Cecily A. O'Regan - USPTO Gives A Hand Up To Green Patents
This post is courtesy of Cecily A. O'Regan, an IP lawyer in GT's Silicon Valley office. Welcome Cecily!
The USPTO has announced a pilot program enabling applicants to have a patent application 
advanced out of turn for examination (thereby accelerating prosecution) for “green technology.” As anyone familiar with Patent Office backlogs will appreciate, this is particularly good news for start-up companies who may find financing easier with one or more patents further in the queue or (better yet) in hand.
Under this new program applications pertaining to environmental quality, energy conservation, development of renewable energy resources, or greenhouse gas emission reduction are eligible to apply for accelerated examination. Of course, there is a catch - the USPTO will only accept the first 3,000 eligible petitions. Thus, technology companies and entrepreneurs need to consult with patent counsel soooner, not later, to take advantage of this opportunity.
