[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 10 (Tuesday, January 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 1968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-950]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has submitted 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the 
following proposal for collection of information under the provisions 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
    Title: Trademark Processing (proposed rulemaking, Electronic 
Submission of Applications for Registration and Other Documents).
    Form Number(s): PTO Form 4.8/4.9/4.16/1478/1478(a)/1553/1581/1583/ 
1963/2000, PTO/TM/4.16/1583.
    Agency Approval Number: 0651-0009.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 137,030 hours annually.
    Number of Respondents: 677,151 responses per year.
    Avg. Hours Per Response: The time needed to respond is estimated to 
range from 3 to 30 minutes. It is estimated that the time needed to 
complete the electronic forms ranges from 4 to 21 minutes, and the time 
needed to complete the paper forms with the declaration ranges from 6 
to 24 minutes. The information collection also includes four items, 
namely, powers of attorney, designations of domestic representatives, 
trademark amendments/corrections/surrenders, and petitions to revive 
abandoned applications, for which forms have not been created and which 
are not subject to the proposed mandatory electronic filing rule. The 
USPTO estimates that completing these items ranges from 3 to 30 
minutes. The time estimates include time to gather the necessary 
information, create the documents, and submit the completed requests.
    Needs and Uses: This collection is being submitted as a proposed 
addition in support of a proposed rulemaking, RIN 0651-AB31, 
``Electronic Submission of Applications for Registration and Other 
Documents.'' The USPTO proposes to amend the Rules of Practice in 
Trademark Cases (37 CFR) to require electronic filing of all documents 
for which forms are currently available through the Trademark 
Electronic Application System (TEAS). Subject to certain exceptions for 
parties who lack access to TEAS or the technical capability to use 
TEAS, and for certain other parties, all documents for which an 
electronic form is available in TEAS must be filed through TEAS.
    The USPTO proposes to amend Secs. 1.4, 1.10, 2.21, 2.56, 2.76, 
2.88, 2.89, 2.161, 2.166, 2.167 and 2.168 of 37 CFR parts 1 and 2 to 
make electronic filing through the TEAS system mandatory.
    This rulemaking would add an additional requirement to this 
collection, namely an affidavit or declaration, if appropriate, that 
verifies that the applicant or registrant or the attorney, if any, for 
that applicant or registrant, lacks access to TEAS or the technical 
capability to use TEAS. Under the proposed rule, submissions that are 
made on paper but that could be made by TEAS and that are not 
accompanied by such an affidavit or declaration will be returned unless 
the party who made the submission is within the exception provided for 
certain foreign applicants and registrants.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit; not-for-profit institutions; farms; the federal Government; and 
state, local or tribal Government.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, (202) 395-3897.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Susan K. Brown, Records Officer, Office of Data 
Management, Data Administration Division, (703) 308-7400, USPTO, Suite 
310, 2231 Crystal Drive, Washington, DC 20231, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed collection 
should be sent on or before February 14, 2002 to David Rostker, OMB 
Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503.

    Dated: January 9, 2002.
Susan K. Brown,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of Data Management, Data Administration 
Division.
[FR Doc. 02-950 Filed 1-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P