In addition to the global fee increase, the new fee schedule for patents also includes front-end fee increases, such as, for example, an additional 2.5% (for a cumulative fee increase of 10%) for filing, search, and examination fees for a utility application. Further, the new fee schedule for patents also includes targeted fee increases, such as, for example:

• an additional fee for continuing applications claiming priority to a parent application having a filing date more than 6 years prior to the continuing application;
• a cumulative 43% fee increase for a second and/or subsequent request for continued examination (RCE); and
• a cumulative 100% fee increase for excess claims over 20 claims.

In view of the upcoming fee adjustments, integrating prudent portfolio management strategies is vital to reducing a financial impact that the fee adjustments may have, explains Robert Facey, US Attorney-at-Law / US Patent Attorney at Germain Maureau. Such strategies may include, for example, making affected filings before the new fee schedules are implemented, planning for continuing applications to be filed earlier and/or in parallel with a corresponding parent application, and/or consolidating claims filed in one or more application.

If you would like to know more regarding the upcoming fee adjustments, please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.