Griffith Hack Clean & Sustainable Technologies

According to this report, the US patent and trade mark office (USPTO) has only accepted one third of requests to fast track the examination of ‘green’ patent applications under the “Green technology pilot program”.

The USPTO is too slow in examining green patent applications

Without knowing the details, this figure seems way to low and casts doubt on the sincerity of the USPTO’s willingness to progress clean and sustainable technologies.  The outcome matches the prediction made by a US associate to me, who thought that based on past experience these sort of programs had no real practicality.

In any case, the linked article does raise a very interesting idea – having a patent application that has been accepted under the fast track program is something that you can use to increase the interest in your technology.  After all, if the USPTO is rushing it through the system, it must be good, right?  It could make all the difference to those seeking investment.

Many countries now have fast track programs, including the US, UK, Australia and South Korea.

Justin Blows