How To do It Right?

PATENTS

Israel is an R&D center and a leader in many innovative fields. It is also one of the earliest adopters of new technology. Technological fields which are particularly strong in Israel are: telecommunications and data communications, medical equipment, biotechnology, pharmacology, computer technology, software and multimedia, electronics and electro-optics. With the highest ratio of scientists and engineers in the world – approximately 13.5 per 1,000 – and more high tech companies than all of Europe. It is no wonder that Israel has been dubbed the Silicon Valley of the Middle East

Patents: Getting Started - How?

Before getting started, you should know the following important facts:

• Official Languages: English, Hebrew, Arabic

• Patent Term: 20 years from filing date

• Average Patent Pendency: 3-5 years

• Non-Patentable Inventions: Therapeutic treatment of the human body. However, medication and diagnostic methods for humans are patentable. New varieties of plants or animals, except for microbiological organisms, which are not derived from nature.

• International Conventions: Israel is a member of the Paris Convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

• National Phase Deadline: 30 months

• Weekend in Israel: Friday and Saturday. Deadlines falling on Friday or Saturday are automatically extended to Sunday (a regular workday).

How to file a national phase Israel patent application based upon an existing PCT application

The following documentation must be provided to the Israel Patent Authority together with the filing fee:

• Name, address and incorporation/citizenship of applicant

• Title of invention

• Origin of the rights of the applicant to the invention (inventor, contract, assignment, law etc.)

• PCT filing date, application number and publication number

• Priority application number and filing date

• Original, signed Power of Attorney – no legalization or notarization is required

• Certified priority document

• Translation of the PCT application and verification of the translation (affidavit or declaration by translator), if the PCT application is not in English, Hebrew or Arabic

• Translation of the priority document and verification of the translation (affidavit or declaration by translator), if the priority document is not in English, Hebrew or Arabic

• Copy of the front page of the PCT publication

• Copy of the document verifying a change of name of the applicant if the change occurred after the international filing date

• Copy of the assignment document if there has been a change in the ownership of the invention after the international filing date

• Copy of amendments filed during the international stage

• Copy of the application (specifications, claims and drawings), including amendments to be made when entering the national phase

How to file a patent application under the Paris convention

The following documentation must be provided to the Israel Patent Authority together with the filing fee:

• Name, address and incorporation/citizenship of the applicant

• Title of invention

• Origin of the rights of the applicant to the invention (inventor, contract, assignment, law etc.)

• Details of the priority application

• Original signed Power of Attorney – no legalization or notarization is required

• Certified priority document

• Translation of the priority document and verification of the translation (affidavit or declaration by translator), if the priority document is not in English, Hebrew or Arabic

• Copy of the application, including the specifications, claims and drawings