Under the framework of the Joint Statement of Patent Examination Cooperation between the SIPO and ROSPATENT, Sino-Russian Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program began to be operated on July 1 2012, The duration is one year starting on July 1, 2012 and ending on June 30, 2013.
Under the PPH programs, an accelerated examination can be requested by the applicant where the following circumstances are met: at least one claim is decided to be patentable by office of first filing (hereinafter OFF). The claims in the first filing match those in the second filing, the work result of OFF are available to the office of second filing (OSF). The accelerated examination in the OSF should base on the work results of OFF.
It should be noticed that this PPH pilot program applies not only to conventional applications, but also PCT applications.
The operation of the PPH pilot will benefit applicants from both China and Russia in acquiring patents more speedily and help innovative enterprises protect their patent rights overseas more effectively.
