The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) may not be the road most travelled, but by taking a test-drive on it, our very own Helpdesk “Stig” reveals the secret speed of Patent Prosecution that is starting to become more and more popular world-wide.

The PPH scheme, through the sharing of information between patent offices, makes eligible an application whose claims have already been determined to be patentable in a first country, to then undergo an accelerated examination in a second. This is extremely relevant as it can drastically reduce the time taken to gain patent determinability in said second country and so is pertinent to all those SMEs impatient to take advantage of favourable overseas environments, but who also recognise the importance of protecting their IPR. The PPH can, quite possibly, reduce prosecution time by 12 months or more and has in the past even reduced the time between filing and allowance to, a gob-smacking, 15 days.

Dr Toby Mak, patent attorney at Tee and Howe Intellectual Property Attorneys and privy to the inside scoop on PPH, has just released an article on the purpose of this ‘speedy highway’ in China whilst also giving a “glimpse of how PPH will be implemented in China in the future”. Dr Mak uncovers indispensable information on the basic requirements and materials needed for filing a PPH request in China and it is well-worth anyone’s attention as PPH is not just relevant to businesses with China on their radar, but to all businesses with connections in countries currently participating in PPH schemes.

Currently though, at time of writing, the only EU member states that are incorporated into the PPH scheme with China are Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Poland. However, with more plans in the pipeline for both China and other countries to extend outreach in the scheme, it might not be too much longer before other countries are off the sidelines and onto the asphalt.

For a link to Toby Mak’s article, please click here.

For a link to all PPH member countries and PPH statistics, please click here.

If you are interested in learning more about how to protect your patents in China check out our guide here