Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is an international agreement that simplifies the process of obtaining patents in multiple countries. Instead of filing separate applications in each country, inventors can file one "international" application through the PCT. This application provides a unified filing process and extends the time for applicants to decide which countries they want patent protection in. The PCT helps streamline research and innovation globally by making it easier for inventors to protect their inventions across borders while also offering preliminary examination reports to assess the invention's patentability.