UK INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY OFFICE News Release issued by The Government News Network
on 4 September 2007
Patent Highway
between the UK and USA opens today
A 12 month pilot scheme launched today will speed up processing
patent applications in the UK and the United States of America.
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) will allow patent applicants
who have received an examination report by either the UK
Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO) or the United States Patent
and Trademark Office (USPTO) to request accelerated examination of
a corresponding patent application filed in the other country.
The aim of the pilot is to test applicant demand for this
additional option for speeding up examination of patent
applications and to quantify the quality and efficiency gains to
be expected.
The pilot scheme with the USPTO follows an earlier PPH agreement
with the Japan Patent Office established earlier this year.
Lord Triesman, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for
Intellectual Property and Quality said:
"The Patent Prosecution Highway with the US Patent and
Trademark Office builds on a similar pilot scheme with the Japan
Patent Office which is already showing great promise.
"The Patent Prosecution Highway agreement between the UK-IPO
and the US PTO will enhance the operational efficiency of both
agencies and improve patent quality. The agreement will help to
efficiently and effectively safeguard inventors' intellectual
property and help to stimulate innovation on a national and
international scale. The PPH will further enhance the
UK-IPO's reputation for delivering a high quality, cost
effective service and is a valuable addition to the services
offered at the UK-IPO"
"The PPH helps both offices in their goal of stimulating and
rewarding invention and innovation and is a further step towards a
global patent prosecution highway network."
Ian Fletcher, Chief Executive of the UK Intellectual Property
Office said:
"The UK Intellectual Property Office has high standards in
efficiency and quality as reflected in our ISO 9001:2000
accreditation. The PPH agreement with the US Patent and Trademark
Office will make a contribution to raising these standards
further. I am especially pleased that the improved efficiency and
quality expected to arise from this PPH agreement is a direct
result of the strong relations that exist between the UK
Intellectual Property Office and the US Patent and Trademark Office.
"Patent users worldwide want offices to cooperate more
effectively. Our collective goal is to reduce duplication of
work, speed up processing, and improve quality," said Under
Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of
the USPTO Jon Dudas. "This pilot project with the UK builds
on work with the JPO, and contributes to a more rational
international patent system."
The development of work sharing arrangements between the UK-IPO
and other national patent offices is a key recommendation of the
Gowers Review of Intellectual Property.
Editor note
- The pilot scheme is the result of the recent signing of the
Patent Prosecution Highway pilot agreement by the UK Intellectual
Property Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
- The pilot arrangement between the UK and USA will build upon
the initial success of the Patent Prosecution Highway currently
being piloted by the USPTO and the JPO, and will help promote
international efforts to develop work sharing arrangements aimed
at reducing cross-national duplication of effort.
- The UK-IPO web site can be found at http://www.ipo.gov.uk
- The USPTO can be found at http://www.uspto.gov/
- Patent applicants will be required to submit search and
examination reports prepared by the other patent office in order
qualify for accelerated treatment.