NEWS

TitlePatent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the USPTO and the KIPO
Date2008-01-24

1. Outline of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program 
The purpose of the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program between the United States 
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) is for an 
applicant to facilitate acquisition of a patent at an early stage and to enhance the utilization of 
search and examination results between the USPTO and the KIPO for same application filed with 
the USPTO and the KIPO. 
When an applicant receives an examination result from the USPTO that the claims are determined 
to be allowable or patentable, the applicant files a request for Preferential Examination under the 
PPH Pilot Program to the KIPO. 
When an applicant receives an examination result from the KIPO that the claims are determined to 
be allowable or patentable, the applicant files a request for Accelerated Examination under the 
PPH Pilot Program to the USPTO. 

2. Trial Period of the PPH Pilot Program 
The PPH Pilot Program will commence from January 28, 2008 to January 28, 2009 as a trial period. 
The USPTO and the KIPO will evaluate the results of the pilot program to determine whether and 
how the PPH Pilot Program should be implemented after the trial period. 

3. Case applied for the PPH Pilot Program 
The PPH Pilot Program shall be applied to all applications pending with the USPTO and the KIPO on and after January 28, 2008. 

4. Required documents for filing a Request of the PPH Pilot Program 

   A) Request for the Accelerated Examination to the USPTO 
      An applicant must submit the following documents for requesting the accelerated examination 
      to the USPTO. 

        (1) English translation of all claims determined to be allowable or patentable by the KIPO 
        (2) English translation of all office actions of KIPO(Non-final rejection and final rejection) 
        (3) Copies of references cited by the KIPO examiner 
        (4) A table list including explanation of corresponding claims between the KIPO claims and 
             the USPTO claims. 

   B) Request for the Preferential Examination to the KIPO 
      An applicant must submit the following documents for requesting the preferential examination 
      to the KIPO. 

        (1) Copies of all claims determined to be allowable or patentable by the USPTO 
        (2) Copies of all office actions of the USPTO 
        (Notice of allowability, non-final rejection and final rejection) 
        (3) Copies of references cited by the USPTO examiner 
        (4) A table list including explanation of the corresponding claims between the USPTO claims 
             and the KIPO claims.