[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 50 (Monday, March 15, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 12134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5727]



[[Page 12134]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

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: Secrecy and License to Export.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Agency Approval Number: 0651-0034.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 1,310 hours annually.
    Number of Respondents: 1,669 responses per year. Of this total, the 
USPTO expects that approximately 6 per year for petition for rescission 
of secrecy order, 3 per year for permit to disclose or modification of 
secrecy order, 1 per year for general and group permits, 1,402 per year 
for petition for expedited handling of license (no corresponding 
application), 126 per year for petition for expedited handling of 
license (corresponding U.S. application), 1 for petition for changing 
scope of license, and 130 per year for a petition for retroactive 
license will be filed.
    Avg. Hours Per Response: It is estimated to take an average of 3.0 
hours for permit for rescission of secrecy order; 2.0 hours for permit 
to disclose or modification of secrecy order; 1.0 hours for general and 
group permits; 0.5 hours each for foreign filing licenses: petition for 
expedited handling of license (no corresponding application), petition 
for expedited handling of license (corresponding U.S. application), 
petition for changing scope of license; and 4.0 hours for petition for 
retroactive license for the public to gather, prepare and submit the 
various petitions.
    Needs and Uses: In the interest of national security, patent laws 
and rules place certain limitations on the disclosure of information 
contained in patents and patent applications and on the filing of 
applications for patents in foreign countries. When an invention is 
determined to be detrimental to national security, the Director of the 
USPTO must issue a secrecy order and withhold the grant of a patent for 
such period as the national interest requires. The USPTO collects 
information to determine whether the patent laws and rules have been 
complied with, and to grant or revoke licenses to file abroad when 
appropriate. This collection of information is required by 35 U.S.C. 
181-188 and administered through 37 CFR 5.1-5.33. There are no forms 
associated with this collection of information.
    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 the 
Chief Information Officer, Office of Data Architecture and Services, 
(703) 308-7400, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, PO Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313, Attn: CPK 3 Suite 310, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent on or before April 14, 2004 to David Rostker, 
OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: March 5, 2004.
Susan K. Brown,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office 
of Data Architecture and Services, Data Administration Division.
[FR Doc. 04-5727 Filed 3-12-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P