What is the Hague Agreement and how does it relate to U.S. design patents?

The Hague Agreement, officially known as the Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, is an international treaty that affects design patents. The MPEP mentions: “The PLTIA among other things sets forth provisions implementing the 1999 Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs…

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How does the Hague Agreement affect design patent priority claims?

The Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs has expanded the options for claiming priority in design patent applications. According to MPEP 1504.10: “For design applications filed on or after May 13, 2015, a claim for priority may be made pursuant 35 U.S.C. 386(a) to an international design application filed under the Geneva…

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What is the term of a design patent?

The term of a design patent depends on when the application was filed: For design applications filed on or after May 13, 2015, the term is 15 years from the date of grant. For design applications filed before May 13, 2015, the term is 14 years from the date of grant. This change was implemented…

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What is the Hague Agreement and how does it affect international design applications?

The Hague Agreement Concerning International Registration of Industrial Designs is an international treaty that allows applicants to file a single international design application with effect in multiple countries. The MPEP explains: The Hague Agreement is an international agreement that enables an applicant to file a single international design application which may have the effect of…

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What is the proper way to cite international registrations published by WIPO under the Hague Agreement?

International registrations published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) under the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs require a specific citation format. These publications, also known as published international design applications, do not have a unique publication number. The MPEP provides guidance on how to cite these documents: “When citing an…

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