Patent Prosecution Highway Between USPTO and APO (Pilot)

The Patent Prosecution Highway in Conjunction With the Austrian Patent Office

Under the Patent Prosecution Highway, an applicant receiving a ruling from either the Austrian Patent Office (APO) or the USPTO that at least one claim in an application is patentable may request that the other office fast track the examination of corresponding claims in corresponding applications. The Patent Prosecution Highway will leverage fast-track patent examination procedures already available in both offices to allow applicants in both countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.

As of May 25, 2010, the USPTO has eliminated the fee for the petition to make special under the PPH programs.

The trial period, which started on 01 October 2010 and was originally set to expire 30 September 2011, has been extended in order to collect more information before any formal decision on the program is made.

View the USPTO Press Release announcing the pilot program.

View the APO Press Release (in German) for the pilot program.

Patent Prosecution Highway Requests to USPTO

Fillable Form SB/20AT (Patent Prosecution Highway Request Form) [PDF]

Continuation of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the USPTO and the Austrian Patent Office (signed 05 October 2011)

Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Austrian Patent Office (signed 17 September 2010)

Patent Prosecution Highway Requests to APO

How to make a request (published by the APO in English)

Request form (published by the APO in German)