The State Intellectual Property Office of the People’s Republic of China (SIPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have initiated automatic electronic exchange of priority documents as of 8 October 2014.
The implementation of the electronic exchange service will reduce the administrative costs of making certified copies of priority documents for SIPO and USPTO as well as the costs for applicants to obtain the copy of certified priority documents. The service will greatly promote the efficiency for second filing office to acquire certified documents of patent applications.
The service is free of charge and there is no burden of formality requirement on the applicants. This service is applicable to patent applications for invention and utility models first filed before SIPO and the utility patent applications first filed before USPTO.
