[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 211 (Monday, November 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 58711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29310]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Request for Comments on Interim Guidelines for Examination of 
Patent Applications Under the 35 U.S.C. 112 para. 1 ``Written 
Description'' Requirement; Notice of Change in Public Hearings, 
Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of cancellation of public hearing in San Diego, 
California; change of location of November 4, 1998, public hearing; and 
extension of request period to present oral testimony.

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SUMMARY: Due to insufficient interest, the public hearing to be held in 
San Diego, California, on November 6, 1998, is canceled. For the same 
reason, the public hearing to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, on 
November 4, 1998, will be held in Arlington, Virginia. The period to 
request an opportunity to present oral testimony at the Arlington 
location has been extended to November 3, 1998.

ADDRESSES: The November 4, 1998, hearing will be held in the 
Commissioner's Conference Room located in Crystal Park Two, Room 912, 
2121 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia. Those interested in testifying 
should send their request to the attention of Mary Critharis addressed 
to Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Box 4, Patent and Trademark 
Office, Washington, DC 20231. Requests may also be submitted by 
facsimile transmission to Mary Critharis at (703) 305-8885.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Critharis by telephone at (703) 
305-9300, by facsimile at (703) 305-8885, by electronic mail at 
[email protected], or by mail addressed to Commissioner of 
Patents and Trademarks, Box 4, Washington, DC 20231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 23, 1998, the Patent and 
Trademark Office (PTO) announced its intention to hold public hearings 
relating to the ``written description'' requirement under section 112 
of title 35 of the United States Code. 63 FR 50,887 (1998). Interested 
members of the public were invited to testify on this subject at public 
hearings to be held in Boston, Massachusetts, on November 4, 1998 and 
San Diego, California, on November 6, 1998. The period to request an 
opportunity to present oral testimony at these hearings was set to end 
on October 30, 1998.
    Due to insufficient interest, the public hearing in San Diego is 
canceled. For the same reason, the public hearing initially scheduled 
for Boston will instead be held in Arlington, Virginia, on November 4, 
1998, starting at 9 a.m. and ending no later than 5 p.m. Those wishing 
to present oral testimony at the hearing must request an opportunity to 
do so no later than November 3, 1998.

    Dated: October 28, 1998.
Bruce A. Lehman,
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and 
Trademarks.
[FR Doc. 98-29310 Filed 10-29-98; 10:07 am]
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