PCT Applications require a lot of form filling – in triplicate. To ease the process, dedicated software called PCT-Easyis available. Indeed, it has been possible to obtain a discount for applications having forms compiled with PCT-Easy, but for some reason, the PCT receiving department of the Israel Patent Office has, until now, insisted on the forms being provided on a 3 1/2″ floppy.
Floppy disks are unstable, poor data storage devices that are prone to loosing data. They are now essentially obsolete, having beenreplaced by optical storage disks (CD-ROMs of various sorts) and by flash memory sticks. Indeed, new desk-top and laptop computers no longer include floppy drives as standard.
I got fed up with phone calls from the patent office saying that the floppies I sent were damaged or couldn’t be opened. When I suggested that I sent them the forms by e-mail or on CD, the clerks at the patent office explained that it was against regulations. One of them also pointed out what a waste it was using a CD to store a few kilobytes of files. Ridiculous! CD-Roms are cheaper than floppies and much easier to find.
In despair, a couple of months ago I wrote to the Registrar of Patents, Dr. Meir Noam, suggesting that he changed the rules, and was satisfied to receive a positive response and last week the patent office issued a circular to the effect that they would now be accepting forms on this medium.
