Triway is a USPTO "search sharing proposal" in which a corresponding application must be filed in each of the Trilateral Offices and each application must be ready for examination (e.g. a request for examination must be filed, if one is necessary).
This must include any required request for expedited examination, if appropriate. Searches will be conducted prior to substantive examination and shared among the offices and applicant, who will have an opportunity to amend or withdraw.
The Trilateral Offices agreed at the November 2007 Trilateral Pre-conference to undertake a limited pilot programme:
Triway Pilot Programme
The Trilateral Offices agreed that the Triway Pilot Programme will be limited to 100 applications of diverse technologies, where the USPTO is the Office of first filing (OFF).
In order to ensure that the 100 applications are from diverse technologies, the USPTO will accept 15 requests for participation in the Triway Pilot Programme for US applications assigned to each Technology Center.
Trial period for the Triway Pilot Programme
The Triway Pilot Programme started on July 28, 2008 and will end on July 28, 2009 or upon the acceptance of 100 requests submitted to the USPTO as the OFF, whichever occurs first. The Trilateral Offices may terminate the pilot programme early if the volume of participation is minimal, or for any other reason.