Top of Notices Top of Notices   (213)  December 31, 2019 US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE Print This Notice 1469 CNOG  780 

Patent Prosecution Highway Referenced Items (207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223)
(213)   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 State
Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO). 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 notice
announcing the IP5 PPH pilot program indicated that the IP5 PPH pilot
program would terminate on January 5, 2017, but may be extended thereafter.

   In order to further assess the IP5 PPH pilot program, the IP5 offices
have agreed to extend the pilot for a period of three years ending on
January 5, 2020.

   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.

November 17, 2016                                           MICHELLE K. LEE
                  Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and
                  Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office

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