How does the PCT-PPH program differ from the standard PPH program?
The PCT-PPH program is a specific variant of the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program that focuses on applications filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). According to MPEP 708.02(c):
Under the PCT-PPH pilot program, an applicant receiving a written opinion or an international preliminary examination report from an International Searching Authority (ISA) or an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA), stating that at least one claim in the PCT application has novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability, may request that the USPTO fast track the examination of corresponding claims in the corresponding U.S. application.
The key difference is that the PCT-PPH program allows for accelerated examination based on positive results from the international phase of a PCT application, whereas the standard PPH program typically relies on examination results from national or regional patent offices.
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