Insights

The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program is a collaborative initiative between the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and several foreign patent offices, created to speed up the examination process. Through the PPH, a patent application initially filed with a participating patent office (Office of Earlier Examination, or OEE) can be expedited in another participating intellectual property office, provided it meets specific requirements. According to the USPTO, PPH leverages fast-track examination procedures already in place among participating patent offices to allow applicants to reach final disposition of a patent application more quickly and efficiently than standard examination processing.  

A proposed overhaul of U.S. patent eligibility law could shape the patent litigation landscape in 2024, with some parties rushing to court before Congress enacts reform and others holding back on filing suit in the hope that the changes will strengthen their legal case, says Crowell & Moring partner Gang Chen.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in TC Heartland has resulted in a significant shift in how litigants in patent cases choose a venue. As the ruling redraws the map of patent litigation, it promises some relief for defendants and some new challenges for plaintiffs.