Comparative Table
The following list shows a comparison among Japasene patent system, U.S. patent system, and European patent system.
| JP | US | EPC | |
| Types of Application |
-Normal Application -Divisional Application -Application Claining Internal Priority |
-Nonprovisional Application -Provisional Application -Continuation Application -Continuation-in-part Application -Divisional Application |
-Normal Application -Divisional Application |
| Application Language |
-Japanese -English (Japanese translation is required) |
-English -Language other than English (English translation is required) |
-English -German -French -Any Language other than above (English translation, German translation, or French translation is required) |
| Number of Claims |
-not limited (Examination fee rises according to the number of claims) |
-not limited (Additional official fee is required for each claim over 20) |
-not limited (Additional official fee is required for each claim over 15) |
| Nunber of Independnet Claims |
-not limited (the number of independent claims does not cause additional official fee) |
-not limited (Additional official fee is required for each independent claim over 3) |
-one independent claim per category |
| Multiple Dependency Claim |
-not prohibited (one multiple dependency claim is counted as one claim in Examination fee calculation etc.) |
-not prohibited (Additional official fee is required if at least one multiple dependecy claim is included) (One multiple dependency claim is counted as many as the number of dependency in fee calculation) |
-not prohibited (one multiple dependency claim is counted as one claim in fee calculation) |
| Multiple Dependency Claim depending from Multiple Dependency Claim (Multi-multi claim) | -prohibited | -prohibited |
-not prohibited (one multi-multi claim is counted as one claim in fee calculation) |
| Annuity for Maintaining Application | -not required | -not required | -required |
| Requirement for Examination |
-necessary (within 3 years from filing date) |
-not necessary |
-necessary |
| Publication |
-18 months from earlier one of filing date and priority date |
-18 months from earlier one of filing date and priority date | -18 months from earlier one of filing date and priority date |