TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF PATENT EXAMINING ACTIVITIES
(As of September 30 of each fiscal year)
PATENT EXAMINING ACTIVITY |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
Applications filed, total |
278,268 |
311,807 |
344,717 |
353,394 |
355,418 |
Utility
1
|
259,618 |
291,653 |
324,211 |
331,580 |
331,729 |
Reissue |
664 |
805 |
956 |
974 |
938 |
Plant |
759 |
786 |
914 |
1,134 |
785 |
Design |
17,227 |
18,563 |
18,636 |
19,706 |
21,966 |
 |
Provisional Applications Filed
2
|
54,727 |
78,963 |
86,123 |
89,537 |
92,517 |
 |
First actions |
Design |
18,050 |
17,856 |
17,748 |
19,029 |
19,013 |
Utility, Plant, and Reissue |
226,642 |
237,421 |
241,770 |
275,054 |
283,111 |
PCT/Chapter 1 |
14,316 |
16,331 |
17,972 |
19,460 |
23,277 |
 |
Patent application disposals, total |
238,292 |
252,871 |
257,467 |
279,297 |
303,635 |
 |
Allowed patent applications, total |
171,685 |
182,888 |
183,394 |
189,191 |
205,879 |
Design |
16,305 |
16,688 |
16,526 |
17,377 |
17,596 |
Utility, Plant, and Reissue |
155,380 |
166,200 |
166,868 |
171,814 |
188,283 |
 |
Abandoned, total |
66,493 |
69,895 |
74,014 |
90,092 |
97,745 |
Design |
2,431 |
1,839 |
1,448 |
1,675 |
1,569 |
Utility, Plant, and Reissue |
64,062 |
68,056 |
72,566 |
88,417 |
96,176 |
 |
Statutory invention registration disposals, total |
114 |
88 |
59 |
14 |
11 |
 |
PCT/Chapter II examinations completed |
12,886 |
15,471 |
18,859 |
16,456 |
21,005 |
 |
Patents issued3
|
159,166 |
182,223 |
187,822 |
177,317 |
189,597 |
Utility |
142,856 |
164,490 |
169,576 |
160,843 |
171,500 |
Reissue |
437 |
561 |
504 |
466 |
394 |
Plant |
393 |
453 |
563 |
912 |
1,178 |
Design |
15,480 |
16,719 |
17,179 |
15,096 |
16,525 |
 |
Pendency time of average patent application
4 |
25.0 |
25.0 |
24.7 |
24.0 |
26.7 |
Reexamination certificates issued |
243 |
276 |
287 |
200 |
193 |
PCT international applications received by USPTO as receiving office |
30,305 |
36,671 |
43,322 |
42,889 |
42,969 |
National requirements received by USPTO as designated/elected office |
19,941 |
23,628 |
26,821 |
29,846 |
32,753 |
Patents renewed under Public Law (P.L.) 102-204
5 |
156,414 |
206,255 |
205,117 |
194,143 |
253,475 |
Patents expired under P.L. 102-204
5 |
52,289 |
47,958 |
49,077 |
53,724 |
57,770 |
 Notes:
1/ Utility patents include chemical, electrical and
mechanical applications.

2/ Provisional applications provided for in P.L. 103-465.

3/ Excludes withdrawn numbers.

4/ Average time (in months) between filing and issuance
or abandonment of utility, plant, and reissue applications. This average does not include design patents.

5/ The provisions of P.L. 102-204 regarding the
renewal of patents superceded P.L. 96-517 and P.L. 97-247.

FY 1999 column revised from FY 1999 report.
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