Patent Law FAQ

This FAQ answers all your questions about patent law, patent procedure, and the patent examination process.

According to 37 CFR 1.9(a)(1), a national application is defined as:

  • A U.S. application for patent filed in the USPTO under 35 U.S.C. 111
  • An international application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty in which the basic national fee under 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(1)(F) has been paid
  • An international design application filed under the Hague Agreement in which the USPTO has received a copy of the international registration pursuant to Hague Agreement Article 10

This definition encompasses various types of patent applications that are treated as national applications by the USPTO.