FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PTO-96-11

Contact:  Richard Maulsby
                Lisa-Joy Zgorski
                (703-205-8341

PTO to Expedite Patent Process for Anti-Terrorism Inventions

The Commerce Department's Patent and Trademark Office (PTO)
announced today that

patent applications for anti-terrorism inventions will
receive "special" status, which will

allow the  PTO to expediate the patent examination process
and grant patents on those

inventions more quickly.

"In view of recent events--the crash of TWA 800 and the
bombing at Centennial Park in Atlanta--it is imperative that
those seeking to prevent terrorism have all of the tools
necessary to accomplish their task," said Bruce A. Lehman,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents
and Trademarks.  "By allowing "special" status for
inventions that prevent or deter terrorism, those tools will
be in the hands of those who need them more quickly."

In general, patent applications are examined in the order
that they appear on an examiner's docket.  If an applicant
files a "petition to make special" and it is approved, the
application moves ahead of all others and the examination
and patent grant, if allowed, is expedited.  Inventions that
can be accorded special status are those that materially
enhance the quality of the environment or contribute to the
development or conservation of energy.   Most recently,
patent applications related to treatment and cures for
HIV/AIDS and cancer were also accorded this special status.

                                                         XXX
July 29, 1996