EPAC common mistakes
EPAC · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Call a PCT application a worldwide granted patent
The international route does not itself grant all territorial rights.
What to do instead
Track the actual phase, office and later grant status.
Assume a priority claim is always valid
Entitlement and subject-matter conditions still apply.
What to do instead
Assess priority for the actual filing and claimed subject matter.
Treat narrowing as automatic amendment support
A narrower combination may add undisclosed subject matter.
What to do instead
Check the application as filed under the applicable disclosure standard.
Add nested periods without checking their trigger
Different periods may run from the same event.
What to do instead
Record the legal rule and triggering date for each period.
Treat every missed step as further-processing eligible
Available remedies have specific exclusions and conditions.
What to do instead
Identify the actual omission and permitted route.
Use review as a general extra appeal
A petition for review has limited grounds.
What to do instead
Distinguish the prescribed procedural review from substantive disagreement.
Mark a draft as filed
Preparation does not establish office receipt.
What to do instead
Verify the actual submission record and preserve evidence.
Treat EPAC and EQE as the same qualification
Administration certification and professional qualification have distinct roles.
What to do instead
Use the intended current assessment and professional framework.