By Christopher P. Singer —

In a notice dated
September 23, 2009, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced that it will extend for one year the
trial period for its patent prosecution highway (PPH) program with the European Patent Office.  The extended trial period will expire on
September 30, 2010.  As we have
noted, the PPH programs are designed to expedite and leverage the examination
process for applicants that have received favorable examination in one of the partner
countries.

We reported last winter about the types of
applications that are eligible for participation in the trial PPH, and the requirements
for participation (see "Additional
Application Types Eligible for Participation in PPH Between USPTO and EPO").  Updated requirements for participation in the USPTO
will be available here, and
requirements in the EPO will be posted here.

For additional information regarding this and other related topics, please see:

• "USPTO Initiates Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program with Finland Patent Office," June 29, 2009
• "USPTO Extends Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program with IP Australia; Begins Pilot Program with German Patent Office," April 15, 2009
• "USPTO Begins Pilot Program with the German Patent Office," May 7, 2009
• "Pilot PPH Program between Singapore and U.S.," February 1, 2009
• "Full Time Patent Prosecution Highway between Korea and US," January 28, 2009
• "Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot with CIPO Is Extended," December 23, 2008
• "Additional Application Types Eligible for Participation in PPH between USPTO and WPO," December 11, 2008
• "Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between U.S. and Danish Patent Offices," October 29, 2008
• "Patent Prosecution Highway Expands to Europe," September 25, 2008
• "USPTO and UKIPO Extend Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program," September 3, 2008
• "USPTO and EPO to Implement Pilot Patent Prosecution Highway Program," April 29, 2008
• "Patent Prosecution Highway Extended to IP Australia," April 2, 2008
• "Patent Prosecution Highway Network Expands to Canada & Korea," January 29, 2008
• "USPTO Announces Two Additional Partners in the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program," January 17, 2008
• "USPTO and JPO to Implement Patent Prosecution Highway on Full-Time Basis," December 27, 2007
• "USPTO and UK IPO to Collaborate on Patent Prosecution Highway," September 14, 2007