U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Introduces Pilot Program for Expedited Review of Semiconductor Manufacturing-Related Patent Applications

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has implemented the Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program in a stated effort to incentivize intellectual property protection for certain semiconductor manufacturing innovations.

This action is commensurate with the objectives of the government’s 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, including boosting research and development in the semiconductor area and revitalizing the domestic semiconductor manufacturing industry to gain a global competitive advantage. The USPTO press release states that this program is designed to “encourage innovations that increase semiconductor device production, reduce semiconductor manufacturing costs and strengthen the semiconductor supply chain.”