The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will accept petitions for participation in the Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program beginning Dec. 1.
The pilot program aims to expedite the examination of patent applications for select innovations involving semiconductor manufacturing, the USPTO said Thursday.
“Fast tracking examination of patent applications related to semiconductor device manufacturing speeds bringing key innovations to market and strengthens our nation’s supply chain,” Kathi Vidal, director of the USPTO, explained.
Vidal, who also serves as Department of Commerce under secretary for intellectual property, added that the program also aims to speed up the delivery of new technologies to users while reducing U.S. reliance on foreign semiconductor chip supplies.
The effort is being carried out in support of the CHIPS for America program.
“This new USPTO program will ensure we are prioritizing critical intellectual property protections to incentivize investments in domestic semiconductor manufacturing,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said.
The pilot will run through Dec. 2, 2024, or until 1,000 grantable petitions are accepted.
