United States Patent and Trademark Office OG Notices: 30 January 2007

                     Revised Requirements for Requesting
                   Participation in the Patent Prosecution
                      Highway Pilot Program in the USPTO

   On July 3, 2006, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) commenced a Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program (PPH) for
a period of one year ending on July 3, 2007. A notice entitled
"Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the United States
Patent and Trademark Office and the Japan Patent Office" was
published on June 13, 2006 at 1307 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 61
providing the details of the PPH pilot program. The notice indicated
that one of the requirements for requesting participation in the PPH
pilot program in the USPTO is that applicant must submit a copy of all
the Office actions (including a "Decision to Grant a Patent") from each
of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) application(s) containing the
allowable/patentable claims that are the basis for the request, along
with an English translation thereof and a statement that the English
translation is accurate.

   Based on the requests filed since July 3, 2006, the USPTO has
decided that it will NOT be necessary for applicant to submit a copy
of the "Decision to Grant a Patent," an English translation of the
"Decision to Grant a Patent" and a statement that the translation is
accurate (note that applicant must still comply with all the other
requirements identified in subsection II.B. of the June 13, 2006 notice
in order to be eligible to participate in the PPH pilot program).
The USPTO will obtain a copy of the "Decision to Grant a Patent" along
with a machine translation into the English language via the Dossier Access
System. The form, "Request for Participation in the Patent Prosecution
Highway (PPH) Pilot Program between the JPO and the USPTO," PTO/SB/20
(dated 12-06) has been revised to indicate that it is not necessary for
applicant to submit a copy of the "Decision to Grant a Patent" and an
English translation thereof. A copy of the revised form PTO/SB/20 is
available at www.uspto.gov/web/forms/sb0020.pdf.

   This revised requirements for requesting participation in the
PPH pilot program is effective immediately.

   Please continue to direct inquiries on the PPH pilot program to
Magdalen Greenlief at 571-272-8800 or via e-mail addressed to
magdalen.greenlief@uspto.gov.

January 3, 2007                                                   JOHN DOLL
                                                   Commissioner for Patents