PCT Informed Examination Request Pilot Program

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is implementing the PCT Informed Examination Request (PIER) Pilot Program to assess the inventory and efficiency impacts of requiring an applicant to request examination in view of applicable Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) international phase work products. The USPTO will select certain national stage patent applications for the program. In an application selected for the program, the USPTO will issue a requirement for information referencing the applicable international phase work products and requiring the applicant to indicate whether the applicant opts to: proceed with examination (with the option to place the application in better condition for examination by filing a preliminary amendment), delay examination, or expressly abandon the application in view of the international phase work products. The applicant must respond to the requirement for information to avoid abandonment of the application. The USPTO expects that requiring applicants to indicate that examination is desired upon review of international phase work products present in the application file will contribute to efforts to reduce inventory and pendency.