The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) provides a
mechanism for accelerating examination of a patent application at a
second patent office, if examination work has already been
conducted at a first patent office with whom a PPH agreement is in
place. If claims of an application have been found acceptable by a
first office (often the office of first filing), accelerated
examination of a corresponding application at a second office may
be requested. The PPH allows a second patent office to make use of
relevant work already conducted by a first office when examining an
application.
PPH agreements between UKIPO and other offices
The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) is a participant in
the Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH). The GPPH is a pilot
programme between 27 different offices across the world and allows
PPH to be used for applications that are filed at two or more of
these offices.
