USPTO Updates Effective Date of "Track One" Fast-Track Patent Processing
25-Sep-2011
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WASHINGTON - The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) announced in a press release plans for the agency to begin accepting requests for prioritized examination of patent applications through the Track One prioritized patent examination program now scheduled to go into effect on September 26, 2011.
“Track One provides a comprehensive, flexible patent application processing model to our nation’s innovators, offering different processing options that are more responsive to the real-world needs of our applicants,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO David Kappos. “We are now in a position to offer this program which will bring the most important new products and services to market more quickly, helping to build businesses and create new jobs in America.”
Track One, which is part of the USPTO’s Three-Track Program, will provide applicants with greater control over when their applications are examined and promote greater efficiency in the patent examination process. Track One will allow inventors and businesses, for a fee, to have their patents processed within 12 months.
The application must be an original utility or plant nonprovisional application filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a) on or after September 26, 2011, the new effective date of the Track One final rule.
The Federal Register notice announcing the implementation of Track One is now available for review here.
A 15 percent surcharge on certain patent fees will also take effect on September 26, 2011. For a full list of these fee changes, please go to http://www.uspto.gov/aia_implementation/15_Percent_Surcharge_Fee_Changes.pdf.