To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog:
On February 4, 2021 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) extended for two years the expansion of the Collaborative Search Pilot Program (CSP), which began in 2015 and is now scheduled to end October 31, 2022. The CSP expedites prosecution of related applications at the USPTO and the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) or Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) by allowing the offices to conduct and share prior art searches before issuing a first action. Earlier articles from Mintz explored the original CSP and the CSP’s first expansion. The new expanded CSP is still free and continues the USPTO’s drive for patent quality and speedy examination.