Patent Office Unveils Speedy Pilot Processing Program
The Patent and Trademark Office will initiate a six-month pilot program that will allow an applicant to have an interview with a patent examiner prior to the first office action on the merits in a new application, officials said Monday. The program, which begins April 28, is aimed at expediting patent processing by boosting applicant-examiner interaction.
"An interview between the applicant and examiner early in the review process can help resolve issues more quickly and expedite a final decision,” PTO Director Jon Dudas said in a press release. The information exchange will reduce patent pendency and improve patent quality, he said. The agency current has a backlog of more than 700,000 applications.
The pilot program will be limited to two technology areas -- electrical computers and digital processing systems/multi-computer data transferring and data processing/database and file management or data structures. For details regarding eligibility and criteria for participation, go here.
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