US Patent Office Fast-Tracks Green Tech Applications
December 07 2009 - 01:12PM
Dow Jones News
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced Monday a new
pilot program fast-tracking the review of green technology
patents.
Starting Tuesday, the office will expedite examinations of
proposed technology focused on the environment, renewable energy
and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The fast-tracking is expected to shave off one year from the
patent-review process. Currently, it takes the patent office an
average of 40 months to reach a final decision on green tech
patents.
"Every day an important green tech innovation is hindered from
coming to market is another day we harm our planet and another day
lost in creating green businesses and green jobs," patent office
director David Kappos said Monday.
The pilot program will target the first 3,000 patent
applications already on file whose holders apply for the special
status; it may be expanded later. To be eligible for the expedited
review, the patents must "materially contribute" to environmental
quality, discovering or developing renewable energy resources,
improving energy efficiency or reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a
spokesman for Kappos said.
The program is cost-neutral, but the patent office faces a
budget shortfall of more than $200 million and hasn't been able to
hire new examiners this year.
Still, the office said the 3,000 fast-tracked patents shouldn't
significantly delay the review of other applications.
"Given the number of [green tech] applications as a percentage
of the total, we do not think it will have an adverse impact on the
backlog, but we intend to monitor the program and evaluate its
effectiveness," the Kappos spokesman said.
There are currently more than 770,000 patent applications
awaiting review.
Carl Horton, chief intellectual property counsel of General
Electric Co. (GE), praised the program.
"We hail this initiative as an excellent incentive to fuel
further innovation of clean technology," Horton said in a
statement.
-By Kristina Peterson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-6619;
kristina.peterson@dowjones.com
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