6.6.1 Introduction

Also in this Chapter:​​​​​​​

• 6.6.2 Completion Time and Priority
• 6.6.3 Initial Processing
• 6.6.4 Search Procedure
• 6.6.5 Search Report
• 6.6.6 Final Processing
• 6.6.7 Annexes

In agreement with WIPO this Office has undertaken to prepare a small number of state-of-the art search reports for the benefit of developing countries, preferably in our region of the world. Requests are allocated by WIPO to one of several national Offices (AT, EP, FI, SE, DE, AU) participating in this program.

Under the program the extent of the search is normally PCT minimum documentation. For this reason these procedures are modelled on our International and International-Type search procedures. However, a search covering the whole period from 1920 may not always be required. Truncation of this period may be inherent in the nature of the request or the requestor may have indicated a limitation as to the period, countries, languages or IPC areas to be searched, and to this extent the search strategy adopted may vary from our normal PCT search. One truncation strategy could be to search back to 1975 then assess the merits of searching prior to that date.

In the situation that a foreign search result is available, the search required will be a top-up search only and will be performed from the date of the ISR until any date specified in the request, or until the date of filing of the request.