit a specific request separately, the applicant has 12 months (can be extended up to 3 months) to overcome the defect to meet the grant conditions, IPONZ only examines Novelty of exterior design. Designs can only be transferred to others after they have been granted a patent.

Reinstatement of priority is accepted on the grounds of "unintentional" and "unintentional/due care".

A novelty grace period of 6 months prior to the filing date/priority date may be granted if the invention is disclosed as a result of apparent misuse by the applicant or its former right holders, or if the invention is exhibited at an official or officially recognized exhibition.

Multiple designs are allowed in one design application only if the designs belong to the same set (usually used or sold at the same time).

Bulgarian Patent Office

English: Bulgarian Patent Office, abbreviation: BPO

Website: Патентното ведомство на Република България (bpo.bg)

Bulgarian invention patent search: BPO Online - portal.bpo.bg

• via Paris Convention : 12 months from earliest priority date.
• via Nationalization of PCT : 30 months from the earliest priority date.

3-8 years

1-2 years

If the design is disclosed by the designer or his representative within 12 months before the filing date, the design will not lose its novelty.