Patent Deadline Extension

If your company’s patent applications or patents have been affected by force majeure, such as the recent devastating Sichuan earthquake, you may be eligible for an extension to the deadline for completing the necessary procedures.

The State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) released a notice on May 13 extending the deadline for patent applications affected due to acts of nature, such as the May 12 earthquake.

A May 13 notice from the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) says that patent commission offices established by the Patent Office of the SIPO should accept and handle patent applications as usual and application boxes are to be set nearby if the offices can't be used. It goes on to say that after providing certification from the local IP office or civil affairs department within two months of the force majeure, an applicant or a patentee may be granted to resume the process.