Extension of PPH pilot program between USPTO and SIPO - 2014.01.08

State Intellectual Property Office of the P.R.C. (SIPO) announced on November 29, 2013 that Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program between USPTO and SIPO was extended from December 1, 2013 with no definite end. In addition, the requirements and procedures for submission of PPH requests to both Offices remain unchanged.

Under the PPH pilot program, an applicant receiving a ruling from either the SIPO or the USPTO that at least one claim in an application is patentable may request the other office to accelerate the examination of corresponding claims in corresponding applications. The PPH pilot program provides a strategic advantage to fast-track patent examination procedures already available in both offices so as to facilitate applicants in China and the United States to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.

Regarding official fees, the USPTO had eliminated the fee for the petition to make special under the PPH programs, as of May 25, 2010. The SIPO also requires no additional official fee for submission of PPH requests. 

Prior to the announcement of the PPH’s time extension, the trial period, which started on December 1, 2011 and was set to expire November 30, 2012, had been extended to November 30, 2013.

For further information, please visit the following links or contact us directly: SIPO PPH: http://www.sipo.gov.cn/ztzl/ywzt/pph/ (Chinese) USPTO PPH: http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/pph_cn.jsp

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