The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently announced two new pilot programs available at the early stages of patent prosecution in original applications.
The Automated Search Pilot Program allows an applicant to access the results of an automated patentability search (from the PTO’s search tool), prior to examination by a live examiner. This can have strategic benefits for patent applicants who have not yet determined how distinctive their inventions may be.
The Streamlined Claim Set Pilot Program allows an applicant to receive an office action sooner—essentially advancing closer to the head of the line for examination—by limiting initial examination to a small set of 10 or fewer claims. Before, the privilege of expedited examination was reserved for older or ailing inventors, for applications with claims treated favorably by a foreign patent office under the PPH, or for applicants willing to pay an extra fee for “Track One” examination.
Both new pilot programs begin this month, in October 2025. For now, the PTO has only committed to providing these benefits to a limited number of applications in each technical field, so applicants should consider using them in relevant cases in the next few months.
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