[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 197 (Thursday, October 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61745-61746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-25020]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will submit 
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. 35).
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
    Title: Patents External Quality Survey (formerly Customer Panel 
Quality Survey).
    Form Number(s): None.
    Agency Approval Number: 0651-0057.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Burden: 527 hours annually.
    Number of Respondents: 3,100 responses per year, with an estimated 
75 surveys submitted by small entities. Out of a sample size of 3,100 
for each wave of data collection, the USPTO estimates that 1,550 
completed surveys will be received, for a response rate of 50%. This 
estimate was based on the response rates of the previous survey waves 
that the USPTO has conducted. Each year of the survey will include two 
waves of data collection with an estimated 3,100 completed surveys 
received annually (1,550 completed surveys x 2 waves of the survey). Of 
this total, the USPTO estimates that 15% (465) of the surveys will be 
returned by mail and that 85% (2,635) of the surveys will be completed 
using the online option.

[[Page 61746]]

    Avg. Hours per Response: The USPTO estimates that it takes the 
public approximately ten minutes (0.17 hours) to complete either the 
paper or online version of this survey. This estimated time includes 
gathering the necessary information, completing the survey, and 
submitting the completed survey to the USPTO.
    Needs and Uses: Individuals who work at firms that file more than 
six patent applications a year use the Patents External Quality Survey 
to provide the USPTO with their perceptions of examination quality. The 
USPTO uses the feedback gathered from the survey to assist them in 
targeting key areas for examination quality improvement and to identify 
important areas for examiner training.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other 
for-profits; and non-profit institutions.
    Frequency: Semi-annually.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    OMB Desk Officer: Nicholas A. Fraser, email: [email protected].
    Once submitted, the request will be publicly available in 
electronic format through the Information Collection Review page at 
www.reginfo.gov.
    Paper copies can be obtained by:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0057 copy request'' in the subject line of the message.
     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.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent on or before November 13, 2012 to Nicholas A. 
Fraser, OMB Desk Officer, via email to [email protected], or by fax to 202-395-5167, marked to the attention 
of Nicholas A. Fraser.

    Dated: October 5, 2012.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-25020 Filed 10-10-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P