USPTO Announces Three New Patent Prosecution Highway Partnerships

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) today announced the October 1, 2012 launch of a new Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) with the patent office of the Czech Republic, and the planned launch of two additional PPHs with the patent offices of the Philippines and Portugal in January 2013. The expedited examination in each office will allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently in each country.

Under the Patent Prosecution Highway, an applicant receiving a ruling from one participating office that at least one claim in the application is patentable may request that the other participating office fast track the examination of corresponding claims in their application filed in the other office.  The PPH will allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.

“These new partnerships with the Czech, Philippines, and Portuguese offices are further evidence of the growing, global appeal of the PPH and the importance of work sharing to improving the international patent system,” said Under Secretary for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO David Kappos, speaking from meetings of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. “Patent offices cannot be bystanders—we must be driving forces for innovation, economic growth, and job creation, and I welcome our new partners in this effort.”

For non-press inquiries contact Paolo Trevisan at Paolo.Trevisan@uspto.gov.

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