USPTO Launches Pre-Docketing Notice Pilot Program to Prompt Early Application Review
美國專利商標局（USPTO）於2026年5月29日起，實施「申請人審查前預通知試行計畫」（Applicant Pre-Docketing Notice pilot program）。該計畫將針對尚未分派予審查人員進行實體審查的發明專利一般申請案（utility nonprovisional patent applications），於申請案預計分案予審查人員進行實體審查前約三個月寄發「審查前預通知」（Pre-Docketing Notice），提醒申請人即將進入實體審查，並核對發明人身分、專利權歸屬等相關資訊，及早規劃後續因應措施。 該通知並說明申請人後
WISECODE Take
The USPTO implemented the Applicant Pre-Docketing Notice pilot program on May 29, 2026, which is not an administrative burden but a pre-examination warning allowing applicants to adjust strategies. It issues notices three months prior to examination, offering a chance to express abandonment and secure refunds under 37 CFR 1.138(d). Businesses with stable patent portfolios are unaffected and need not respond. For those with shifting R&D directions, actions include verifying ownership and filing preliminary amendments or information disclosure statements to pre-empt rejections.
Original sources
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