[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 191 (Thursday, October 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61937-61940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21799]
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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; Comments
Request; Patent Petitions Related to Application and Reexamination
Processing Fees
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of 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:
0651-0059 (Patent Petitions Related to Application and Reexamination
Processing Fees). 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-
0059 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 Raul Tamayo, 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 571-272-7728;
or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0059 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:
[[Page 61938]]
I. Abstract
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is required
by 35 U.S.C. 131 et seq. to examine an application for patent and, when
appropriate, issue a patent. The USPTO also is required to publish
patent applications, with certain exceptions, promptly after the
expiration of a period of 18 months from the earliest filing date for
which a benefit is sought under Title 35, United States Code.
Many actions taken by the USPTO during its examination of an
application for patent or for reissue of a patent, or during its
reexamination of a patent, are subject to review by an appeal to the
Patent Trial and Appeal Board. For other USPTO actions, review is in
the form of administrative review obtained via submission of a petition
to the USPTO. USPTO petitions practice provides an opportunity for a
patent applicant or owner to supply additional information that may be
required in order for the USPTO to further process an application or
patent.
This information collection covers petitions filed in patent
applications and reexamination proceedings, and accompanying fees as
set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(f), (g), or (h). This information collection
also covers the transmittals for the petition fees.
II. Method of Collection
The items in this information collection can be submitted
electronically through Electronic Filing System-Web (EFS-Web), on paper
by mail, facsimile, or hand delivery to the USPTO.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0059.
Form Number(s): (SB = Specimen Book; AIA = America Invents Act).
PTO/SB/28 (EFS-Web only) (Petitions to Make Special Under
Accelerated Examination Program)
PTO/AIA/24a (Petitions for Express Abandonment to Avoid
Publication Under 37 CFR 1.138(c))
PTO/SB/23 (Petition for Extension of Time Under 37 CFR
1.136(b))
PTO/AIA/17P (Petition Fee Under 37 CFR 1.17(f), (g), and (h)
Transmittal)
PTO/SB/140 (Petition to Withdraw an Application from Issue)
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information
collection.
Affected Public: Private sector; individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 40,922 respondents per year.
Estimated Number of Responses: 40,922 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public from approximately 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to 12 hours to
complete a response, depending on the complexity of the particular
item. This includes the time to gather the necessary information,
create the documents, and submit the completed request to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 72,958 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $29,183,200.
Table 1--Total Hourly Burden For Private Sector Respondents
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Estimated Estimated Estimated
Estimated annual time for annual Rate \1\ ($/ Estimated
Item No. Item annual responses response burden hour) annual
respondents (year) (hours) (hour/year) burden
(a) (b) (a) x (b) = (d) (c) x (d) =
c e
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1.............. Petitions 4,146 4,146 4 16,583 $400 $6,633,200
(corresponding
to the fee)
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f) include:
Petition to
Accord a
Filing Date
Under 1.57(a).
Petition to
Accord a
Filing Date
Under 1.53(e).
Petition for
Decision on a
Question Not
Specifically
Provided For.
Petition to
Suspend the
Rules.
Petition Fee
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f), (g),
and (h)
Transmittal.
2.............. Petitions 10,313 10,313 2 20,626 400 8,250,400
(corresponding
to the fee)
Under 37 CFR
1.17(g) include:
Petition to
Access an
Assignment
Record.
Petition for
Access to an
Application.
Petition for
Expungement
and Return of
Information.
Petition to
Suspend
Action in an
Application.
Petition Fee
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f), (g),
and (h)
Transmittal.
3.............. Petitions 23,866 23,866 1 23,866 400 9,546,400
(corresponding
to the fee)
Under 37 CFR
1.17(h) include:
Petition for
Accepting
Color
Drawings or
Photographs.
Petition for
Entry of a
Model or
Exhibit.
Petition to
Withdraw an
Application
from Issue.
Petition to
Defer
Issuance of a
Patent.
Petition Fee
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f), (g),
and (h)
Transmittal.
4.............. Petitions to Make 798 798 12 9,576 400 3,830,400
Special Under
Accelerated
Examination
Program (EFS-Web
only).
5.............. Petitions for 570 570 .2 114 400 45,600
Express
Abandonment to
Avoid
Publication
Under 37 CFR
1.138(c).
6.............. Petition for 1 1 .5 1 400 400
Extension of
Time Under 37
CFR 1.136(b).
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Total...... ................. 39,694 39,694 ........... 70,766 ........... 28,306,400
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\1\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms which is $400 per hour.
[[Page 61939]]
Table 2--Total Hourly Burden For Individuals And Households Respondents
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Estimated Estimated Estimated
Estimated annual time for annual Rate \2\ ($/ Estimated
Item No. Item annual responses response burden hour) annual
respondents (year) (hours) (hour/year) burden
(a) (b) (a) x (b) = (d) (c) x (d) =
c e
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1.............. Petitions 128 128 4 512 $400 $204,800
(corresponding
to the fee)
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f) include:
Petition to
Accord a
Filing Date
Under 1.57(a).
Petition to
Accord a
Filing Date
Under 1.53(e).
Petition for
Decision on a
Question Not
Specifically
Provided For.
Petition to
Suspend the
Rules.
Petition Fee
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f), (g),
and (h)
Transmittal.
2.............. Petitions 319 319 2 638 400 255,200
(corresponding
to the fee)
Under 37 CFR
1.17(g) include:
Petition to
Access an
Assignment
Record.
Petition for
Access to an
Application.
Petition for
Expungement
and Return of
Information.
Petition to
Suspend
Action in an
Application.
Petition Fee
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f), (g),
and (h)
Transmittal.
3.............. Petitions 738 738 1 738 400 295,200
(corresponding
to the fee)
Under 37 CFR
1.17(h) include:
Petition for
Accepting
Color
Drawings or
Photographs.
Petition for
Entry of a
Model or
Exhibit.
Petition to
Withdraw an
Application
from Issue.
Petition to
Defer
Issuance of a
Patent.
Petition Fee
Under 37 CFR
1.17(f), (g),
and (h)
Transmittal.
5.............. Petitions to Make 25 25 12 300 400 120,000
Special Under
Accelerated
Examination
Program (EFS-Web
only).
6.............. Petitions for 18 18 .2 4 400 1,600
Express
Abandonment to
Avoid
Publication
Under 37 CFR
1.138(c).
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Total...... ................. 1,228 1,228 ........... 2,192 ........... 876,800
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\2\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms which is $400 per hour.
Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour Respondent Cost Burden: $3,195,134.
There are no capital start-up, operation, or maintenance costs
associated with this information collection. However, this information
collection does have annual non-hour costs in the form of postage costs
and filing fees.
Table 3--Annual Non-Hour Cost Burden
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Estimated Estimated non-
Item No. Item annual Estimated cost hour cost
responses burden
(a) (b) (a) x (b)
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1................................ Petitions requiring the 1,089 $420 $457,380
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (f) (Group I)
(large entity).
1................................ Petitions requiring the 840 210 176,400
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (f) (Group I)
(small entity).
1................................ Petitions requiring the 208 105 21,840
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (f) (Group I)
(micro entity).
2................................ Petitions requiring the 4,739 220 1,042,580
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (g) (Group II)
(large entity).
2................................ Petitions requiring the 515 110 56,650
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (g) (Group II)
(small entity).
2................................ Petitions requiring the 62 55 3,410
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (g) (Group II)
(micro entity).
3................................ Petitions requiring the 8,310 140 1,163,400
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (h) (Group III)
(large entity).
3................................ Petitions requiring the 3,777 70 264,390
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (h) (Group III)
(small entity).
3................................ Petitions requiring the 214 35 7,490
petition fee set forth in 37
CFR 1.17 (h) (Group III)
(micro entity).
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* Total...................... ............................. .............. .............. 3,193,540
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[[Page 61940]]
Respondents may also incur postage costs when submitting items in
this information collection. Although the USPTO prefers that items in
this information collection be submitted electronically, items may be
submitted to the USPTO by mail through the United States Postal
Service. The USPTO expects that approximately 99 percent of the items
in this information collection will be submitted electronically,
resulting in 198 mailed submissions. The average cost for a four-ounce
2-Day Priority Mail legal flat rate envelope shipped first-class via
USPS is $8.05. Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the postage costs
for the mailed submissions in this information collection will total
$1,594.
Respondent'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.
Christopher G. Baker,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-21799 Filed 9-29-20; 11:15 am]
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