IPOPHL now issues patents online

Patents can now be issued online, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said, promising a faster and more convenient way to seek protection for new inventions.

IPOPHL said in a recent statement that it is now issuing electronic Certificates for Patents or Patent eCerts. This, IPOPHL said, is important for an inventor or a business to show proof of ownership as they commercialize their product.

The timely receipt of these certificates will ensure zero disruptions in schedules for various business or innovation-driven undertakings such as licensing, commercialization and patent mining, among others, IPOPHL said.

“With Patent eCerts, letter patents and certificates of registration for utility models (UM) or industrial designs (ID) will be issued in a faster, more convenient, efficient, less-costly and, in the context of the pandemic, a safer manner,” said Lolibeth Medrano, director at IPOPHL’s Bureau of Patents (BOP).

Upon the BOP director’s approval of a patent grant or registration and the payment of issuance and publication fees, the Patent eCert will be sent to applicants or agents through eCorrespondence—IPOPHL’s online system for official correspondence between IPOPHL and applicants.

Each Patent eCert contains a quick response code that verifies the authenticity of the Patent eCert when scanned and a link to the full text of the patent document it was issued for, IPOPHL said.

Through BOP memorandum circular 2022-001, Patent eCerts will be issued for all invention applications recommended for grant and UM and ID applications recommended for registrations starting March 1.

All applications that have been recommended for grant or registrations prior to March 1 will still receive the usual paper certificate issued by IPOPHL, the agency said.