We’ve made a number of improvements to our website and online case management facility as of 23 September 2021.
New goods and services search on trade mark application form
A new search utility for pre-approved goods and services terms is now available on the forms for Trade Mark applications and Search and Preliminary Advice requests. The new search utility uses the same design and technology as our recently launched Trade Mark Specification Builder. This provides an improved interface and results, and uses artificial intelligence to match concepts as well as keywords.
Trade Mark Specification Builder
The search logic in Trade Mark Specification Builder has also been adjusted to include more diverse results.
We are continually looking for ways to improve our trade mark application process. If you would like to provide us with feedback in this area, you may participate in our Trade mark application process survey, which will run until 29 September 2021 This survey will only take 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
Trade mark application process survey
New user role to help “superusers” in large organisations
If your user account has a “superuser” role, you can now create or assign “administrator” roles to some of your users. Administrators have similar access to superusers: They can manage “member” accounts and access tasks and discussions across member accounts.
Administrator accounts are intended to assist organisations with a large number of users, particularly for instances where the superuser is unavailable.
Case contacts can now view the primary examiner assigned to their application
Whenever you view your application for a trade mark, patent, design, or plant variety right, you can now see the name and contact number of the primary examiner assigned to the application.
GPPH expedited examination requests may now be entered after deadline to request patent examination
Our online system now allows expedited examination under the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) to be requested after the 5-year deadline to request examination on a patent application. This option will only be available if the patent applicant has requested examination before the 5-year deadline. Please note that the GPPH expedited examination request must still fulfil all mandatory requirements in order to be considered.
For more information on expedited examination requests under the GPPH, please see Global Patent Prosecution Highway.
Changes to design application amendments
Amendments and alterations made to design applications on the same day the application is filed will no longer be automatically accepted. These changes will now be manually reviewed and processed by our design examiners.
Trade Mark Check navigation improvements
Browser ‘back’ and ‘forward’ buttons now work within Trade Mark Check, and will allow navigation from the details of a trade mark back to the search results.
International trade mark applications now require email addresses
The filing requirements for international trade mark applications have changed. If the applicant or the agent for an international trade mark application with a New Zealand Office of Origin (NZOO) is lacking an email address, our case management system will now prompt for an email address to be added for that entity.
Single designation for NZOO trade mark applications
When submitting an NZOO trade mark application with multiple goods and services classes, we now require that:
- At least one class designates a jurisdiction; and
- The International Bureau is designated for all classes.
This reverses our previous requirement that a jurisdiction is designated for all classes. This allows for subsequent designations to be made from the same NZOO application rather than having to submit a new application to designate those classes.