By: Darren Crew

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has extended the After Final Consideration Pilot (AFCP) 2.0 program through September 30, 2015.

The AFCP 2.0 program is intended to provide USPTO Patent Examiners with additional time to search and/or consider certain responses filed after a final Office Action, without reopening prosecution. Also, the AFCP 2.0 program is intended to decrease the number of Requests for Continued Examination (RCEs) and increase collaboration between the Applicant and the Patent Examiner, to effectively advance the prosecution of the application.

To be eligible for consideration under the AFCP 2.0 program, a patent application should contain an outstanding final rejection and be: (1) an original utility, plant or design nonprovisional application filed under 35 USC §111(a); or (2) an international application that has entered the national stage in compliance with 35 USC §371(c).–click here to read more—