Top of Notices   (229)  December 31, 2013

US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

Print This Notice 1397 CNOG  785

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)

(229)           Extension of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program
          between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the
                      German Patent and Trade Mark Office

   On April 27, 2009, 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 German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) 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 German Patent and Trade Mark
Office," 1342 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 100 (May 12, 2009). The USPTO indicated
that the pilot program would last for a period of two years ending on
April 27, 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 the DPMA have decided to extend the pilot program for an
additional two years to April 26, 2013. The USPTO and DPMA will evaluate the
results of the pilot program at the end of this two-year period to determine
whether and how the program should be fully implemented.

   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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