[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52636-52637]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21048]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
ACTION: Notice.
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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 continuing information 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 November 3,
2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-New
comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records 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 the attention of Michael Easdale, Office of
Patent Quality Assurance, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-3533;
or by email to [email protected] with ``Paperwork'' in the
subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
I. Abstract
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) designed and
developed the Patents Ombudsman Program in response to customer
feedback that the prosecution of patent applications does not always
proceed in accordance with established procedures. In some situations,
the patent applicants, attorneys, and agents have felt that examination
has stalled and their efforts to move their applications forward
through the normal channels have not been effective. The objectives
[[Page 52637]]
of the Patents Ombudsman Program are: (1) To facilitate complaint-
handling for pro se applicants and applicant's representatives whose
applications have stalled in the examination process; (2) to track
complaints to ensure each is handled within ten business days; (3) to
provide feedback and early warning alerts to USPTO management regarding
training needs based on complaint trends; and (4) to build a database
of frequently asked questions accessible to the public that give
commonly seen problems and effective resolutions.
The USPTO Ombudsman survey is a key component of the process
evaluation, providing a program monitoring system and identifying
potential opportunities for program enhancement. This survey is being
conducted by the USPTO's Ombudsman Program and will be developed,
administered, and summarized by USPTO personnel. A survey is the only
way the USPTO can gain consistent, reliable, and representative
information from the customers choosing to use the Ombudsman Program.
There are no statutes or regulations requiring the USPTO to conduct
this usage and satisfaction measurement. The USPTO will use the survey
instrument to implement Executive Order 12862 of September 11, 1993,
Setting Customer Service Standards, published in the Federal Register
on September 14, 1993 (Vol. 58, No. 176).
II. Method of Collection
Electronic email submission to the USPTO.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651--New.
Form Number(s): No form numbers.
Type of Review: New collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profits; and not-for-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,100 responses per year. A final
respondent pool from approximately 3,000 inquiries would likely be
around 1,800 unique customers. Assuming a 60% response rate, 1,100 of
the 1,800 unique users will respond which should ensure adequate
representation across all Technology Centers.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public approximately 5 minutes (.083 hours) to submit the
information in this collection, including the time to gather the
necessary information, prepare the appropriate form or document, and
submit the completed request to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 91.67 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $29,608.33. The
USPTO believes that both professionals and para-professionals will
complete these surveys, at a rate of 75% of the current professional
rate of $389 per hour and 25% of the para-professional rate of $125 per
hour. The professional hourly rate used for the calculation is the
median rate for attorneys in private firms as published in the 2013
AIPLA Economic Survey. This report summarized the results of a survey
with data on hourly billing rates. The para-professional hourly rate
comes from 2013 report published by the National Association of Legal
Assistants.
The hourly rate for professionals, calculating 75% of $389, totals
$291.75, while the hourly rate for the para-professionals, calculating
25% of $125, totals $31.25, for a combined hourly rate of $323. The
USPTO estimates that the respondent cost burden for this collection
will be $29,608.33 per year (1,100 responses * .083 hours * $323).
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Estimated time
Item for response Estimated annual Estimated annual
(minutes) responses burden hours
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Ombudsman Survey.......................................... 5 1,100 91.67
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Totals................................................ ................ 1,100 91.67
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Estimated Total Annual Non-Hour Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no capital start-up, maintenance, postage, or recordkeeping costs
associated with this information collection.
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.
Dated: August 27, 2014.
Marcie Lovett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer, United
States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2014-21048 Filed 9-3-14; 8:45 am]
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