The number of rounds of Examination Report and response is not fixed in the European system. However, only one or two rounds might be allowed before the application is refused (possibly after oral proceedings, if this has been requested).
If the Examiner(s) decides a patent may be granted, translations of the claims into French and German must be filed and fees for grant paid. It is then necessary to take additional steps to bring the patent into effect in most of the European countries that are signed up to the European patent system. This typically involves filing a translation of some or all of the patent into the local language.
The overall timescale for obtaining a European patent might typically be between 3 and 6 years, but can easily take longer.
Search and examination procedures for obtaining a United States patent
Search and examination procedures are combined in the United States and fees for search and examination must both be paid when the application is filed. A first Examination Report will typically issue within two or three years and set out both the prior art found in the search and any objections. The applicant will be given three months to respond.
The number of rounds of Examination Report and response in the United States is more fixed. Typically an applicant will have two opportunities to overcome any objections but will then need to pay additional fees to continue examination.
If the Examiner(s) decides a patent may be granted a grant fee must be paid.
The overall timescale for obtaining a United States patent might typically be between 3 and 5 years, but can be longer.