ARCHIVED — Client Service Standards Mid-year Report - 2009-10
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The following highlights CIPO's performance against its Client Service Standards for 2009-10. Please note that in areas where we underperformed by 10% or exceeded the expected results, explanatory notes have been included. CIPO is committed to providing service at the specified service level below, on average, over the year.
- Patent Branch
- Patent Appeal Board
- Trade-marks Branch
- Trade-marks Opposition Board
- Industrial Design Division
- Copyright Office
- Client Service Centre (Information Branch)
Patent Branch
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of inventory of applications with a request for examination waiting for a first office action | Results by Mar 31, 2010 are: 80% of applications with a request for examination will be waiting for a first substantive office action less than (by specialty):
|
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Biotech improved its turnaround time service standard for 2009-10 from 30 to 24 months. Progress against this end-year objective has been steady, increasing from 62% at the beginning of the fiscal year to 70% at mid-year. The year-end objective remains at 24 months for 80% of unreported applications. |
Patent Appeal Board
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral hearing date | by March 31, 2010: oral hearing for applications referred to the PAB before January 2008 |
85% of applications referred before Jan. 2008 have had a hearing, a hearing is scheduled or have received an invitation for a hearing/supplemental submission (PAB awaiting reply) | |
| Decision issued | by March 31, 2010: 80% of applications referred to the PAB before January 2008 |
13% of applications referred before Jan. 2008 have been disposed of (decision or abandonment) | In view of a recent court decision and changes in office practice, applicants were given the opportunity to make submissions addressing specific issues (in writing or with a new hearing), to ensure a more accurate review of rejected applications. This has resulted in additional delays in the processing of applications currently under review. |
Trade-marks Branch
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approve acceptable applications or issue first examination reports | within 6.5 months | 7.7 months | The hiring and training of new examiners is steadily reducing TATs and the Branch expects to meet the service standard by year-end. |
| Respond to client correspondence received subsequent to a first action | within 4 months of receiving correspondence | 2.8 months |
Trade-marks Opposition Board
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| a) Opposition | within 14 months of receipt of request (no postponements) | 13 months | |
| b) Section 45 | within 18 months of receipt of request | 12 months | Performance is attributed to improved administration of hearings and the hiring of Hearing Officers to assist Members of the Board with the handling of s. 45 cases, including the issuance of final decisions. |
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| a) Non-hearing Opposition | within 11 months of file being ready for decision | 7 months | |
| b) Non-hearing section 45 | within 13 months of file being ready for decision | 14 months |
Industrial Design Division
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issue filing certificate or issue report indicating industrial design application is incomplete | within 3 weeks of receipt of application | 2 weeks | |
| Examine application to assess the registrability of the design; allow the design or issue first examiner's report | within 9 months of the receipt of application | 7 months |
Copyright Office
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register a copyright and issue a certificate | |||
| - for applications received by mail | within 7 working days of receipt of application and fees | 6.7 days | |
| - for applications filed electronically | within 5 working days of receipt of application and fees | 2.8 days | |
| Register a grant of interest and issue a certificate for a copyright | within 12 working days of receipt of application and fees | 6 days | |
Client Service Centre (Information Branch)
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respond to telephone enquiries or voice mail | immediately upon receipt or call will be returned within 24 hours | 88.2% | Increased TAT are due to: cross -training efforts and; longer response time for web technical calls |
| Respond to general correspondence, email and fax requests | within 48 hours upon receipt of the Client Service Centre | 88.2% | |
| Provide access to an information officer (on site) | within 10 minutes of their request | 88.2% | |
| Send intellectual property publications | publications will be mailed within 48 hours | 88.2% |
| Services | Client Service Standards | Mid-year Results | Explanatory Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send photocopies of patent, trade-mark and copyright documents in paper or electronic form | within 72 hours from receipt of request and with proof of payment | 96.7% | |
| Send certified copies of patent, trade-mark and copyright documents in paper form | within 72 hours from receipt of request and with proof of payment | 96.7% |
