The Patent Prosecution Highway in Conjunction With the Canadian Intellectual Property Office

Under the Patent Prosecution Highway, an applicant receiving a ruling from either the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) or the USPTO that at least one claim in an application is patentable may request that the other office fast track the examination of corresponding claims in corresponding applications. The Patent Prosecution Highway will leverage fast-track patent examination procedures already available in both offices to allow applicants in both countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.

The trial period is set to expire 28 January 2009, but may be extended for up to one year or terminated earlier depending on volume of activity and other factors. Both offices will provide notice of any adjustment in the pilot program.

>> View Press Release announcing the pilot program.

>> View the CIPO Announcement on the pilot program.

Patent Prosecution Highway Requests to USPTO

• Fillable Form SB/20 CA (Patent Prosecution Highway Request Form) [PDF]
• Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (signed 14 January 2008) [PDF] (Please note that "PPH.PET.652" referred to in the notice is a doc code for internal use only. The PPH request and the supporting documents (except for preliminary amendments and IDS) must be indexed as “Petition to make special under Patent Pros Hwy".)
• Extension of the Patent Prosecution Highway Pilot Program between the USPTO and the CIPO (signed 22 December 2008) [PDF]

Patent Prosecution Highway Requests to CIPO

• How to make a request (published by the CIPO, includes links to request form)

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