Top of Notices   (203)  December 27, 2011

US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

Print This Notice 1373 CNOG  829

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)

(203)                        Continuation of the
                   Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program
                           between the USPTO and EPO

   On September 29, 2008, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) commenced a Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program (PPH) which
enabled an applicant whose claims have been determined allowable/patentable
in an application filed in the European Patent Office (EPO) 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 European Patent
Office," 1335 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 196 (October 21, 2008). The USPTO
indicated that the pilot program would last for a period of one year ending
on September 29, 2009, 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 EPO have agreed to extend the pilot for an additional year
ending on September 30, 2010, in order to collect more information before
any formal decision on the program is made.

   In addition, the USPTO and EPO along with the Japan Patent Office (JPO)
are considering a possible expansion of PPH eligibility requirements such
as permitting PPH requests to be made on the basis of PCT international
phase work. More information on these developments will be made in due
course. 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.

September 22, 2009                                          DAVID J. KAPPOS
                                            Under Secretary of Commerce for
                                  Intellectual Property and Director of the
                                  United States Patent and Trademark Office

                                 [1347 OG 170]