Table 1. Summary of Patent Examining Activities
|
TABLE 1
SUMMARY OF PATENT EXAMINING ACTIVITIES(As of September 30 of each fiscal year) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
PATENT EXAMINING ACTIVITY
|
1997
|
1998
|
1999
|
2000
|
2001
|
|
|
Applications filed, total |
237,045 |
256,666 |
278,268 |
311,807 |
344,717
|
|
| Utility /1, /2 |
219,486
|
238,850
|
259,618
|
291,653
|
324,211
|
|
| Reissue /2 |
607
|
582
|
664
|
805
|
956
|
|
| Plant /2 |
680
|
658
|
759
|
786
|
914
|
|
| Design |
16,272
|
16,576
|
17,227
|
18,563
|
18,636
|
|
|
First actions
|
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| Design |
15,038
|
16,836
|
18,050
|
17,856
|
17,748
|
|
| Utility, Plant, and Reissue |
193,635
|
192,849
|
226,642
|
237,421
|
241,770
|
|
| PCT/Chapter 1 |
12,268
|
13,430
|
14,316
|
16,331
|
17,972
|
|
|
|
212,763
|
220,333
|
238,292
|
252,871
|
257,467
|
|
|
Allowed Patent Applications, total /3 |
148,802
|
158,259
|
171,685
|
182,888
|
183,394
|
|
| Design |
13,562
|
15,214
|
16,305
|
16,688
|
16,526
|
|
| Utility, Plant, and Reissue |
135,240
|
143,045
|
155,380
|
166,200
|
166,868
|
|
|
|
63,878
|
61,994
|
66,493
|
69,895
|
74,014
|
|
| Design |
2,511
|
1,892
|
2,431
|
1,839
|
1,448
|
|
| Utility, Plant, and Reissue |
61,367
|
60,102
|
64,062
|
68,056
|
72,566
|
|
|
Statutory invention registration disposals, total |
83
|
80
|
114
|
88
|
59
|
|
|
PCT/Chapter II examinations completed
|
11,582
|
12,223
|
12,886
|
15,471
|
18,859
|
|
|
Patents issued /4
|
122,977
|
154,579
|
159,166
|
182,223
|
187,822
|
|
| Utility |
111,979
|
139,298
|
142,856
|
164,490
|
169,576
|
|
| Reissue |
267
|
284
|
437
|
561
|
504
|
|
| Plant |
400
|
577
|
393
|
453
|
563
|
|
| Design |
10,331
|
14,420
|
15,480
|
16,719
|
17,179
|
|
|
Allowed applications, issue fee not paid /5 |
5,599
|
6,853
|
4,000
|
7,633
|
6,985
|
|
| Pendency time of average patent application /6 |
22.2
|
23.8
|
25.0
|
25.0
|
24.7
|
|
| Reexamination requests |
376
|
350
|
385
|
318
|
296
|
|
| Reexamination certificates issued |
334
|
317
|
243
|
276
|
287
|
|
| PCT search reports prepared |
12,048
|
12,859
|
14,116
|
15,896
|
16,692
|
|
| PCT international applications received by USPTO as receiving office |
22,767
|
27,138
|
30,305
|
36,671
|
43,322
|
|
| National requirements received by USPTO as designated/elected office |
13,858
|
17,305
|
19,941
|
23,628
|
26,821
|
|
| International preliminary examination reports |
11,738
|
12,003
|
14,615
|
15,044
|
17,740
|
|
| Patents renewed under P.L. 102-204 /7 |
138,695
|
135,462
|
156,414
|
206,255
|
205,117
|
|
| Patents expired under P.L. 102-204 /7 |
54,485
|
41,063
|
52,289
|
47,958
|
49,077
|
|
|
1/ Utility patents include chemical, electrical and mechanical applications. |
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