/pct-application

name: pct-application
description: PCT international application preparation under PCT Rules 5-12 - unity of invention, formal requirements, national phase entry strategy, and deadline management
tools: Bash, Read, Write
model: sonnet

PCT Application Skill

Preparation and validation of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) international applications under PCT Rules 5-12.

When to Use

Invoke this skill when users ask to:

• Prepare a PCT international application
• Check PCT formalities compliance
• Assess unity of invention under Rule 13 PCT
• Plan national/regional phase entry strategy
• Calculate PCT fees and deadlines
• Convert a national application to PCT format
• Understand PCT procedure and timelines

What This Skill Does

Provides comprehensive PCT application support:

1. **Application Preparation** (Rules 3-12 PCT):

• Request form (PCT/RO/101) guidance
• Description format (Rule 5 PCT)
• Claims structure (Rule 6 PCT)
• Abstract requirements (Rule 8 PCT)
• Drawings standards (Rule 11 PCT)
• Physical requirements (Rule 11 PCT)
• Sequence listings (Rule 12 PCT, WIPO Standard ST.26)

2. **Unity of Invention** (Rule 13 PCT):

• Single general inventive concept assessment
• Special technical feature identification
• Linking technical feature analysis
• Unity objection risk assessment
• Claim grouping strategy

3. **Formalities Validation** (Rules 3-12 PCT):

• All formal requirements checking
• Fee calculation per Receiving Office
• Language requirements per RO
• Physical document requirements

4. **National Phase Strategy**:

• 30/31 month deadline tracking
• Country selection guidance
• Translation requirements per country
• National phase fee estimates
• Strategic filing considerations

Required Data

**MCP Tools Available**:

• `check_pct_formalities` - PCT Rules 5-12 formalities checking
• `search_patent_law` - Search PCT rules, regulations, administrative instructions
• `search_patents_google` - Prior art search for unity assessment (fallback: `search_patents_bigquery`)

How to Use

When this skill is invoked:

1. **Determine user's stage**:

• New PCT filing from scratch
• Converting national application to PCT
• Reviewing existing PCT draft
• Planning national phase entry

2. **For new applications, guide through**:

• Invention disclosure review
• Unity of invention assessment
• Description drafting (Rule 5 format)
• Claims structuring (Rule 6 format)
• Abstract preparation (Rule 8)
• Formalities checklist

3. **For review, analyze**:

• All Rule 5-12 requirements
• Unity of invention
• Generate compliance report
• Suggest fixes

PCT Application Structure

Request (Rule 4 PCT)

Form PCT/RO/101 requires:

• Applicant details (name, address, nationality, residence)
• Title of invention
• Priority claim(s) (if any, within 12 months)
• Designation of states (automatic for all since 2004)
• Choice of International Searching Authority (ISA)
• Agent/representative details

Description (Rule 5 PCT)

Required sections in order:

1. Title of the Invention
2. Technical Field
3. Background Art
4. Disclosure of the Invention
   - Technical problem
   - Technical solution
   - Advantageous effects
5. Brief Description of Drawings
6. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
7. Industrial Applicability
8. Sequence Listing (if applicable)

Claims (Rule 6 PCT)

Structure requirements:

• Numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals
• Independent claims: define essential features of the invention
• Dependent claims: refer back and further limit
• Clear, concise, fully supported by description
• Multiple claim categories allowed (product, process, apparatus, use)
• Unity of invention required (Rule 13)

Abstract (Rule 8 PCT)

• Maximum 150 words
• Indicate technical field
• Clear summary of technical problem, solution, and principal use
• Designate most illustrative figure
• Not used for interpreting claim scope

Drawings (Rule 11 PCT)

• A4 paper (29.7cm x 21cm)
• Usable area: 26.2cm x 17cm
• Margins: top 2.5cm, left 2.5cm, right 1.5cm, bottom 1cm
• Black, dense, well-defined lines
• No text except single words
• Reference signs matching description

Unity of Invention (Rule 13 PCT)

Assessment Framework

Unity requires claims to relate to **one invention only** or a **group of inventions linked to form a single general inventive concept**.

**Test**: Do all claims share a **special technical feature** that: 1. Makes a contribution over the prior art, AND 2. Is present in all independent claims (or links them)

Common Unity Patterns

**Unity Maintained**:

• Product + process for making product
• Product + use of product
• Process + apparatus specifically designed for process
• Product + process + apparatus (all sharing special technical feature)

**Unity at Risk**:

• Multiple independent claims without shared special technical feature
• Markush groups without common structural feature
• Method and apparatus addressing different problems

Unity Strategy

Independent Claim 1 (System): A system comprising feature X...
Independent Claim 8 (Method): A method using feature X...
Independent Claim 15 (Use): Use of feature X for...

Special Technical Feature: "feature X" - shared across all groups
Unity: MAINTAINED (single general inventive concept linked by X)

PCT Timeline

Month 0:  File PCT application at Receiving Office (RO)
Month 3:  International search begins (ISA)
Month 16: International Search Report (ISR) issued
Month 18: International publication (WIPO)
Month 22: Demand for preliminary examination (optional, Chapter II)
Month 28: International Preliminary Examination Report (IPER)
Month 30: National/regional phase entry deadline (most countries)
Month 31: National phase deadline (some countries: US, JP, etc.)

Fee Calculation

Base Fees (2025 estimates)

| Fee | Amount | Notes | |-----|--------|-------| | Trans