(228) Continuation of the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program
with the IP5 Offices
On January 6, 2014, the United States Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) commenced the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program
with the other IP5 offices, i.e., the European Patent Office (EPO), Japan
Patent Office (JPO), Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), and the
National Intellectual Property Administration of the People's Republic of
China (CNIPA). The IP5 PPH pilot program enables an applicant whose claims
have been determined allowable or patentable in an application filed in one
IP5 office to have the corresponding application filed in another IP5
office advanced out of turn for examination. 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). The
initial term of the IP5 PPH pilot program was extended by the IP5 offices
for an additional three years and was scheduled to terminate on January 5,
2020. See Continuation of the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot
Program with the IP5 Offices, 1433 OFF. GAZ. PAT. OFFICE 264 (December 27,
2016).
In order to continue to assess the IP5 PPH pilot program, the IP5
offices have agreed to further extend the pilot for a period of three years
ending on January 5, 2023. The USPTO will treat as timely any PPH request
based on the work product of any IP5 office filed in the USPTO between
January 5, 2020, and the publication date of this notice.
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.
January 11, 2020 ANDREI IANCU
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
[1471 OG 66]
Top of Notices (228) December 28, 2021