| Patent Prosecution Highway |
Referenced Items (181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198) |
(183) Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program
Between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the
Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks
I. Background
Beginning in July 2006, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) has partnered with several other offices in Patent Prosecution
Highway (PPH) programs. The PPH enables an applicant who receives a
positive ruling on patent claims from one participating office to request
accelerated prosecution of corresponding claims in another participating
office, which allows the applicant to obtain a patentability decision in
the second office more quickly. Furthermore, the PPH promotes patent
application processing efficiency by allowing the examiner in the office of
later examination (OLE) to reuse the search and examination results from
the office of earlier examination (OEE), thereby reducing workload and
duplication of effort.
On January 6, 2014, the USPTO began participating in the Global PPH and
IP5 PPH ("Global/IP5 PPH") pilot programs, which consolidated and replaced
numerous earlier PPH programs, thereby streamlining and simplifying the PPH
process for both applicants and Global/IP5 PPH participating offices. See
Implementation of the Global and IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot
Programs with Participating Offices, 1400 OFF. GAZ. PAT. OFFICE 172 (March
18, 2014).
Following discussions between the USPTO and the Romanian State Office
for Inventions and Trademarks (OSIM), the USPTO is implementing a PPH pilot
program with the OSIM. The OSIM is not currently a Global/IP5 PPH
participating office and is partnering with the USPTO in the PPH on a
bilateral basis only. However, a PPH request submitted in the USPTO based
on OSIM work product will be treated under the published Global/IP5 PPH
standards as discussed in Section III below.
II. Trial Period for the PPH Pilot Program with the OSIM
The PPH pilot program with the OSIM will commence on April 15, 2015, and
will run for a period of four (4) years ending on April 14, 2019. The trial
period may be extended if necessary to adequately assess the feasibility of
the PPH program. Both offices will continually evaluate the results of the
PPH pilot program to determine whether and how the program should be
modified. The offices also may terminate the PPH pilot program early if the
volume of participation exceeds a manageable level, or for any other
reason. Notice will be published if the PPH pilot program will be
terminated. Unless the OSIM becomes a Global PPH participating office, any
extension or termination of the Global/IP5 PPH program will have no effect
on this PPH pilot program.
III. Participation in the PPH Pilot Program with the OSIM in the USPTO
Any request to participate in a PPH program in the USPTO based on OSIM
work product is subject to the same requirements and procedures as, and
will receive equivalent treatment to, a request made under the Global/IP5
PPH pilot program as set forth in the following notice: Implementation of
the Global and IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Programs with
Participating Offices, 1400 OFF. GAZ. PAT. OFFICE 172 (March 18, 2014).
This PPH pilot program will also be subject to any modifications to the
requirements and procedures of the Global/IP5 PPH pilot program. A request
form (Form PTO/SB/20RO) will be available from the USPTO Web site at
http://www.uspto.gov/patents-getting-started/international-protection/
patent-prosecution-highway-pph-fast-track.
Any inquiries concerning this notice may be directed to Bryan Lin,
International Patent 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 30, 2015 MICHELLE K. LEE
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
[1414 OG 188]
Top of Notices (183) December 29, 2015