Patent Prosecution Highway between the JPO and the USPTO

The JPO and the USPTO have been fully implementing a Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program since January 4, 2008. Both offices have also been participating in the Global PPH since January 6, 2014.

An initiative to improve the predictability of the timing of the examination on the Patent Prosecution Highway (newly includes results for 2023)

Since January 1, 2022, the JPO and the USPTO have been working to meet the target deadlines set by each office for issuing office actions for PPH applications in order to improve the predictability of the timing of PPH examination.

For specific details, please see the joint announcement below.

• Joint Announcement (in English) (PDF: 83KB)
• Joint Announcement (Japanese Translation) (PDF: 13KB)

The targets set by the JPO and the results for 2023 against those targets are as follows:

	Target	Result (January 1 to December 31, 2023)
Average period from completion of PPH request to first office action	Within 3 months	2.2 months
Average period from applicant’s response to subsequent office action	Within 3 months	1.5 months

Please visit the USPTO’s website (External link) to see the targets set by the USPTO and the results for 2023.

The JPO and the USPTO will each set the same targets for 2024 to further increase the predictability of the timing of PPH examination and work harder in line with the targets. The two offices will encourage other offices to join this initiative to expand the efforts to improve the predictability of the timing of PPH examination.

How to make a request

Guidelines (Requirements and procedures in detail) and Request form for Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)

Link

USPTO website about the Patent Prosecution Highway program( External link )

Development of the PPH program between the JPO and the USPTO

Japanese page

[Last updated 9 September 2024]

Contact

Examination Policy Planning Office Administrative Affairs Division Patent and Design Examination Department Japan Patent Office Tel: +81-3-3581-1101 (ex. 3103) E-mail: PA2260@jpo.go.jp