708.02(c) Patent Prosecution Highway Program [R-11.2013]
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) speeds up the examination process for corresponding applications filed in participating countries by allowing examiners to reuse search and examination results. The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) speeds up the examination process for corresponding applications filed in participating countries by allowing examiners to reuse search and examination results. examination will not entitle the applicant to a refund of tcations filed in the OSF. The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) speeds up the examination process for corresponding applications filed in The PPH will leverage fast-track examination procedures already available in the OSF to allow applicants to obtain patents faster and more efficiently. For example, the OSF can use the OFF’s work products – such as allowances or search reports – to streamline patent processing.
The USPTO has PPH arrangements with over a dozen intellectual property offices. See http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp for details and forms to request participation in, and to petition to make an application special under, the PPH program.