Top of Notices   (167)  December 27, 2011

US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

Print This Notice 1373 CNOG  792

Patent Prosecution Highway

Referenced Items (165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219)

(167)            Continuation of the Patent Prosecution Highway
                          Pilot Program between the
                     USPTO and the Austrian Patent Office

   On October 1, 2010, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) commenced a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program which
enabled an applicant whose claims have been determined allowable/patentable
in an application filed in the Austrian Patent Office (APO) to have the
corresponding application filed in the USPTO advanced out of turn for
examination. See notice entitled "Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program
between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Austrian
Patent Office," 1359 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 253 (October 26, 2010). The
USPTO indicated that the pilot program would last for a period of one year
ending on September 30, 2011, but may be extended for an additional time
period thereafter.

   In order to adequately assess the feasibility of the PPH pilot program,
the USPTO and APO have agreed to extend the pilot in its current state in
order to collect more information before any formal decision on the program
is made.

   Please continue to direct inquiries on the PPH pilot program to Magdalen
Greenlief at 571-272-8140 or via e-mail addressed to
Magdalen.greenlief@uspto.gov.

                                                            DAVID J. KAPPOS
                  Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
                  Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

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