(ip) hub master plan - Ministry of Law

4.3. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION WITH OTHER IP OFFICES
4.3.1. Singapore should build stronger collaborations with other IP offices, especially with
the “IP Five” offices and those from emerging economies, to develop Singapore as a
gateway to other key international markets. This could range from providing
training support for patent agents and industry professionals from other countries,
in collaboration with WIPO where useful, to collaborating with established offices
like the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) to train
S&E examiners from IPOS. This exchange of expertise will cross-fertilise IP practices
across the world, and enrich the broader IP ecosystem and know-how in Singapore.
A. Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
4.3.2. The PPH is an arrangement that enables the sharing of S&E results between patent
offices. Under the PPH, a patent application can enjoy accelerated examination
using the S&E results of a corresponding patent application filed at a PPH-linked
patent office. More recently, under the PCT-PPH programme, accelerated
examination can be requested based upon work done by certain ISAs or IPEAs
during the international phase of the PCT application.
4.3.3. The key advantages of the PPH are:
Cost savings – Generally, less correspondence with the examiner is required
for patent applications using PPHs. This translates to cost savings for the
applicant.
Greater chance of successful patent grant – On average, the success rate of
patent applications using PPHs is higher. 30
Reduced pendency – PPHs can enable a patent application filed in particular
jurisdiction to be fast-tracked based upon the S&E results generated by
another patent office.
High quality – PPHs enable the applicant to use the S&E results from a
patent office recognised to produce work of a high quality. Also, PPHs
enable the second office to have access to information gathered from
additional databases (e.g. technical databases, local databases, databases in
30
For example, at the USPTO, more than 90% of PPH cases are allowed. The allowance rate for non-PPH cases
at the USPTO is less than 50%. (USPTO. PPH Brochure.
http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/pphbrochure.pdf (accessed Feb 2013)).
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