Extended Pilot Program by USPTO

            The United States Patent and Trademarks Office introduced a new Pilot Program (Extended Missing Parts Pilot Program) after considering various written comments by the public. This new program allows a non-provisional applicant to seek for a 12 month extension to pay the search fee, examination fee, any excess claim fees and the surcharges if any.

Effective Date – 16^th December 2011 to 31^st December 2012.

Eligibility Criteria -

1. The applicant must submit a certification and request to participate.
2. The application must be an original non-provisional utility or plant application.
3. The non-provisional application must claim the direct benefit of a prior provisional application filed within 12 months.
4. The applicant must not have filed a non-publication request.

Benefits -

This new program facilitates the applicant to commercialize the product for a long duration, he can also find out some low cost possibilities to protect his invention during this extended period. It benefits the public by adding publications to the body of prior art. Finally it reduces the workload of the USPTO by removing the non-provisional applications for which the applicant later decides not to pursue examination.