§389 Examination of International Design Application

Summary

The Director must have an examination done, under this title, for any international design application that names the United States. Substantive issues and, unless a treaty or the rules require otherwise, procedural rules follow the same standards used for applications filed under chapter 16. The Director may set fees for filing, for designating the United States, and for other processing (including allowing later payment and charging surcharges). The Director may issue a U.S. patent from such an international design application, and that patent has the same force as one issued from a chapter 16 application.