An innovative new tool designed to help improve the patent application process is being piloted by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO). Peer To Patent is an online system that aims to improve the quality of issued patents by enabling the public to supply the IPO with information relevant to assessing the claims of pending patent applications. The pilot connects an open network for community input to the legal decision-making process. The scientific and technology community supply information and research based on its expertise. The patent examiner makes the final determination on the basis of legal standards. The pilot gives experts the opportunity to comment on patent applications and share their vital expertise before patents are granted. It will also mean that inventions already known in the wider community will be filtered out more readily. The new tool will give the IPO access to a wider body of knowledge when deciding whether a patent should be granted. For further details, please visit the Peer To Patent website.