Due to the success of Track One, the USPTO has created the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program to carry the benefits of prioritized examination through to appeals.

The new program aims to review eligible appeals and issue a decision within six months from the date a petition is granted. The average pendency for a standard appeal is currently about 14 months — down from a high of 30 months in 2015. Given its low petition fee and promise to cut disposition time by more than half, the Program is likely to be popular among patent applicants — despite one key limitation.

What is the Fast-Track Appeals Pilot Program?
The Program is essentially an extension of the Track One prioritized examination program, which allows applicants to obtain a final disposition on a patent application within 12 months of the application’s filing date. The Track One program is both popular and successful, but prioritized examination under that program does not carry through to appeals from a final rejection — meaning that applicants could lose the benefit of prioritized examination should they decide to appeal. Due to the success of Track One, the USPTO created the new program to carry the benefits of prioritized examination through to appeals. 

The eligibility requirements for the Program are fairly straightforward. To qualify for fast-track status, the following four conditions must be met: 

To succeed in any industry, a certain amount of foresight and planning is key. For patent attorneys, identifying and taking action on high-cost prosecution can lessen the usual timeline and save money in the long term.

Technology Center 1600 is the home for life science patent applications at the USPTO. This includes applications related to organic compounds, organic chemistry, molecular biology, immunology, fermentation, and plants.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that in order for a firm to succeed, it must be able to withstand whatever storms come its way and come out even stronger. Here, we recognize the patent firms that have done just that – the firms that have grown the most in the last decade.

Patent prosecution can be frustratingly complicated, and the USPTO has created special programs to reign in the usual chaos. Knowing these programs, their purpose, and their success rate can hugely benefit your patent practice.

Technology Center 2400 handles data processing and telecommunications technologies, including multiplex and VoIP, cable and television, recording and compression, cryptography and security, and computer networks.

This past year, we’ve seen our industry innovate and adapt like never before. Time and time again, we talk to clients and colleagues who are discovering innovative ways to streamline budgets without sacrificing quality patent work. Our latest updates are designed to help you in these endeavors – adding greater speed and insight to our already easy-to-use analytics platform. Here is a quick summary of our exciting new features:

As we near the end of a tumultuous year, IP managers and patent attorneys are more conscious than ever of their bottom line.

In our analysis, we found that the First Action Interview Pilot Program (FAIPP) may not result in a faster prosecution, but it is effective in reaching an allowance with fewer office actions.

Technology Center 2800 handles a wide range of electrical technologies, including semiconductors, circuits, optics, and printing.