Yes, we know it’s officially known as the PCT National Phase… inovia was founded by an Australian patent attorney, after all.
Yet many patent attorneys, agents and applicants in the US refer to it as “PCT national stage entry”. We’ve used ‘stage’ on our website and in other materials because many of our (mostly US-based) clients say ‘stage’. So, we’re having an internal debate about this choice and thought we’d open it up to our blog readers… what do you say? Should we use ‘phase’ or stick with ‘stage’?
It is referred to in U.S. law at 35 U.S.C. 371 as the “National stage.” Also, WIPO sometimes uses it as well. See e.g. http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/pct/en/pct_r_1/pct_r_1_13.doc . I think most view “national phase” and “national stage” as interchangeable.
You probably will not be able to change the engrained term, national stage. Ideally you would like to educate your reader that these terms are interchangeable. For example, by referring to: the national state (i.e., the PCT National Phase) at least once in the document. Also, it would be good to stick to the localized version in the target market.
I call it the national stage – always have.
Our US patent firm has always used the term national phase, however as we know the terms are interchangeable I say continue to use the term “stage”.
It should be used the term used by the WIPO, and the PCT treaty, whichever it is.
As far as I think it is National Phase.