35 U.S.C. 372, National stage: Requirements and procedure
Executive summary:
Potential for Errors: This document contains one section of the U.S. Patent Act (found in Title 35 of the United States Code) as amended by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act. This page was last updated in November 2011. While the page has been edited to help ensure that the changes made by the AIA to this section are reflected in this document, errors are possible. If you notice such errors, please contact Dan Tysver at (dtysver@bitlaw.com).
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35 U.S.C. 372 National stage: Requirements and procedure.
(a) All questions of substance and, within the scope of the requirements of the treaty and Regulations, procedure in an international application designating the United States shall be determined as in the case of national applications regularly filed in the Patent and Trademark Office.
(b) In case of international applications designating but not originating in, the United States -
(1) the Director may cause to be reexamined questions relating to form and contents of the application in accordance with the requirements of the treaty and the Regulations;
(2) the Director may cause the question of unity of invention to be reexamined under section 121 of this title, within the scope of the requirements of the treaty and the Regulations; and
(3) the Director may require a verification of the translation of the international application or any other document pertaining to the application if the application or other document was filed in a language other than English.
(Added Nov. 14, 1975, Public Law 94-131, sec. 1, 89 Stat. 689; amended Nov. 8, 1984, Public Law 98-622, sec. 402(e), (f), 403(a), 98 Stat. 3392; Nov. 29, 1999, Public Law 106-113, sec. 1000(a)(9), 113 Stat. 1501A-582 (S. 1948 sec. 4732(a)(10)(A)).)
Effective Dates for Changes Made to this Section
REMOVAL OF "OF THIS TITLE"
Section 20 of the America Invents Act
(l) EFFECTIVE DATE.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect upon the expiration of the 1 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date.