An international PCT application goes through the international phase initially. This includes:

• Sending in the application and having the Receiving Office process it.
• Establishing an International Search Report and Written Opinion (for applications filed on or after January 1, 2004) by one of the “International Search Authorities”.
• Publishing the international application along with the international search report.
• Establishing an international preliminary examination if desired.

Subsequently, the national phase will begin and the application is examined in the same manner as if it had been filed as a regular, nonprovisional application in each country designated in the international application.

The PTO may ask as many as 10 questions from this chapter and often the questions are highly complex. This chapter is one of the more complex, therefore, it is important to become familiar with the details it covers and where to find them within the MPEP. Please review this chapter several times along with taking the Workbook quizzes (both the fill-in-the-blank + true/false as well as the short answer quiz). Patent Bar questions on the PCT are very complex.

You will want to understand the facts or at the very least know where the material is located within the MPEP from this very important chapter. This includes taking notes and organizing them in a way that makes the most sense to you like you would expect to do when studying any complex material.