Humanitarian Awards Pilot Program
Following on last year's Request for Comments, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is launching a twelve-month pilot program to incentivize the distribution of patented technologies to address humanitarian needs. The pilot program will be run as an awards competition. Participating patent applicants, patent owners, and licensees will submit program applications describing what actions they have taken with their patented technology to address humanitarian needs among an impoverished population or further research by others on humanitarian technologies. Applications will be considered in four categories: Medical Technology, Food & Nutrition, Clean Technology, and Information Technology. Independent judges will review the program applications, and a selection committee will recommend awardees based on these reviews. Awardees will receive a certificate redeemable to accelerate select matters before the USPTO and public recognition for their efforts, including an award ceremony at the USPTO. The certificate can be redeemed to accelerate one of the following matters: an ex parte reexamination proceeding, including one appeal to the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) from that proceeding; a patent application, including one appeal to the BPAI from that application; or an appeal to the BPAI of a claim twice rejected in a patent application or reissue application or finally rejected in an ex parte reexamination, without accelerating the underlying matter which generated the appeal. Inter partes reexaminations and interference proceedings are not eligible for acceleration, nor are the forthcoming post grant reviews, inter partes reviews, derivation proceedings, or supplemental examinations. Certificates awarded in the pilot are not transferable to other parties.
- Task
- Read the news
- Patent or trademark
- both
- Legacy system
- —
- Current entry point
- www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/02/08/2012-3040/humanitarian-awards-pilot-program (permanent link in the Federal Register, verified 2026-09-30)
- Legacy system and where it moved
- No legacy system name mention in title or summary )
- Fee
- No fee mention in title or summary )
- What you need (account or API key)
- No account or key mention in title or summary )
- Published
- 2012-02-08
- Document type
- Notice
- Source
- USPTO documents published in the Federal Register (Federal Register API)(retrieved 2026-10-06)
Everything in the same category
Read the news (all 1988) · both (all 2333)
Related entry points
- Patents for Humanity Program
- Request for Comments on Incentivizing Humanitarian Technologies and Licensing Through the Intellectual Property System
- Trademarks for Humanity Awards Competition Program
- Changes To Require Identification of Attributable Owner
- Revision of Patent Term Adjustment Provisions Relating to Appellate Review
- Streamlined Procedure for Appeal Brief Review in Inter Partes Reexamination Proceedings
- Enhanced Examination Timing Control Initiative; Notice of Public Meeting
- Pilot Program for Extended Time Period To Reply to a Notice To File Missing Parts of Nonprovisional Application
- Proposed Pilot Program Exploring an Alternative Approach to Institution Decisions in Post Grant Administrative Reviews; Reopening of Period for Comments
- Motion To Amend Practice and Procedures in Trial Proceedings Under the America Invents Act Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
- Changes To Implement Miscellaneous Post Patent Provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
- Notice of Public Hearing and Request for Comments on Matters Related to the Harmonization of Substantive Patent Law
- Changes To Implement Miscellaneous Post Patent Provisions of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
- Rules Governing Motion To Amend Practice and Procedures in Trial Proceedings Under the America Invents Act Before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board
- Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
- Streamlined Procedure for Appeal Brief Review in Ex Parte Reexamination Proceedings