[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16709-16710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8431]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Admittance To Practice and Roster of Registered Patent Attorneys 
and Agents Admitted To Practice Before the Patent and Trademark Office

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 June 7, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5033, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (e mail 
address is LE[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to the attention of Karen Bovard, Director, Office 
of Enrollment and Discipline, 2221 South Clark Street, Arlington, VA 
22202, by telephone at (703) 306-4097, or by facsimile transmission to 
(703) 306-4134.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) collects information 
to determine the qualifications of individuals entitled to represent 
applicants before the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) in the 
preparation and prosecution of applications for a patent. The OED also 
collects information to administer and maintain the roster of attorneys 
and agents registered to practice before the PTO.
    There are forms associated with this information collection, which 
OED uses to collect information from the public. These forms are Form 
PTO-158 (Application for Registration to Practice Before the United 
States Patent and Trademark Office), Form PTO-158A (Application for 
Registration to Practice Before the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office Under 37 CFR 10.6(c) By a Foreign Resident), Form PTO-275 
(Undertaking Under 37 CFR 10.10(b)), and Form PTO-107A (Data Sheet--
Register of Patent Attorneys and

[[Page 16710]]

Agents). The applicant uses Forms PTO-158, 158A, and 275 to register 
for the examination. Form PTO-107A is used by the applicant to supply 
information for the register.

II. Method of collection

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

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0012.
    Form Number: Form PTO-158, Form PTO-158A, Form PTO-275, and Form 
PTO-107A.
    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: 8,100 responses per year.
    Estimated Time Per Response: It is estimated to take approximately 
30 minutes to complete either an application for registration to 
practice before the PTO or an application for a foreign resident to 
practice before the PTO. It is estimated to take 20 minutes to complete 
undertakings under 37 CFR 10.10(b) and data sheets for the register of 
patent attorneys and agents.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,557 hours per 
year.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $0 (no capital 
start-up or maintenance expenditures are required). $622,475 per year 
is estimated for salary costs associated with respondents.

 
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                                                                Estimated time     Estimated        Estimated
           Title of form                  PTO Form Number        for response    annual burden        annual
                                                                  (minutes)          hours          responses
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Application for Registration to      Form PTO-158                           30            2,500            5,000
 Practice Before the United States
 Patent and Trademark Office.
Application for Registration to      Form PTO-158A                          30              100              200
 Practice Before the United States
 Patent and Trademark Office Under
 37 CFR 10.6(c) by a Foreign
 Resident.
Undertaking under 37 CFR 10.10(b)..  Form PTO-275                           20              132              400
Data Sheet--Register of Patent       Form PTO-107A                          20              825            2,500
 Attorneys and Agents.
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    Totals.........................  ........................  ...............            3,557            8,100
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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: March 31, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-8431, Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P