The submission process itself can be ad hoc, perhaps involving a variety of mechanisms, including paper or electronic forms, voice-activated systems, or FAXes.

提交流程本身可能是特定的，由各种机制组成，包括纸张或电子表单、语音系统或传真。

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It stipulates, among other things, standardised forms that all patent offices must accept, basic standards for electronic submission of patents, and mechanisms to avoid loss of rights due to non-essential formalities or unintentional delays.

ECONOMIST: Patent law: Going global | The