Most PCT filers know that there are always a minimum of two Receiving Offices (and sometimes more than two) available to any PCT applicant that is entitled to use the Patent Cooperation Treaty. For example for a US-based PCT applicant, the ROs available are (at a minimum) at least RO/US and RO/IB. And most PCT filers also know that there can sometimes be very good reasons to use RO/IB rather than RO/US. Indeed there are some fact situations where it is tantamount to malpractice to fail to use RO/IB rather than RO/US.
Given all of this, it is very important to keep in mind that for the next two weeks, the drop-dead time of day for filing in the RO/IB will be different than it is for most of the year.
Normally the drop-dead time of day for filing in the RO/IB is 4:00 PM (for filers in the Mountain Time Zone). That is, the time in Switzerland is eight hours different from the time in Denver.
But for the next two weeks, the drop-dead time of day for filing in the RO/IB will be 5:00 PM (for filers in the Mountain Time Zone). Said differently, for the next two weeks you could file in the RO/IB an hour later than usual and still receive a same-day filing date.
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