Top of Notices Top of Notices   (361)  December 27, 2016 US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE Print This Notice 1433 CNOG  2738 

PCT, International Applications Referenced Items (351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 381, 382, 383, 384)
(361)      Arrangement between the Israel Patent Office and the
                United States Patent and Trademark Office
           Concerning Action of the Israel Patent Office as an
                  International Searching Authority and
                Preliminary Examining Authority under the
                      Patent Cooperation Treaty for
           Certain International Applications Received by the
                United States Patent and Trademark Office

                       USPTO Arrangement No. 14140027

In light of the facts that:

   An Agreement exists between the Government of Israel and the
International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization
(hereinafter "International Bureau") in relation to the functioning of the
Israel Patent Office (hereinafter "ILPO") as an International Searching and
International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation
Treaty (hereinafter "the Agreement"); and

   The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereinafter "USPTO") is
desirous to have ILPO carry out the tasks as one of the International
Searching Authorities and International Preliminary Examining Authorities
under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and ILPO is willing to do so in
accordance with the terms and conditions of this hereby Arrangement and in
accordance with Israel's domestic law,

   1. ILPO and USPTO (hereinafter "the participants")intend to pursue the
      following mutual arrangements:

   2. (1) ILPO intends to act as an International Searching Authority and
          International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent
          Cooperation Treaty for international applications filed with
          USPTO as Receiving Office insofar as the following conditions are
          met

         (i) the applications are submitted in the English language;

         (ii) ILPO has not received more than 75 international applications
              from USPTO during the current fiscal quarter;

         (iii) the applications do not contain any claims relating to a
               field of technology as defined by the International Patent
               Classification classes indicated by Annex B of this
               Arrangement;

               and

         (iv) insofar as ILPO is designated as a competent authority by the
              applicants of said applications.

      (2) Pursuant to paragraph (1) ILPO intends to act as an International
          Preliminary Examining Authority only where ILPO has functioned as
          the International Searching Authority.

      (3) USPTO intends to inform the International Bureau, pursuant to
          Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Rules 35 and 59, that ILPO is
          competent for the searching and international preliminary
          examination of the certain kinds of international application
          specified under this Arrangement in paragraphs (1) and (2).

   3. ILPO intends to conduct the international search and international
      preliminary examination pursuant to the provisions of the Agreement
      between ILPO and the International Bureau, and to promptly notify
      USPTO of any relevant amendment to said Agreement.
Top of Notices Top of Notices   (361)  December 27, 2016 US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE 1433 CNOG  2739 


   4. The language of correspondence between ILPO and USPTO or the
      applicants, whose applications are handled by ILPO pursuant to this
      Arrangement, is English.

   5. Conduct of technical and procedural matters including transfer of
      fees and exchange of documents should be as specified in the Outline
      of Technical and Procedural Matters document, Annex A of this
      Arrangement.

   6. ILPO, upon request and on payment, intends to furnish the applicants
      with copies of the documents cited in the international search
      reports and the international preliminary examination reports.

   7. (1) The fees and charges which ILPO is entitled to make in relation
          to its function under this Arrangement should be those set out in
          Annex C of the Agreement between ILPO and the International
          Bureau as represented by Annex D of the PCT Applicant's Guide.

      (2) USPTO intends to collect the search fees from the applicants in
          the U.S. dollar amount specified in Annex D of the PCT
          Applicant's Guide and transfer said amount in U.S. Dollars (USD)
          to the ILPO as specified in Annex A of this Arrangement.

      (3) USPTO intends to transfer the search fee to ILPO, by the end of
          the next month following the month in which the search fee is
          received, and intends to promptly notify ILPO of the
          international filing date, the international application number,
          and the date on which the search fee was received.

      (4) Any fee for copies of documents cited in the international search
          report, additional international search fee, international
          preliminary examination fee, additional preliminary examination
          fee, or any necessary fee for search or preliminary examination
          is expected to be paid by the applicant to ILPO in the amount and
          in the currency set out in Annex D or E of the PCT Applicant's
          Guide.

   8. (1) This Arrangement is intended to come into effect on October 1,
          2014.

      (2) The initial period of validity of this Arrangement is intended to
          be for three years from the date set forth in Section 8(1),
          subject to section 8(3). The continuation of this Arrangement
          should be discussed between the participants before the
          expiration of the initial period.

      (3) In any event, the period of the validity of this Arrangement is
          also intended to end upon the termination of the Agreement
          between ILPO and the International Bureau. USPTO and ILPO intend
          to extend this Arrangement by written mutual consent upon any
          renewal of the said Agreement between ILPO and the International
          Bureau.

   9. This Arrangement may be amended with the written consent of both
      participants.

   10. (1) This Arrangement may be discontinued by either participant by
           written notice addressed to the other participant.

       (2) Activities may continue under this Arrangement for six months
           after receipt of the written notice referred to in the preceding
           paragraph by the other participant.

       (3) ILPO intends to act as the competent International Searching
           Authority and the International Preliminary Examining Authority
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           in accordance with this Arrangement upon international
           applications insofar as these international applications are
           received by USPTO within six months after the receipt of the
           written notice under the preceding paragraphs.

   11. (1) Provisions under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, and the
           Regulations and the Administrative Instructions under the
           Treaty, where relevant, apply to matters which are not provided
           for in this Arrangement.

       (2) This Arrangement does not give rise to legal obligations under
           international law.  Any differences which arise between ILPO and
           USPTO regarding this Arrangement will be resolved amicably by
           consultations and negotiations between ILPO and USPTO.

   In witness whereof the parties hereto have executed this Agreement in
two English language originals.

   Signed in Alexandria, Virginia in the United States of America on April
28, 2014 and in Jerusalem, Israel on May 15, 2014.

                                                            MICHELLE K. LEE
                                     Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for
                                                  Intellectual Property and
                                               Deputy Director of the USPTO

                                                                  ASA KLING
                               Director of the ILPO Commissioner of Patents
                            Commissioner of Patents, Designs and Trademarks

                                 [1408 OG 53]