[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 142 (Friday, July 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39821-39822]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19781]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Public Search Room

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (DOC), as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to comment on the continuing and 
proposed information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 22, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to the attention of Catherine Hollan, Acting 
Manager, at the Public Search Services Division, Information 
Dissemination Organizations, Crystal Plaza 3 Rm2C04, 2021 South Clark 
Place, Arlington, Va. 22202, by telephone at (703) 306-2608 or by 
facsimile transmission to (703) 308-0876.


[[Page 39822]]



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) is required by 35 USC 
41(I)(1) to maintain a Public Search Facility to provide patent and 
trademark collections for the public to search and retrieve 
information. The Public Search Facilities are maintained for public use 
with paper and automated search files and trained staff to assist 
searchers. The Public Search Facilities are available to everyone.
    In order to maintain and control the patent and trademark 
collections so that the information is available to the public, the PTO 
issues Public User ID badges to users who wish to use the Public Search 
Facilities. For many years, the PTO issued paper User IDs, but the PTO 
is developing an electronic badging database for the issuance of 
plastic ID badges.
    The new plastic ID badge will show a color photograph of the user, 
a bar-coded user number, and an expiration date. The new badging system 
will allow the PTO to electronically store the information, which can 
be updated periodically. The ID system (current and proposed) is 
designed to enable the PTO to (a) identify users of patent and 
trademark documents, (b) confine user access to public areas, (c) 
locate and control access to patent and trademark documents, and (d) 
identify users of PTO services.
    The User badge enables the PTO to accurately track use of the 
documents and to identify any misusers of the search facilities. The 
PTO uses the ID badges to identify, counsel, and sanction users who 
destroy, misfile, or remove documents from its collections, or who 
mishandle its equipment. The Public User ID also grants to the public 
limited access to the non-public parts of the PTO, such as the 
Examiner's areas. Access to these areas requires that users wear a 
visible PTO employee ID, a contractor ID, or a Public User ID. (The 
proposed Public User ID badges will enable the PTO to immediately 
confirm a user's identity via an on-the-spot comparison with the 
badges' color photograph.)
    For its ID system, the PTO collects the following mandatory 
identifying information: name and mailing address (as verified on a 
picture ID such as a driver's license), and signature. (The future 
system will require a digital photograph of users.) Optional 
information includes telephone number, PTO Attorney Registration 
Number, and company affiliations, if any.

II. Method of Collection

    The written application for the Public User ID is completed on site 
and handed to a staff member to enter into the system.

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Type of Review: Existing collection in use without OMB control 
number.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households, businesses or other 
for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, farms, state, local or tribal 
governments, and the Federal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,713 respondents per year after 
the first year. For the first year, it is estimated that there will be 
571 fewer respondents because the PTO does not expect to renew any 
Public User ID Badges the first year.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Approximately five minutes to complete 
the application for a Public User ID and renew the Public User ID 
Badge, and approximately ten minutes to issue the Public User ID Badge.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 188 hours per year 
after the first year. For the first year, it is estimated that the 
burden will only be 141 hours because the PTO does not expect to renew 
any Public User ID Badges the first year.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $14,714.76 per year 
after the first year. It is estimated that the annual respondent cost 
burden will be only $11,036.07 for the first year because the PTO does 
not expect to renew any Public User ID Badges the first year. No 
capital expenditures are required--the estimate is for the time it 
takes for applicants to provide the information.

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                                                                     Estimated                                  
                                                                     time for        Estimated       Estimated  
             Title of form                   Form  number(s)         response     annual  burden      annual    
                                                                      (mins)           hours         responses  
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Issue Public User ID Badge............  No Forms Associated.....              10              94             571
Renew Public User ID Badge (subsequent  No Forms Associated.....               5              47             571
 years).                                                                                                        
Application for Public User ID........  New Form #####..........               5              47             571
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      Totals..........................  ........................  ..............             188           1,713
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    Note: The total estimated annual burden hours and estimated 
annual responses shown in this table include the figures for 
renewing the Public User ID Badge. The PTO does not expect to renew 
any Public User ID Badges in the first year. The PTO estimates the 
annual burden hours for the first year without the renewals to be 
141 and the estimated annual responses to be 1,142.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) 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) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, e.g., the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice shall be summarized 
or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 20, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-19781 Filed 7-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P