The UK and
Japanese offices will share patent examination reports in a new
pilot project which is similar to one already operated by Japan and
the US. The UK Patent Office has signed a deal with the Japanese
Patent Office called the Patent Prosecution Highway which aims to
increase efficiency in the UK and in Japan.
The scheme allows anyone who has received a patent examination
report by the UK Patent Office to receive accelerated examination
of that application from the Japanese office, and vice versa.
The Patent Office estimates that the scheme will speed up the
awarding of patents by two years. It also claims that the re-use of
existing work on a patent application will increase the quality of
examinations.
"I am pleased that the UK Patent Office and the Japan Patent
Office have reached this historic agreement," said the UK minister
for science and innovation Malcolm Wicks. "The Patent Prosecution
Highway will speed up the examination of patent applications in
both countries, leading to a more efficient and effective service
to customers. I hope it will be used as a model for international
cooperation elsewhere."
The
scheme will begin operating in July 2007 and will operate initially
for a year. "The aim of the pilot will be to test applicant demand
for this additional option for speeding up examination of patent
applications, and to quantify the quality and efficiency gains to
be expected," said a Patent Office statement.
"Other options for speeding up the examination procedure already
exist, but these require the applicant to provide particular and
adequate reasons in each individual case. Under the PPH, the
applicant would be guaranteed faster treatment by simply submitting
work already carried out by the other patent office," said the
Patent Office statement.
The Gowers Review of Intellectual Property, which reported its
Treasury-commissioned findings in December, recommended the
establishment of work sharing arrangements between the Patent
Office and international bodies.
The Patent Office said that it is in negotiation with the US
Patent and Trade Marks Office about a similar deal, which could be
launched later this year.
