It is not uncommon for applicants to file related patent applications in the United States and in Japan. When the applications claim priority to a common patent application, or one of the applications claims priority to the...more
Major patent offices around the world have long been aware of backlog and redundancy issues facing the global patent landscape. As previously reviewed, the Patent Prosecution (PPH) program aims to accelerate examination...more
The October 2020 issue of Sterne Kessler's Global Patent Prosecution newsletter discusses the factors you need to consider when filing strategies to protect your innovations in Asia and reviews the benefits for using the...more
In general, the maximum term of protection for an invention in the U.S. under a utility patent is 20 years less than the period of patent pendency. This term begins to run on the day the patent issues and ends 20 years after...more
For the life science industry, patents are more than just tools for restricting the commercial activities of direct competitors. Patents are being used more and more to generate substantial additional returns on research and...more
This article discusses foreign filing requirements in Europe—in particular, the United Kingdom and Germany. Assuming each is the country of invention, the following questions are explored for each jurisdiction: (1) who needs...more
Survey of Foreign Filing Requirements in the United States, China, and Europe - Many governments require approval of technical subject matter described in patent applications in the form of a foreign filing license prior...more
Canada launched its Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program a decade ago with the goal of fast-tracking patent examination and improving patent quality. Since its introduction, the PPH program has been an enormous success...more
The grant of a patent can be delayed by years due to backlogs at patent offices around the world. However, recognizing the urgent need to address climate change, certain patent offices have established programs to expedite...more
USPTO and INPI Establish PPH Pilot Program - On November 23, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and Brazil's National Institute for Industrial Property (INPI) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a...more
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) is a program that allows applicants to leverage allowable claims in one participating office to obtain a patent faster and more efficiently for corresponding claims in another...more
The USPTO promotes the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) as a way to “fast-track” a U.S. patent application when a corresponding foreign application has been allowed, or when a corresponding PCT application has received a...more