First Patent Granted under Super Accelerated Examination System in JPO

On October 1, 2008, the JPO launched the “Super Accelerated Examination System” on a pilot basis to process patent applications more rapidly than can be done under the conventional accelerated examination system. The JPO granted a patent for the first time under the new system.
　The patent was granted for an application filed by Keio University. (Application number 2007-054284, Publication number 2008-216061, Title of the invention: Electrochemical Analysis Method Using Boron Doped Electroconductive Diamond Electrode).
　The request for examination and the corresponding petition for Super Accelerated Examination were both filed on October 1, the first day of the pilot program. It took only 17 days* for the application to be granted.

* Under the conventional accelerated examination, the average pendency to first office action is 2.2 months.