Agent-Skills.md

Agent Skills: PCT Application Skill

PCT international application preparation under PCT Rules 5-12 - unity of invention, formal requirements, national phase entry strategy, and deadline management

UncategorizedID: robthepcguy/claude-patent-creator/pct-application

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skills/pct-application/SKILL.md

Skill Metadata

Name
pct-application
Description
PCT international application preparation under PCT Rules 5-12 - unity of invention, formal requirements, national phase entry strategy, and deadline management

PCT Application Skill

Preparation and validation of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) international applications under PCT Rules 5-12.

When to Use

Invoke this skill when users ask to:

  • Prepare a PCT international application
  • Check PCT formalities compliance
  • Assess unity of invention under Rule 13 PCT
  • Plan national/regional phase entry strategy
  • Calculate PCT fees and deadlines
  • Convert a national application to PCT format
  • Understand PCT procedure and timelines

What This Skill Does

Provides comprehensive PCT application support:

  1. Application Preparation (Rules 3-12 PCT):

    • Request form (PCT/RO/101) guidance
    • Description format (Rule 5 PCT)
    • Claims structure (Rule 6 PCT)
    • Abstract requirements (Rule 8 PCT)
    • Drawings standards (Rule 11 PCT)
    • Physical requirements (Rule 11 PCT)
    • Sequence listings (Rule 12 PCT, WIPO Standard ST.26)

  2. Unity of Invention (Rule 13 PCT):

    • Single general inventive concept assessment
    • Special technical feature identification
    • Linking technical feature analysis
    • Unity objection risk assessment
    • Claim grouping strategy

  3. Formalities Validation (Rules 3-12 PCT):

    • All formal requirements checking
    • Fee calculation per Receiving Office
    • Language requirements per RO
    • Physical document requirements

  4. National Phase Strategy:

    • 30/31 month deadline tracking
    • Country selection guidance
    • Translation requirements per country
    • National phase fee estimates
    • Strategic filing considerations

Required Data

MCP Tools Available:

  • check_pct_formalities - PCT Rules 5-12 formalities checking
  • search_patent_law - Search PCT rules, regulations, administrative instructions
  • search_patents_bigquery - Prior art search for unity assessment

How to Use

When this skill is invoked:

  1. Determine user's stage:

    • New PCT filing from scratch
    • Converting national application to PCT
    • Reviewing existing PCT draft
    • Planning national phase entry

  2. For new applications, guide through:

    • Invention disclosure review
    • Unity of invention assessment
    • Description drafting (Rule 5 format)
    • Claims structuring (Rule 6 format)
    • Abstract preparation (Rule 8)
    • Formalities checklist

  3. For review, analyze:

    • All Rule 5-12 requirements
    • Unity of invention
    • Generate compliance report
    • Suggest fixes

PCT Application Structure

Request (Rule 4 PCT)

Form PCT/RO/101 requires:

  • Applicant details (name, address, nationality, residence)
  • Title of invention
  • Priority claim(s) (if any, within 12 months)
  • Designation of states (automatic for all since 2004)
  • Choice of International Searching Authority (ISA)
  • Agent/representative details

Description (Rule 5 PCT)

Required sections in order:

1. Title of the Invention
2. Technical Field
3. Background Art
4. Disclosure of the Invention
   - Technical problem
   - Technical solution
   - Advantageous effects
5. Brief Description of Drawings
6. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
7. Industrial Applicability
8. Sequence Listing (if applicable)

Claims (Rule 6 PCT)

Structure requirements:

  • Numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals
  • Independent claims: define essential features of the invention
  • Dependent claims: refer back and further limit
  • Clear, concise, fully supported by description
  • Multiple claim categories allowed (product, process, apparatus, use)
  • Unity of invention required (Rule 13)

Abstract (Rule 8 PCT)

  • Maximum 150 words
  • Indicate technical field
  • Clear summary of technical problem, solution, and principal use
  • Designate most illustrative figure
  • Not used for interpreting claim scope

Drawings (Rule 11 PCT)

  • A4 paper (29.7cm x 21cm)
  • Usable area: 26.2cm x 17cm
  • Margins: top 2.5cm, left 2.5cm, right 1.5cm, bottom 1cm
  • Black, dense, well-defined lines
  • No text except single words
  • Reference signs matching description

Unity of Invention (Rule 13 PCT)

Assessment Framework

Unity requires claims to relate to one invention only or a group of inventions linked to form a single general inventive concept.

Test: Do all claims share a special technical feature that:

  1. Makes a contribution over the prior art, AND
  2. Is present in all independent claims (or links them)

Common Unity Patterns

Unity Maintained:

  • Product + process for making product
  • Product + use of product
  • Process + apparatus specifically designed for process
  • Product + process + apparatus (all sharing special technical feature)

Unity at Risk:

  • Multiple independent claims without shared special technical feature
  • Markush groups without common structural feature
  • Method and apparatus addressing different problems

Unity Strategy

Independent Claim 1 (System): A system comprising feature X...
Independent Claim 8 (Method): A method using feature X...
Independent Claim 15 (Use): Use of feature X for...

Special Technical Feature: "feature X" - shared across all groups
Unity: MAINTAINED (single general inventive concept linked by X)

PCT Timeline

Month 0:  File PCT application at Receiving Office (RO)
Month 3:  International search begins (ISA)
Month 16: International Search Report (ISR) issued
Month 18: International publication (WIPO)
Month 22: Demand for preliminary examination (optional, Chapter II)
Month 28: International Preliminary Examination Report (IPER)
Month 30: National/regional phase entry deadline (most countries)
Month 31: National phase deadline (some countries: US, JP, etc.)

Fee Calculation

Base Fees (2025 estimates)

| Fee | Amount | Notes | |-----|--------|-------| | Transmittal fee | Varies by RO | RO/US: USD 280 | | International filing fee | CHF 1,330 | Electronic reduction: -CHF 200 | | Search fee | Varies by ISA | ISA/EP: EUR 1,775; ISA/US: USD 2,680 | | Additional page fee | CHF 16/page | Beyond 30 pages | | Additional claim fee | Varies | Beyond limits set by ISA |

Electronic Filing Reduction

Filing via ePCT: CHF 200 reduction on international filing fee

National Phase Fees (Estimates)

| Country | Entry Fee | Notes | |---------|-----------|-------| | US (371) | ~USD 1,600 | Basic filing + search + examination | | EP (Euro-PCT) | ~EUR 2,595 | Filing + search + designation | | JP | ~JPY 195,000 | National fee + translation | | CN | ~CNY 3,500 | National fee + translation | | KR | ~KRW 460,000 | National fee + translation |

National Phase Strategy

Key Decisions

  1. Which countries? - Based on markets, competitors, manufacturing
  2. Which ISA? - Affects search quality, cost, language
  3. Chapter II? - Optional preliminary examination for stronger report
  4. Early national phase? - Some countries allow before 30 months
  5. Translation strategy - Cost and timing considerations

Common Filing Strategies

Broad Coverage:

  • US + EP + CN + JP + KR (covers ~85% of global patent value)

Cost-Conscious:

  • US + EP only (defer others until commercial validation)

Technology-Specific:

  • Pharma: US + EP + JP + CN + IN + BR
  • Software: US + EP + JP + KR
  • Manufacturing: US + EP + CN + DE + JP

Compliance Report Format

PCT APPLICATION COMPLIANCE REPORT
====================================

Application: [Title]
Receiving Office: RO/[XX]
ISA Selected: ISA/[XX]

DESCRIPTION (Rule 5 PCT):
[PASS/FAIL] Title present
[PASS/FAIL] Technical field
[PASS/FAIL] Background art
[PASS/FAIL] Invention disclosure
[PASS/FAIL] Brief description of drawings
[PASS/FAIL] Best mode
[PASS/FAIL] Industrial applicability

CLAIMS (Rule 6 PCT):
[PASS/FAIL] Consecutively numbered
[PASS/FAIL] Supported by description
[PASS/FAIL] Clear and concise

UNITY OF INVENTION (Rule 13 PCT):
[PASS/WARN/FAIL] Single general inventive concept
Special technical feature: [identified feature]
Risk of unity objection: LOW/MEDIUM/HIGH

ABSTRACT (Rule 8 PCT):
[PASS/FAIL] Word count within 150
[PASS/FAIL] Figure designated
[PASS/FAIL] Technical field indicated

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (Rule 11 PCT):
[PASS/FAIL] A4 format
[PASS/FAIL] Margins
[PASS/FAIL] Page numbering
[PASS/FAIL] Line spacing

FEES:
Transmittal: [amount]
International filing: [amount]
Search: [amount]
Total: [amount]

DEADLINES:
[Date] - Priority expires (12 months)
[Date] - Furnish priority doc (16 months)
[Date] - International publication (18 months)
[Date] - Chapter II demand (22 months)
[Date] - National phase entry (30/31 months)

Integration

Works with other skills/agents:

  • Uses EPO Patent Analyzer skill for Euro-PCT quality
  • Coordinates with EPO Patent Search for EP prior art
  • Invokes EPC Search skill for PCT rule research
  • Uses BigQuery Patent Search for worldwide prior art

Tools Available

  • Read: To load application documents
  • Bash: To run PCT compliance checks
  • Write: To save compliance reports and application drafts