USPTO Tightens "Unintentional Delay" Relief Rules with Shorter 1-Year Threshold and Higher Fees
美國專利商標局（USPTO）於2026年6月24日發布最終規則，調整專利案件以「非故意延誤」為由尋求補救的相關規定，新規則於同年8月13日生效，並適用於生效日後新提出的相關請求。 這次修正並非取消逾期後的補救機會，而是將USPTO要求申請人或專利權人須進一步說明延誤原因的門檻，由原本的逾期「超過2年」縮短為「超過1年」；相關請求適用較高規費的時間門檻，也同步由超過2年提前至超過1年。 新制調整了什麼? 美國專利制度在部分程序中，允許申請人或專利權人在逾越期限後，以整段延誤均屬「非故意」（Unintentional）為理由，向USPTO提出程序性請求（Pe
WISECODE Take
The USPTO issued a final rule on June 24, 2026, effective August 13, 2026, shortening the threshold for requiring additional explanation for "unintentional delay" from 2 years to 1 year. This is not a cancellation of the relief opportunity, but a tightening of administrative scrutiny. It signals that U.S. authorities are reducing the buffer time for patentees to delay action. This change is significant because once a patent is lapsed for over 1 year, the petition fee for large entities increases from $2,260 to $3,000. It is like halving the reaction time of a military outpost; what used to have a two-day buffer now requires immediate reporting, or the cost of recovery will surge. Companies with stable patent management agents are unaffected. The risk lies with SMEs prone to missing notices. We suggest two actions: First, audit all U.S. patent portfolios for missed notices due to personnel changes. Second, file petitions before the 1-year mark to secure lower fees and avoid complex explanations. Managing patent timelines is managing costs; early status tracking is the key to reducing uncertainty.
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