When Time Shall Be No More: long delays in patent examinations

After the good news from the Brazilian Instituto Nacional da Propriedad Industrial (INPI) on the IP filing boom (reported here) we now hear the news that INPI is managing to reduce the average time for patent examinations. It reports that in 2006 the average was 11.6 years; in 2007 7.3yrs; in 2008 10.4yrs; in 2009 10.3yrs; in 2010 was reduced to 8.3yrs and finally in 2011 to a whooping 5.4yrs.

The expectations:

A proper RIO jump!!

INPI informs that as “the demand for patents is growing, it is also necessary to expand the ability of INPI by hiring more examiners”. The estimates is to increase its staff of experts by 130% to achieve by 2015 examining patents in four years, as provided in the ‘Plano Brasil Maior’ (the Plan ‘Greater Brazil’).

According to INPI, the results achieved were due to three factors: the modernization of patent offices, archiving processes that were without pay, and recruitment.

Also INPI remembers that this year 2012 e-patents will be launched (patent filing via Internet). International standards for patent examination usually take three to four years (when you apply and when patent is granted). Brazil is getting there.

Source INPI.