We want to know if WO 2006/112733 A1 "Analysing breath samples for volatile organic compound" is an active patent or simply just an application, not a granted patent.
2 Answers
According to EPO database, the application issued as national patents in various countries in Europe and Hong Kong, then the patents lapsed due to nonpayment. There are also patent applications in New Zealand and the US for this invention. According to PAIR, the US application is still pending and a non final office action has been sent. I do not know the status of the New Zealand application.
Specific to the question asked, however, WO2006112733 A1 is itself an international patent application under the Paris Convention Treaty (PCT). This type of application does not itself mature into an issued patent. However, as Patent Pending Guide indicates in another answer here, based on the PCT application a "national stage" patent application may be filed, within (usually) 30 months from the PCT filing, in countries that are signatories of the Treaty. These national stage applications may eventually issue as patents, depending on the results of examination in each country. Each national stage application is subject to the fees in the respective country and typically requires the applicant to utilize a patent professional registered/licensed by that country and/or intellectual property office.
