(225) Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program
Between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the
Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Authority for
Intellectual Property of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SAIP), the USPTO will
implement a PPH pilot program with the SAIP. The SAIP 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 SAIP 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 SAIP
The PPH pilot program will commence on January 1, 2020, and will run for
a period of three years ending on December 31, 2022. The trial period may
be extended upon mutual written decision by the Offices. During the trial
period, the Offices intend to continually evaluate the PPH pilot program to
determine whether and how the program should be modified. Either Office may
terminate the PPH pilot program early for any reason, including if the
volume of participation exceeds a manageable level. Notice will be
published if the PPH pilot program will be extended or terminated. Unless
the SAIP 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 SAIP in the USPTO
Any request to participate in a PPH program in the USPTO based on SAIP
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 also will be subject to any modifications to the
requirements and procedures of the Global/IP5 PPH pilot program. A request
form (Form PTO/SB/20SA) is available from the USPTO Web site at
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/.
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.
December 6, 2019 ANDREI IANCU
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
[1471 OG 63]
Top of Notices (225) December 28, 2021