The PPH leverages fast-track patent examination in each office to allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently in each country. It also will permit each office to benefit from work previously done by the other office, in turn reducing examination workload and improving patent quality.

“Office-to-office cooperation is a cornerstone of efforts to manage workload,” explained Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO, Jon Dudas.

“As it expands, the Patent Prosecution Highway network will increasingly contribute to streamlining the global patent system and, in the process, allow patent offices to achieve efficiency gains and higher patent quality by leveraging each other’s work.”

Under the Patent Prosecution Highway, an applicant receiving a ruling from either CIPO or KIPO that at least one claim in an application is patentable may request that the USPTO fast track the examination of corresponding claims in corresponding applications.

Similarly, if the USPTO determines that at least one claim is patentable, the applicant may request accelerated processing of corresponding applications filed at CIPO or KIPO.

The purpose of these trial programs is to gauge the interest of applicants and determine if the program improves quality and efficiency and reduces the workload at the USPTO as well as the Canadian and Korean Patent Offices.

The trial period started on Tuesday, and is set to expire January 28, 2009, but may be extended for up to one year or terminated earlier depending on volume of activity and other factors.

The USPTO has previously undertaken Patent Prosecution Highway programs with the United Kingdom and Japan.