Standards Participation and Representation Kudos (SPARK) Pilot Program

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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is launching the Standards Participation and Representation Kudos (SPARK) Pilot Program to incentivize meaningful participation in standards development organizations (SDOs) by U.S. small and medium-sized businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Under the pilot program, examination of certain patent applications and ex parte appeals to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) may be expedited if the U.S.-domiciled juristic applicant meaningfully participated in a voluntary consensus-based SDO and meets the requirements specified in this notice. The application or appeal being expedited does not need to be related to the SDO participation. The expedited examination or appeal provides additional tangible value for the time and resources invested in standards development. Applications accepted into the pilot program for expedited examination will be advanced out of turn, that is, accorded special status, for examination until a first Office action is issued, and ex parte appeals accepted into the pilot program will be advanced out of turn before the PTAB. This notice sets forth the requirements of the pilot program a