Patent Applications Utility Model Applications 1994 482 32 1995 82 52 1996 213 31 Total 777 115
According to the implementation of provisions of the Patent Law, until the end of the 1994, patent applications were filed on the basis of the earlier application with priority date August 20, 1990 and later. It explains relatively high number of applications in 1994.
There are less requirements for the registration of the utility models compared to patents. The main difference is that only formal requirements will be examined in the case of utility models before granting the certificate. The main idea of the utility models was to develop a cheaper and quicker way for protecting an invention, suitable for domestic, small enterprises. The very low number of applications still demonstrates that this aim was not reached.
The increase among the patent applications in 1996 is probably because of the PCT. Estonia joined the treaty in August 24, 1994 and the very first applications reached the Estonian Patent Office, as to the designated and elected office under the PCT, towards the end of 1996. The number of international applications, entered actually into national phase, compared to the number of designations, is approximately 1%.
Also 4 PCT applications were filed to the Estonian Patent Office as to the receiving office under the PCT. It makes about 2.5 applications per 1 (million) inhabitants.
The number of granted registration certificates is as follows:
Patents Utility Models 1994 0 29 1995 0 48 1996 22 21 Total 22 98
Because of the procedure, the number of the utility model certificates is nearly the same as the number of applications filed within the same year. The number of patents permanently increases, but the number of patents granted every year, is still too low.
Most of the utility model applications are from Estonian applicants (107). Patent application are mainly from the USA, Finland, Sweden and Germany. Only 44 patent applications were filed by domestic applicants.
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