Epoline Online Filing (eOLF) software for patent professionals

You can use the Epoline Online Filing (eOLF) software for filing patent applications with the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH). It is intended for patent professionals and those who frequently apply for patents. The eOLF has been created by the European Patent Office (EPO), and we have added our application forms to it.

You can file patent documents using eOLF every day of the year. The date of receipt will be the exact day the documents arrive at the PRH, including weekends and holidays. We will send you an acknowledgement of the submission.

eOLF has extensive properties

To use the eOLF software, you need to acquire a smart card and to install the software on your computer. The introduction of eOLF may therefore take some time and be difficult. However, it offers possibilities that professionals need when filing applications, for example, a function for claiming priority, and a function for applications resulting from division or separation. Furthermore, you can use eOLF to send European patent applications, international PCT applications, utility model applications, and responses to PRH office actions.

eOLF can be used by several persons together. For example, one person can prepare an application, and another person can sign and submit it. In this case, you could choose to download the full software package on one computer and only part of the package on the other computers.

You can either use the actual software or the Patent Management System (PMS) user interface, through which you can send your application and documents directly to us from your management system. Read more about PMS on EPO's website.Open link in a new tab

Use of eOLF

You will need the following:

the eOLF application (read the instructions below on how to download the application)
EPO smart cardOpen link in a new tab that you can use to electronically sign your application as required by the Patent regulations
a card reader and a driver for it
the Amyuni PDF Converter application that you can order from EPO free of charge (e-mail: support@epo.org, tel. +31 (0)70 340 45 00), or a similar application for creating PDF files compatible with eOLF.

Download eOLF

Download and install the eOLF applicationOpen link in a new tab. If more than one person in the organisation will be using eOLF you could choose to download the full package on one computer and only part of the package on the other computers. Read more about different eOLF versions and installation packages on EPO’s website.
Download and install cryptovision card reader software from EPO's websiteOpen link in a new tab required for reading the smart card chip.
Download and install any Live Updates. If new updates are available, eOLF notifies you about them automatically when you open the application.
Register your smart cardOpen link in a new tab. Please note that the card must be inserted into the card reader in order for the link to work.

Help and support for the application is provided in the User guide for Online Filing in English Open link in a new tab and in the Quick guide in FinnishOpen link in a new tab.

Please observe

Patent RegulationsOpen link in a new tab, Annex 2 includes special instructions on e-Filing:

The sender is responsible for delivering the documents.
Documents can be submitted to the PRH online 24/7.
Attach the documents to your application in PDF format. You can also attach the original files to the application in other file formats. Obvious mistakes can be corrected on request according to the original files. The applicant is responsible for that the original files can, if necessary, be converted in a controlled manner to another file format which we are able to open.
The application is given a filing date, which is the day when the application has been delivered and when we have access to the application documents.
We will acknowledge receipt of the documents.

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Printable version Latest update 05.08.2022