The expanded Collaborative Search Pilot (CSP), running from November 1, 2017 through October 31, 2020, is designed to accelerate examination and provide the applicant with more comprehensive prior art by combining the search expertise of examiners at the USPTO and JPO or KIPO before issuing an office action in the patent application. The USPTO will consider partner Office’s references, including "A" category documents, in the First Action on the Merits (FAOM) and include those references on form PTO-892 to reduce the applicant’s IDS burden.
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