In April 2026, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) introduced a new pilot program, the PCT Informed Examination Request (PIER) Pilot Program. Unlike most pilot programs, though, PIER is not voluntary, and can significantly affect the term of patents issuing from applications selected for participation in the program.
Pilot programs are common at the USPTO. They serve as temporary initiatives that allow the office to test new procedures, technologies, examination methods, or policy changes before deciding whether to adopt them permanently.
At first glance, the PIER Pilot Program may seem like just another pilot program. However, for applicants filing U.S. national phase patent applications (i.e., applications that enter the U.S. national phase from the international Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) system), PIER represents a meaningful shift in how and when decisions about patent prosecution must be made.
