2021 Patent Grants

Total utility patent grants are down about 7% for calendar year 2021. Still the total ranks as the third highest of all time.  The Office has almost eliminated unwanted delay in examination.  Right now the delay is about 17 months from filing to first office-action. They really don’t want that to go below 14 months in order to capture 102(a)(2) prior art (former 102(e)).