Benefits of the PPH Pilot Project expanded now to Information Technology Patent Applications
Resolution No. 218/2018 established phase II of Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program between the INPI and the USPTO, which will be effective as of May 10, 2018 to April 20, 2020.
In addition to applications encompassing claims directed to oil, gas and petrochemical inventions, now applications encompassing claims directed to Information Technology inventions, such as Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy; Audio-visual technology; Telecommunications; Digital communication; Basic communication processes; computer technology; IT methods for management; Semiconductors are also eligible to participate in the Program. Phase II of the program also included new classes of the International Patent Classification (IPC) in the list of the classes directed to oil, gas and petrochemical inventions, which are eligible to participate in the Program.
While phase I of the project only encompassed applications filed after January 1, 2013, this new phase does not include such a limitation.
Another change is that each applicant will be limited to only one request per month, exception being made for the last month of the project (April 2020), during which there will be no limit of requests. The program will examine up to 200 requests as Office of Later Examination.
