[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 146 (Monday, July 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43134-43135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-12220]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 United States 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

[[Page 43135]]

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
    Title: Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program.
    Form Number(s): PTO/SB/20.
    Agency Approval Number: 0651-00XX.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Burden: 1,000 hours annually.
    Number of Respondents: 500 responses per year.
    Avg. Hours per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take the 
public approximately two hours (2.0 hours) to gather the necessary 
information, prepare the form, and submit the completed request.
    Needs and Uses: The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program 
is being established between the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO). This program will 
allow applicants whose claims are determined to be patentable in the 
office of first filing to have the corresponding application that is 
filed in the office of second filing be advanced out of turn for 
examination. At the same time, this program will allow the office of 
second filing to exploit the search and examination results of the 
office of first filing, which will increase examination efficiency and 
improve patent quality. This information collection includes one 
proposed form, Request for Participation in the Patent Prosecution 
Highway (PPH) Pilot Program Between the JPO and the USPTO (PTO/SB/20), 
which may be used by applicants to request participation in the pilot 
program and to ensure that they meet the program requirements.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits, not-for-profit 
institutions.
    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 any of the following methods:
    E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``0651-00XX PPH Pilot 
Program copy request'' in the subject line of the message.
    Fax: 571-273-0112, marked to the attention of Susan Brown.
    Mail: Susan K. Brown, Records Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer, Architecture, Engineering and Technical Services, 
Data Architecture and Services Division, U.S. Patent and Trademark 
Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent on or before August 30, 2006 to David 
Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, 
725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: July 24, 2006.
Susan K. Brown,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Architecture, Engineering and Technical Services, Data Architecture and 
Services Division.
[FR Doc. E6-12220 Filed 7-28-06; 8:45 am]
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