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IP News Flash |
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UK and Japan to Begin a Patent
Prosecution Highway Pilot Program in July 2007
Following the success of the pilot program
between Japan Patent Office and US Patent and Trademark
Office that started in July of 2006, the UK will launch a similar PPH
pilot program with Japan in July of this year. The pilot will allow
patent applicants who have received an examination report by either the
UK Patent Office (UKPO) or the JPO to request accelerated examination of
a corresponding patent application filed in the other country. This will
allow each office to benefit from work previously done by the other
office and improve on the quality and efficiency of the application
process of both offices. The application process requires that the
applicant submit search and examination reports prepared by the other
patent office in order to qualify.
According to the JPO, the US-Japan program
had succeeded in cutting the pending time for a first action filing by
two years. Only 50 applications were filed using this scheme during the
trial period, but more are predicted to take part now that the program has
officially launched in January 2007.
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