Hong Kong Regulations

PATENTS (GENERAL) RULES - SECT 42

Address for service in respect of patents

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

PART V

PROPERTY IN PATENTS AND APPLICATIONS; REGISTRATION

(1) Every person concerned in any proceedings before the Registrar shall file
an address for service.

(2) The address for service must be a residential or business address in Hong
Kong.

(3) A person may file an address for service—

   (a)  where the person files any specified form that requires the person who
        completes it to provide an address for service, by filing the
        specified form with the address for service stated on it; or

   (b)  in any other case, by notifying the Registrar in writing.

(4) Where a specified form referred to in subsection (3)(a) is filed in the
name of 2 or more persons, the address for service stated on that form shall
be treated as the address for service of each of those persons.

(5) An applicant for a patent or the proprietor of a patent may use only one
address for service for the purposes of all proceedings before the Registrar
concerning that application or patent.

(6) Subject to any filing to the contrary under this section, on the grant of
an application for a patent, the address for service of the  applicant shall
be treated as the address for service of the proprietor of the patent for the
purposes of all proceedings before the Registrar concerning that patent.

(7) Where a person files an address for service for the purposes of any
proceedings before the Registrar, that address shall be treated as being in
substitution for any address for service previously filed by that person for
the purposes of those proceedings.

(8) Where, after a person has become a party to proceedings before the
Registrar, the person appoints an agent for the first time or appoints one
agent in substitution for another, the newly appointed agent shall file an
address for service.

(9) No act required or authorized by the Ordinance or these Rules to be done
by or to a person referred to in subsection (8) in connection with the
proceedings in question may be done by or to the newly appointed agent before
the date on which he files an address for service.

(10) Any person may withdraw his address for service by notifying the
Registrar in writing. (L.N. 37 of 2004)