[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 143 (Monday, July 27, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 40104-40105] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-19993] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Patent and Trademark Office [Docket No. 980713169-8167-01] Dissemination of Patent and Trademark Information on the PTO's Web Site AGENCY: Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce. ACTION: Notice and request for public comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) plans to expand the searchable database offerings on its World-Wide Web (Web) site by adding additional patent data and by including trademark data. This expansion will provide Web access to the full text of patents granted since 1976 and to the trademark text data for registered and pending marks. The PTO also plans to incorporate patent and trademark image data and trademark data for inactive marks as part of its expanded Web offering. The PTO requests public comments on its decision to expand its Web site offerings. DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on or before August 26, 1998. ADDRESSES: Address comments to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Attention: Wesley H. Gewehr, Administrator for Information Dissemination, Crystal Park 3, Suite 451, Washington, DC 20231; or fax to 703-306-2737; or e-mail to [email protected]. Comments will be available for public inspection in the Office of Electronic Information Products, Crystal Park 3, Suite 441, 2231 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane S. Myers, Office of Electronic Information Products, by telephone at 703-306-2600; by fax at 703-306- 2737; [[Page 40105]] by e-mail to [email protected]; or by mail to Patent and Trademark Office, Office of Electronic Information Products, Crystal Park 3, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20231. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PTO has been directed to disseminate patent and trademark information using automated methods. See 35 USC 41(i)(2). The PTO currently provides the public with on-line access, for a fee, to internal patent and trademark automated search systems in its public search facilities located in Crystal City, VA. Thirty-one Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries (PTDLs) offer on-line access to PTO's automated patent full-text search system, and three Partnership PTDLs offer on-line access to PTO's automated trademark text and image search system and to the automated patent image retrieval system. The PTO also provides access to subsets of its patent and trademark databases on CD-ROMs in the PTO's public search facilities and at 83 PTDLs located throughout the country. The PTO sells its CD-ROM products to the public, and the Government Printing Office makes them available to the Federal Depository Libraries. Although the PTO has provided World-Wide Web access to searchable patent bibliographic data since November 1995, neither searchable trademark data, the full text of patents, nor patent and trademark image data are currently available on the PTO Web site. The PTO hereby provides notice to the public of its plans to expand searchable patent data and to begin offering searchable trademark data on its Web site. In August of this year, the PTO plans to provide free Web access to the trademark text data that is currently available on the PTO's Cassis CD-ROM products--Trademarks Registered and Trademarks Pending--covering active registered and pending marks. In November 1998, this trademark offering will include the ``clipped'' images associated with these marks. In the future, this searchable trademark database will be expanded to include inactive (abandoned, cancelled and expired) marks and some additional data elements associated with those inactive marks, and will be updated more frequently to reflect more current conditions of the trademark database. Also in November 1998, the PTO plans to expand its patent database offering on the Web to include free access to the full text of all patents issued since 1976. In March 1999, the patent offering will allow users free access to the full page images of patents identified. On-line ordering of patent documents issued since 1976 for electronic delivery, for a fee, is planned for March 1999. Any such fee will be established by taking into consideration applicable government policy, OMB circular A-130, the Paperwork Reduction Act, and any other applicable statutes. The PTO requests public comments on its plans to expand its Web site offerings. Dated: July 21, 1998. Bruce A. Lehman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. [FR Doc. 98-19993 Filed 7-24-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-16-P