Patent Prosecution Highway between the UK and Japan

The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) procedure allows you to request accelerated examination of your patent application if you have received an examination report by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) for the same invention. Similarly, under the PPH pilot you can request accelerated examination at the JPO if we have already conducted the examination of your patent and you have filed an application relating to the same invention in Japan.

You will need to submit the search and examination reports from the JPO relating to your invention, amongst other information, in order for us to perform an accelerated examination of your application. This will allow us to benefit from work previously done by the JPO, which in turn will reduce the examination workload and improve patent quality.

A pilot PPH agreement with the JPO was launched on 2 July 2007 with the agreement being made permanent on 10 March 2010.

• How to make a request

For further information or advice on requesting accelerated examination under the PPH please contact Charles Jarman +44 (0)1633 814782 or e-mail PPH@ipo.gov.uk