DAS Code: A Better way to Request Priority for Patent Applications in China

• What is DAS?

The WIPO Digital Access Service (DAS) is an electronic system allowing priority documents and similar documents to be securely exchanged between participating intellectual property (IP) offices to meet the requirements of the Paris Convention for certification in an electronic environment.

Traditionally, applicants have been obliged to request certified paper copies of documents from one office and then submit those documents to other offices.

• Types of Requesting DAS in China:

Request depositing: applicants request CNIPA (OFF) to make priority documents available to the System and then to request other offices (OSF) to retrieve those documents. This service applies to invention, utility, design, and PCT international applications (received by CNIPA).

Request accessing: applicant requests CNIPA (OSF) to retrieve priority document from the WIPO digital library. This service applies to first applications as inventions, utility, designs, and PCT international application) in OFF, and the subsequent applications as invention, utility, design filed with CNIPA (OSF)

• Required docs and information:

For depositing in China, it may be handled by an agency.

For accessing in China, applicants should provide the agency with the first filing office/ country, the priority date, the prior application number, and the DAS code (provided by OFF/ WIPO and is usually 4 to 10 digits consisting of numbers and letters).

Note: Steps 1-4 are for depositing, and steps 5-10 are for accessing.

The page of Requesting DAS in Patent e-filing system of China

The page of Requesting DAS in Patent e-filing system of China