[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 155 (Wednesday, August 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43141-43142]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21566]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Disclosure Document Program

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 13, 
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 Robert J. Spar, Patent and 
Trademark Office, Washington, D.C. 20231, by telephone at (703) 305-
9285 or by facsimile transmission to (703) 308-6916.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Disclosure Document Program allows inventors to submit papers 
that provide evidence of the date of conception of an invention. The 
disclosure document papers will be

[[Page 43142]]

retained by the PTO for two years, during which time the inventors 
should file a patent application if patent protection is desired.

II. Method of collection

    By mail, facsimile and hand-carry when the inventor desires to 
participate in the information collection.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0030.
    Form Number: PTO/SB/95.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    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: 27,000 responses per year.
    Estimated Time Per Response: It is estimated to take approximately 
12 minutes to complete a disclosure document deposit request.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 5,400 hours per 
year.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $54,000 per year.

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                                                                                         Estimated              
                                                                   Estimated time for      annual     Estimated 
           Title of form                      Form Nos.                 response           burden       annual  
                                                                                           hours      responses 
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Disclosure Document Deposit Request  PTO/SB/95                    12 mins.............        5,400       27,000
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      Totals.......................  ...........................  ....................        5,400       27,000
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    Note: The time estimate for the form includes the time to 
prepare the invention disclosure documents.

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 shall 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 will be summarized or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 6, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-21566 Filed 8-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P