The First Action Interview Pilot Program remains open and currently available to all utility art areas. Under the program, participants are permitted to conduct an interview with the examiner after reviewing a Pre-Interview Communication providing the result of a prior art search conducted by the examiner. Participants experience many benefits including: (1) the ability to advance prosecution of an application; (2) enhanced interaction between applicant and the examiner; (3) the opportunity to resolve patentability issues one-on-one with the examiner at the beginning of the prosecution process; and (4) the opportunity to facilitate possible early allowance.
Any request for a First Action Interview will be granted if all of the requirements set forth in Section III (Requirements) of this notice are satisfied. The procedure for the First Action Interview Pilot Program remains unchanged from, and offers the same benefits and flexibilities to the participants as, the procedures used during earlier iterations of the program.
Full First Action Interview Pilot Program
More information about the Full First Action Interview Pilot Program is available here.
Previous Versions of the First Action Interview Pilot Program
More information about the original First Action Interview Pilot Program (04/28/08 - 11/01/08) is available here.
More information about the Enhanced First Action Interview Pilot Program (10/01/09 - 03/31/11) is available here.