5 Million PCT Publications – 47 Years In the MakingDecember 27, 2024

Samsung Electronics of the Republic of Korea received the honor of being the five millionth published PCT on November 29, 2024. This milestone for the Patent Cooperation Treaty – generally referred to as PCT – was 47 years in the making. It was also fitting that one of the largest patent filers receives notoriety and attention, as Samsung Electronics was the second largest filer this year with almost 4,000 filings in 2024 alone! The application can be viewed here: https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2024242518.

The PCT is a commonly utilized international tool – where the filing of a single international patent application in one language permits the patent filer to obtain protection in 158 member countries (list available here: The PCT now has 158 Contracting States). The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a United Nations agency that seeks to protect intellectual property across global boarders. WIPO and the PCT provide ease in accessing information about the global status of patent filings through the international PCT application. A PCT is also aimed to make patent filings ‘worldwide’ more affordable and streamlined.

The following graphic from WIPO explains the general PCT process where an invention can be protected as a first-filing PCT or claiming priority to a priority filing (such as with the USPTO). The PCT is filed in a particular receiving office based on the identity of the patent applicant. Generally for US inventors the USPTO is the receiving office, which then transmits the application to WIPO for worldwide publication and initial examination. Following the ‘international phase’ of a PCT the patent applicant selects countries of interest for examination and ultimate patent granting, which is referred to as the ‘national phase.’

Additional information on the international phase and national phase of a PCT is available from WIPO here https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/faqs/faqs.html.

Use of the PCT by patent filers has continued to increase over the past decade. In 2023 the global patenting activity exceed 3.5 million PCT filings, and now we see the five millionth publication (with total filings in excess thereof). PCT filings are often viewed as a global indicator of not only innovation trends but also economic forecasts. Therefore, the continued increase in filings – as evidenced by the recent five millionth publication – suggests continued optimism for global economies with viable patent offices.

Jill Link is a Partner, Patent Attorney, and oversees the foreign department of McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC (MVS).  For additional information please visit www.ipmvs.com or contact Jill directly via email at jill.link@ipmvs.com. MVS attorneys and agents regularly file and advise on PCT strategies and should be consulted for specific inquiries as this publication provides filing and process data only and does not provide legal advice as to proper use of the PCT.