Changes to the Canadian Patent Rules - 1996

ly updated October, 1996

Contents

Effective October 1, 1996, the Canadian Patent Rules were changed. This article provides links to discussions of the main changes. The article is organized by the three things needed to obtain a patent:

• The Inventor
• The Application
• The Money

For further information, please see Other Sources of Information on the New Patent Rules

The Inventor

- a new definition of "small entity" .

The Application

- eased minimum requirements for obtaining a filing date

- shorter time periods:

• to claim Convention priority
• to request Examination

- new rules for biotech applications

• provisions for deposits of biological material
• provisions for nucleotide or amino acid sequence listings

new rules on abandonment and reinstatement

The Money

earlier payment of

• maintenance fees for patent applications
• maintenance fees for issued patents and new deadlines for late payment of maintenance fees on issued patent

Other Sources

The new Rules and the Manual of Patent Office Practice can be downloaded from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office at:

• Patent Rules
• Manual Of Patent Office Practice