Different routes are available to an inventor for obtaining a patent in foreign countries. There can be unique and different situations that dictate creative and special foreign patent filing techniques. However, for most inventions, once the various possibilities have been evaluated, the most effective procedure for foreign patent filing will be the PCT-EPO route. The PCT and European Patent Office system will be further explained. National, Regional or International Filing One can file foreign patents nationally, regionally or internationally.
National filing requires the applicant to file separate applications in each country.
Essentially, regional filing is a single European Patent Office filing covering some 13 western European countries. An international filing is a single PCT application that designates as many countries in that system as required. With the PCT system, the application is searched internationally and, if desired, examined internationally. A valuable and new filing route is the combination of the PCT- EPO filing procedures. After an analysis of the various factors which go into deciding how to file a foreign patent, the PCT-EPO procedure will dictate itself as the most appropriate generally.