Our economy is global and an invention that is valuable in the U.S. likely is valuable in other countries as well. The Patent Prosecution Highway allows for expedited review of corresponding foreign patent applications upon the allowance of a U.S. patent application. If a patent applicant receives a decision from the U.S. PTO that at least one claim of a patent application is allowable, then the applicant can request any of several foreign patent offices to ‘fast track’ the corresponding claims of a pending application in the foreign patent office.
Several countries participate in the Patent Prosecution Highway program, including the United States, the European Patent Office, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Korea, Denmark, Finland and Singapore. The Patent Prosecution Highway works both ways – an application having at least one allowed claim in any of these foreign patent offices is entitled to ‘fast track’ review by the U.S. PTO.
— Robert J. Yarbrough, Esq.