Top of Notices   (205)  December 31, 2013

US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

Print This Notice 1397 CNOG  757

Patent Prosecution Highway

Referenced Items (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, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244, 245, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267)

(205)           Continuation of the Patent Prosecution Highway
                   Pilot Program between the USPTO and the
                   Mexican Institute of Industrial Property

   On March 1, 2011, 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 Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) to
have the corresponding application filed in the USPTO advanced out of turn
for examination. See "Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the
United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Mexican Institute of
Industrial Property," 1364 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 201 (March 15, 2011). The
USPTO indicated that the pilot program would last for a period of one year
ending on February 29, 2012, but may be extended up to an additional year
thereafter.

   In order to adequately assess the feasibility of the PPH pilot program,
the USPTO and the IMPI have decided to extend the pilot program for an
additional six months to August 31, 2012. The USPTO and the IMPI will
evaluate the results of the pilot program at the end of this six-month
period to determine whether and how the program should be fully
implemented.

   Any inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to Bryan Lin,
Office of PCT Legal Administration at 571-272-3303, or via e-mail addressed
to bryan.lin@uspto.gov.

   Specific questions about the Patent Prosecution Highway should be
directed to the Office of Petitions at 571-272-3282, or via e-mail
addressed to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.

March 7, 2012                                               DAVID J. KAPPOS
                                            Under Secretary of Commerce for
                                  Intellectual Property and Director of the
                                  United States Patent and Trademark Office

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