Peer to Patent Press Release:
FACT: [You’ll wait]an average of 44 months before you … receive a First Office Action on the Merits of your patent application in Technology Center 2100 (Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security).
FACT: If you participate in Peer-To-Patent you could have a First Office Action on the Merits for that same application in only 23 months, and as little as 7 months if you opt for early publication. … at no additional cost…
This pilot program runs only through June 2008 and is limited to 250 applications with special priority being given to inventors with fewer than 25 patents.
Join already-participating companies such as GE, HP, IBM, Microsoft and other small inventors in this historic initiative to open up the patent examination process for public submission of prior art and commentary.
Applicants interested in participating in the Peer-to-Patent pilot must first file a patent application with the USPTO. The patent application must be within Technology Center 2100 subject matter (covering computer architecture, software, and information security) in order to be eligible for the Peer-to-Patent pilot. Applicants must then submit a signed “Applicant’s Consent to Third-Party Comments in Published Applications and Consent to Pilot Participation” form available on the USPTO website at: http://www.uspto.gov/web
/patents/peerpriorartpilot /consent.pdf. And email a scanned and signed copy of the completed consent form to: PeerReviewPilot2007@USPTO.GOV .