Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

35 U.S.C. § 351

Definitions

When used in this part unless the context otherwise indicates—
(a)
The term “treaty” means the Patent Cooperation Treaty done at Washington, on .
(b)
The term “Regulations”, when capitalized, means the Regulations under the treaty, done at Washington on the same date as the treaty. The term “regulations”, when not capitalized, means the regulations established by the Director under this title.
(c)
The term “international application” means an application filed under the treaty.
(d)
The term “international application originating in the United States” means an international application filed in the Patent and Trademark Office when it is acting as a Receiving Office under the treaty, irrespective of whether or not the United States has been designated in that international application.
(e)
The term “international application designating the United States” means an international application specifying the United States as a country in which a patent is sought, regardless where such international application is filed.
(f)
The term “Receiving Office” means a national patent office or intergovernmental organization which receives and processes international applications as prescribed by the treaty and the Regulations.
(g)
The terms “International Searching Authority” and “International Preliminary Examining Authority” mean a national patent office or intergovernmental organization as appointed under the treaty which processes international applications as prescribed by the treaty and the Regulations.
(h)
The term “International Bureau” means the international intergovernmental organization which is recognized as the coordinating body under the treaty and the Regulations.
(i)
Terms and expressions not defined in this part are to be taken in the sense indicated by the treaty and the Regulations.

Pub. L. 94–131, § 189 Stat. 685Pub. L. 98–622, title IV, § 403(a)98 Stat. 3392Pub. L. 99–616, § 2(a)100 Stat. 3485Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4732(a)(10)(A)]113 Stat. 1536Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13206(b)(1)(B)116 Stat. 1906(Added , , ; amended , , ; –(c), , ; , , , 1501A–582; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 107–273Pub. L. 106–1132002—Subsec. (b). made technical correction to directory language of . See 1999 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 106–113Pub. L. 107–2731999—Subsec. (b). , as amended by , substituted “Director” for “Commissioner”.

Pub. L. 99–616, § 2(a)1986—Subsec. (a). , struck out “, excluding chapter II thereof” after “”.

Pub. L. 99–616, § 2(b)Subsec. (b). , struck out “excluding part C thereof” after “under the treaty”.

Pub. L. 99–616, § 2(c)Subsec. (g). , substituted “The terms ‘International Searching Authority’ and ‘International Preliminary Examining Authority’ mean” for “The term ‘International Searching Authority’ means”.

Pub. L. 98–6221984—Subsec. (d). substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1999 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–113Pub. L. 106–113section 1 of this titleAmendment by effective 4 months after , see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, § 4731] of , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–616, § 9100 Stat. 3487

“Sections 2 through 8 of this Act [amending this section and sections 361, 362, 364, 368, 371, and 376 of this title] shall come into force on the same day as the effective date of entry into force of chapter II of the Patent Cooperation Treaty with respect to the United States, by virtue of the withdrawal of the declaration under article 64(1)(a) of the Patent Cooperation Treaty. It shall apply to all international applications pending before or after its effective date.”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 99–616[The Patent Cooperation Treaty became effective for the United States on . The United States, however, was one of six countries (out of the 40 countries who have ratified or acceded to the Treaty) which had reservations not to be bound by Chapter II. The document removing the reservation as to Chapter II was deposited with the Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization on . Accordingly, Chapter II of the Treaty for the United States of America and became effective 3 months later on . See 52 F.R. 20038, 20041, .]

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–622, title IV, § 406(a)98 Stat. 3393

section 41 of this title“Section 404 of this Act [set out as a note under ] and the amendments made by section 403 of this Act [amending this section and sections 104, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 367, 368, 371, 372, 373, and 376 of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date

Pub. L. 94–131, § 1189 Stat. 692

“(a)
Section 1 of this Act [enacting this part] shall come into force on the same day as the entry into force of the Patent Cooperation Treaty with respect to the United States. It shall apply to international and national applications filed on and after this effective date, even though entitled to the benefit of an earlier filing date, and to patents issued on such applications.
“(b)
Sections 2 to 10 of this Act [amending sections 6, 41, 42, 102, 104, 112, 113, 120, and 282 of this title] shall take effect on the same day as section 1 of this Act [enacting this part] and shall apply to all applications for patent actually filed in the United States on and after this effective date, as well as to international applications where applicable.
“(c)
Applications for patent on file in the Patent Office [now the Patent and Trademark Office] on the effective date of this Act, and patents issued on such applications, shall be governed by the provisions of title 35, United States Code, in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this Act.”
, , , provided that:

[The Patent Cooperation Treaty entered into force with respect to the United States on , with the exception of Chapter II.]

Short Title of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–616, § 1100 Stat. 3485

“That this Act [amending this section and sections 361, 362, 364, 368, 371, and 376 of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note above] may be cited as the ‘Act to authorize the United States to participate in chapter II of the Patent Cooperation Treaty’.”
, , , provided: