[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 202 (Wednesday, October 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64692-64694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26376]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Green Technology Pilot Program
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden,
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on the revision of a currently approved
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 before December 20,
2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
[[Page 64693]]
E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0062 Green Technology Pilot Program comment'' in the subject line of
the message.
Fax: 571-273-0112, marked to the attention of Susan K.
Fawcett.
Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records Officer, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Raul Tamayo, Legal Advisor, Office of Patent
Legal Administration, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O.
Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-7728; or
by e-mail to [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented a
pilot program on December 8, 2009, that permits patent applications
pertaining to green technologies, including greenhouse gas reduction,
to be advanced out of turn for examination and reviewed earlier
(accorded special status). The program is designed to promote the
development of green technologies. Participation was previously limited
to applications filed before December 8, 2009. The USPTO is expanding
the eligibility for the pilot program to include applications filed on
or after December 8, 2009. The program is also being extended until
December 31, 2011. These changes will permit more applications to
qualify for the program, thereby allowing more inventions related to
green technologies to be advanced out of turn for examination and
reviewed earlier. Applicants may participate in the green technology
pilot program without meeting the current requirements of the
accelerated examination program. The accelerated examination program is
covered under OMB Control Number 0651-0031.
This pilot will support national and international green technology
initiatives.
II. Method of Collection
Electronically using the USPTO online filing system EFS-Web.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0062.
Form Number(s): PTO/SB/420.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profits; and not-for-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,225 responses per year.
Estimated Time Per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public between 1 hour and 10 hours to gather the necessary
information, prepare the appropriate form or other documents, and
submit the information to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,850 hours per
year.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $1,251,250 per year.
The USPTO expects that the information in this collection will be
prepared by attorneys. Using the professional rate of $325 per hour for
attorneys in private firms, the USPTO estimates that the respondent
cost burden for this collection will be approximately $1,251,250 per
year.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Estimated time Estimated annual
Item for response annual burden
responses hours
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Request for Green Technology 1 hour......... 2,000 2,000
Pilot Program (PTO/SB/420).
Protests by the public 10 hours....... 65 650
against pending applications
under 37 CFR 1.291.
Third-party submissions in 7.5 hours...... 160 1,200
published applications under
37 CFR 1.99.
������������������������������
Total.................... ............... 2,225 3,850
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual Non-hour Respondent Cost Burden: $36,410 per
year. There are no capital start-up or maintenance costs associated
with this information collection. However, this collection does have
record keeping costs and filing fees for the second or subsequent
protest filed by the same real party in interest and for a third-party
submission under 37 CFR 1.99.
When submitting the information in this collection to the USPTO
electronically through EFS-Web, the applicant is strongly urged to
retain a copy of the file submitted to the USPTO as evidence of
authenticity in addition to keeping the acknowledgment receipt as clear
evidence of the date the file was received by the USPTO. The USPTO
estimates that it will take 2 minutes (0.03 hours) to print and retain
a copy of the EFS-Web submissions and that approximately 2,225
submissions per year will be submitted electronically, for a total of
approximately 67 hours per year for printing this receipt. Using the
paraprofessional rate of $100 per hour, the USPTO estimates that the
record keeping cost associated with this collection will be
approximately $6,700 per year.
There is no fee for filing protests under 37 CFR 1.291 unless the
filed protest is the second or subsequent protest by the same real
party in interest, in which case the 37 CFR 1.17(i) fee of $130 must be
included (the USPTO estimates 7 of the 65 protests filed per year will
trigger this fee). Third-party submissions under 37 CFR 1.99 must
include the 37 CFR 1.17(p) fee of $180. The USPTO estimates that the
total fees associated with this collection will be approximately
$29,710 per year.
The total non-hour respondent cost burden for this collection in
the form of record keeping costs ($6,700) and filing fees ($29,710) is
approximately $36,410 per year.
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 also will become a matter of public record.
[[Page 64694]]
Dated: October 14, 2010.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-26376 Filed 10-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P