Speedy allowance of a quality patent is the ultimate goal of every patent prosecutor. Unfortunately, this goal has become increasingly difficult to achieve, especially in light of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office backlogs and a significant decrease in allowance rates.
Recognizing these problems, the USPTO has implemented several programs aimed to speed up prosecution while improving patent quality. In this article, we review two relatively new programs implemented at the USPTO created to fast-track patent examination in order to reduce examination workload and improve patent quality.
