[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60964-60967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21553]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; International Design Applications (Hague Agreement)
Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of an information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments
on the extension and revision of an existing information collection:
0651-0075 (International Design Applications (Hague Agreement)). The
purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding
submission of the information collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information
collection must be received on or before November 30, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0075 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Kimberly Hardy, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Rafael Bacares, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of
Patent Legal Administration, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-3276;
or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0075 comment'' in
the subject line. Additional information about this information
collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under
``Information Collection Review.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act of 2012 (PLTIA) amends
the patent laws to implement the provisions of the Geneva Act of the
Hague Agreement Concerning International Registration of Industrial
Designs (hereinafter ``Hague Agreement'') in title 1, and the Patent
Law Treaty (PLT) in title 2. The Hague Agreement is an international
agreement that enables an applicant to file a single international
design application which may have the effect of an application for
protection for the design(s) in countries and/or intergovernmental
organizations that are Parties to the Hague Agreement (the
``Contracting Parties'') designated in the applications. The United
States is a Contracting Party to the Hague Agreement, which took effect
with respect to the United States on May 13, 2015. The Hague Agreeement
is administered by the International Bureau (IB) of World Intellectual
Property Organization (WIPO) located in Geneva, Switzerland.
This collection covers information filed by U.S. applicants for the
prosecution of international design applications ``indirectly'' through
the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which will
forward the applications to the IB or ``directly'' with the IB. The IB
ascertains whether the international design application complies with
formal requirements, registers the international design in the
International register, and publishes the international registration in
the International Designs Bulletin. The international registration
contains all of the data of the international application, any
reproduction of the industrial design, date of the international
registration, number of the international registration, and relevant
class of the International Classification.
The IB will provide a copy of the publication of the international
registration to each Contracting party designated by the applicant. A
designated Contracting Party may perform a substantive examination of
the design application. The USPTO will perform a substantive
examination for patentability of the international design application,
as in the case of regular U.S. design applications. The industrial
design or designs will be eligible for protection in all the
Contracting Parties designated by applicants.
In addition, this collection covers the various fees related to the
processing of International design applications, such as the: (1) Basic
fee; (2) standard designation fee(s); (3) individual designation
fee(s); and (4) publication fee. Also, an additional fee is required
where the applications contain a description that exceeds 100 words,
and a transmittal fee is required for
[[Page 60965]]
international design applications filed through an office of indirect
filing. The fees required by the IB may be paid either directly to the
IB or through the USPTO as an office of indirect filing in the amounts
specified on the WIPO website. If applicants want to pay the required
fees through USPTO as an office of indirect filing, the fees must be
paid no later than the date of payment of the transmittal fee. The fees
will then be forwarded to the IB.
The Hague Agreement enables applicants from Contracting Parties to
obtain protection of their designs with minimal formalities and
expenses in multiple countries and/or regions. The Hague Agreement is
administered by the IB, which simplifies the management of an
industrial design registration. For example, through the IB, applicants
can record changes of their representatives or changes in ownership,
and renew their international registration.
II. Method of Collection
Most of the items in this information collection can either be
submitted electronically through Electronic Filing System-Web (EFS-Web)
or mailed to the USPTO.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0075.
Form Numbers: WIPO DM = WIPO Dessins et Modeles (design
representations); PTOL = Patent Trademark Office Legal
WIPO DM/1 (Application for International Registration--
entitled Hague Agreement Concerning The International Registration of
Industrial Design)
PTOL-85 Part B (Hague): (Issue Fee to USPTO for an
International Design Application)
WIPO DM/1/I Annex: (Declaration on Inventorship for Purposes
of Designation of the United States)
WIPO DM/1/I Annex: (Substitute Statement in Lieu of a
Declaration of Inventorship for the Purpose of Designating the United
States)
WIPO DM/1/III Annex: (Information On Eligibility For
Protection)
WIPO DM/1/IV Annex: (Reduction of United States Individual
Designation Fee)
WIPO DM/1/V Annex: (Supporting Document(s) Concerning Priority
Claim To The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO))
PTO-1595: (Assignment Cover Sheet)
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information
collection.
Affected Public: Private sector; individuals and households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,406 respondents per year.
Estimated Number of Responses: 1,706 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public between 15 minutes (0.25 hours) and 6 hours to complete a
response, depending upon the complexity of the situation. This includes
the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the appropriate
documents, and submit the completed request to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Response Burden Hours: 2,301 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $1,279,400.
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\1\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey from the Law Practice
Management Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law
Association (AIPLA). https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The hourly rate of $400.
Table 1--Total Estimated Hourly Burden for Private Sector Respondents
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Estimated Estimated Estimated
Item No. Item Estimated annual annual Estimated time for annual burden Rate \1\ annual burden
respondents responses response (hours) hours ($/hour)
(a) (b).................... (a) x (b) = (c) (d) (c) x (d) =
(e)
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1..................... Application for 151.................... 151 6...................... 906 $400 $362,400
International
Registration
(WIPO DM/1).
2..................... Claim and Same as line 1......... 151 4...................... 604 400 241,600
Reproductions
(Drawings).
3..................... Transmittal Letter Same as line 1......... 5 2...................... 10 400 4,000
4..................... Appointment of a Same as line 1......... 62 0.25 (15 minutes)...... 16 400 6,400
Representative
(WIPO) (WIPO DM/
7) filed
indirectly
through the USPTO
5..................... Petition to Excuse Same as line 1......... 1 4...................... 4 400 1,600
a Failure to
Comply with a
Time Limit.
6..................... Petition to Same as line 1......... 1 4...................... 4 400 1,600
Convert to a
Design
Application under
35 U.S.C. Chapter
16.
7..................... Petition to Review Same as line 1......... 2 4...................... 8 400 3,200
a Filing Date.
8..................... Fee Authorization. Same as line 1......... 10 .25 (15 minutes)....... 3 400 1,200
9..................... Petitions to the Same as line 1......... 4 4...................... 16 400 6,400
Commissioner.
10.................... Declaration on Same as line 1......... 30 0.50 (30 minutes)...... 15 400 6,000
Inventorship for
Purposes of
Designation of
the United States
(WIPO DM/1/I
Annex) filed
indirectly
through the USPTO.
11.................... Substitute Same as line 1......... 2 0.50 (30 minutes)...... 1 400 400
Statement in Lieu
of a Declaration
of Inventorship
for the Purposes
of Designating
the United States
(WIPO DM/1/I
Annex) filed
indirectly
through the USPTO.
12.................... Information On Same as line 1......... 3 1...................... 3 400 1,200
Eligibility For
Protection (WIPO
DM/1/III Annex)
filed indirectly
through the USPTO.
13.................... Supporting Same as line 1......... 5 .5 (30 minutes)........ 3 400 1,200
Document(s)
Concerning
Priority Claim To
The Korean
Intellectual
Property Office
(KIPO) (WIPO DM/1/
V (Annex) filed
indirectly
through the USPTO.
14.................... Issue Fee to USPTO 1,219.................. 1,219 .5 (30 minutes)........ 610 400 244,000
for an
International
Design
Application.
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Totals............ .................. 1,370.................. 1,646 ....................... 2,203 ......... 881,200
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[[Page 60966]]
Table 2--Total Estimated Hourly Burden for Individual and Household Respondents
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Estimated
Estimated annual Estimated Estimated time for Estimated Rate \2\ annual
Item No. Item respondents annual response (hours) annual burden ($/hour) respondent
responses hours cost burden
(a) (b)....................... (a) x (b) = (c) (d) (c) x (d) =
(e)
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1.................... Application for 6..................... 6 6......................... 36 $400 $14,400
International
Registration
(Micro-Entity).
2.................... Claim and Same as line 1........ 6 4......................... 24 400 9,600
Reproductions
(Drawings).
3.................... Transmittal Same as line 1........ 1 2......................... 2 400 800
Letter.
4.................... Appointment of a Same as line 1........ 2 0.25 (15 minutes)......... 1 400 400
Representative
(WIPO DM/7)
filed indirectly
through the
USPTO.
5.................... Petition to Same as line 1........ 1 4......................... 4 400 1,600
Excuse a Failure
to Comply with a
Time Limit.
6.................... Petition to Same as line 1........ 1 4......................... 4 400 1,600
Convert to a
Design
Application
under 35 U.S.C.
Chapter 16.
7.................... Petition to Same as line 1........ 1 4......................... 4 400 1,600
Review a Filing
Date.
8.................... Fee Authorization Same as line 1........ 1 0.25 (15 minutes)......... 1 400 400
9.................... Petitions to the Same as line 1........ 1 0.25 (15 minutes)......... 1 400 400
Commissioner.
11................... Declaration on Same as line 1........ 3 0.50 (30 minutes)......... 2 400 800
Inventorship for
Purposes of
Designation of
the United
States (WIPO DM/
1/I Annex) filed
indirectly
through the
USPTO.
12................... Substitute Same as line 1........ 1 0.50 (30 minutes)......... 1 400 400
Statement in
Lieu of a
Declaration of
Inventorship for
the Purposes of
Designating the
United States
(WIPO DM/1/I
Annex) filed
indirectly
through the
USPTO.
14................... Issue Fee to 30.................... 30 0.50 (30 minutes)......... 15 400 6,000
UPSTO for an
International
Design
Application.
15................... Reduction of Same as line 1........ 6 0.50 (30 minutes)......... 3 400 1,200
United States
Individual
Designation Fee
(WIPO DM/1/IV
(Annex) filed
indirectly
through the
USPTO.
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Totals........... ................. 36.................... 60 .......................... 98 ......... 39,200
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Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden:
$3,389,280.
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\2\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey from the Law Practice
Management Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law
Association (AIPLA). https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey The hourly rate of $400.
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There are no maintenance, operation, capital start-up, or
recordkeeping costs associated with this information collection.
However, this information collection does have annual (non-hour) costs
in the form of filing fees, drawing costs, and postage fees.
The total estimated filing fee costs for this information
collection is $3,376,872, detailed in Table 3 below.
Table 3--Filing Fees
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Estimated
Item No. Item annual Filing fee Total filing
response Amount fee cost
.......................... (a) (b) (a) x (b) =
(c)
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1................................... Application for 157 $2,131 $334,567
International
Registration
(electronic)--Average Fee
per registration to WIPO
(USPTO collects and
transmits it to WIPO).
1................................... Application for 10 960 9,600
International
Registration
(electronic)--Designation
Fee (first part) for the
U.S. (collecting for
WIPO) (regular entity).
1................................... Application for 11 480 5,280
International
Registration
(electronic)--Designation
Fee (first part) for the
U.S. (collecting for
WIPO) (small entity).
1................................... Application for 6 240 1,440
International
Registration
(electronic)--Designation
Fee (first part) for the
U.S. (collecting for
WIPO) (micro entity).
1................................... Application for 1,651 960 1,584,960
International
Registration submitted to
WIPO--Designation Fee
(first part) for the U.S.
(Transmitting to the
USPTO by WIPO) (regular
entity).
1................................... Application for 527 480 252,960
International
Registration submitted to
WIPO--Designation Fee
(first part) for the U.S.
(Transmitting to the
USPTO by WIPO) (small
entity).
1................................... Application for 138 240 33,120
International
Registration submitted to
WIPO--Designation Fee
(first part) for the U.S.
(Transmitting to the
USPTO by WIPO) (micro
entity).
1................................... Application for 89 120 10,680
International
Registration
(electronic)--Transmittal
Fee (set by and collected
by USPTO) (regular
entity).
1................................... Application for 62 60 3,720
International
Registration
(electronic)--Transmittal
Fee (set by and collected
by USPTO) (small entity).
1................................... Application for 6 30 180
International
Registration
(electronic)--Transmittal
Fee (set by and collected
by USPTO) (micro entity).
[[Page 60967]]
5................................... Petition to Excuse a 1 2,000 2,000
Failure to Comply with a
Time Limit (regular
entity).
5................................... Petition to Excuse a 1 1,000 1,000
Failure to Comply with a
Time Limit (small entity).
5................................... Petition to Excuse a 1 500 500
Failure to Comply with a
Time Limit (micro entity).
6................................... Petition to Convert to a 1 180 180
Design Application under
35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
(regular entity).
6................................... Petition to Convert to a 1 90 90
Design Application under
35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
(small entity).
6................................... Petition to Convert to a 1 45 45
Design Application under
35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
(micro entity).
7................................... Petition to Review a 1 400 400
Filing Date (regular
entity).
7................................... Petition to Review a 1 200 200
Filing Date (small
entity).
7................................... Petition to Review a 1 100 100
Filing Date (micro
entity).
9................................... Petitions to Commissioner 3 400 1,200
(regular entity).
9................................... Petitions to Commissioner 1 200 200
(small entity).
9................................... Petitions to Commissioner 1 100 100
(micro entity).
14.................................. Issue Fee to UPSTO for an 972 700 680,400
International Design
Application (regular
entity).
14.................................. Issue Fee to UPSTO for an 247 350 86,450
International Design
Application (small
entity).
14.................................. Issue Fee to UPSTO for an 30 175 5,250
International Design
Application (micro
entity).
14.................................. Application for 420 700 294,000
International
Registration submitted to
WIPO--Issue Fee (Second
part) for the U.S.
(Transmitting to the
USPTO by WIPO) (regular
entity).
14.................................. Application for 155 350 54,250
International
Registration submitted to
WIPO--Issue Fee (Second
part) for the U.S.
(Transmitting to the
USPTO by WIPO) (small
entity).
14.................................. Application for 80 175 14,000
International
Registration submitted to
WIPO--Issue Fee (Second
part) for the U.S.
(Transmitting to the
USPTO by WIPO) (micro-
entity).
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Total........................... .......................... .............. .............. 3,376,872
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The USPTO estimates that around 20% (31) of the respondents that
file international design applications through the USPTO as an office
of indirect filing designate the United States for design protection.
The costs for preparing the drawings associated with these applications
are estimated to be $400 per application. Overall the costs associated
with submitting these drawing are estimated to be $12,400.
Although the USPTO prefers that the items in this information
collection be submitted electronically, the items may be submitted by
mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). The USPTO
estimates that the average postage cost for a mailed submission, using
a Priority Mail 2-day flat rate legal envelope, will be $8.05. The
USPTO estimates that 1 paper submission will be mailed annually.
The USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour) respondent
cost burden for this information collection in the forms of filling
fees, drawing costs, and postage costs is estimated to be approximately
$3,389,280 per year ($3,376,872 in filling fees, $12,400 in drawing
costs, and $8 in postage costs).
Respondents's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
IV. Request for Comments
The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
(a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the
request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including
an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying
information in a comment, be aware that the entire comment--including
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any
time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold personal
identifying information from public view, USPTO cannot guarantee that
it will be able to do so.
Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-21553 Filed 9-28-20; 8:45 am]
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