[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 90 (Monday, May 11, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26914-26915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11318]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No. PTO-P-2015-0031]
Extension of the Period for Comments on Enhancing Patent Quality
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Extension of the comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently
launched a comprehensive and enhanced quality initiative. This
initiative began with a request for public comments on a set of
proposals for enhancing patent quality through submission of written
comments. Public input on this initiative was also received through
discussion at a two-day ``Quality Summit,'' held on March 25 and 26,
2015, at the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The USPTO is
extending the comment period to ensure that all stakeholders have
sufficient opportunity to submit comments on its new enhanced quality
initiative.
DATES: To be assured of consideration, written comments must be
received on or before May 20, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent by electronic mail message
over the Internet addressed to: [email protected].
Comments may also be submitted by postal mail addressed to: Mail Stop
Comments--Patents, Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria,
Virginia 22313-1450, marked to the attention of Michael Cygan, Senior
Legal Advisor, Office of Patent Legal Administration, Office of the
Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy.
Although comments may be submitted by postal mail, the USPTO
prefers to receive comments by electronic mail message over the
Internet in order to facilitate sharing the received comments with the
public. Electronic comments are preferred to be submitted in plain
text, but also may be submitted in ADOBE[supreg] portable document
format or MICROSOFT[supreg] WORD format. Comments not submitted
electronically should be submitted on paper in a format that
facilitates convenient digital scanning into ADOBE[supreg] portable
document format.
The comments will be available for public inspection at the Office
of the Commissioner for Patents, currently located in Madison East,
Tenth Floor, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia. Comments also
will be available for viewing via the USPTO's Internet Web site (http://www.uspto.gov/patent/initiatives/enhanced-patent-quality-initiative.html). Because comments will be made available for public
inspection, information that the submitter does not desire to make
public, such as an address or phone number, should not be included in
the comments. It would be helpful to the USPTO if written comments
included information about: (1) The name and affiliation of the
individual responding; and (2) an indication of whether comments
offered represent views of the respondent's organization or are the
respondent's personal views.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael T. Cygan, Senior Legal
Advisor, at (571) 272-7700; Maria Nuzzolillo, Legal Advisor, at (571)
272-8150; or Jeffrey R. West, Legal Advisor, at (571) 272-2226.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USPTO is extending the period for public
comment on its Enhanced Patent Quality Initiative. The USPTO launched a
comprehensive and enhanced quality initiative beginning with a request
for public comments on a set of six proposals outlined in a Federal
Register Notice, Request for Comments on Enhancing Patent Quality, 80
FR 6475 (Feb. 5, 2015). The new enhanced quality initiative continued
with a two-
[[Page 26915]]
day ``Quality Summit'' with the public to discuss the outlined
proposals, which was held on March 25 and 26, 2015, at the USPTO
headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.
In view of the substantial public interest in this initiative, the
number and complexity of the issues involved, and requests from the
public for an extension of the time to submit comments, the USPTO is
now extending the period for submission of public comments until May
20, 2015.
Members of the public are invited to submit written comments that
address the proposals outlined in the February 5, 2015, Federal
Register Notice or that provide input on other programs or initiatives
not reflected in the proposals that the public believes may enhance
patent quality. Based upon the stakeholder feedback received, the USPTO
plans to refine the proposals as needed and to continue its engagement
with the public about these proposals through a series of additional
events. Through such continued engagement with the public, the USPTO
can take the correct next steps in its continued efforts toward
enhancing patent quality.
Dated: May 5, 2015.
Michelle K. Lee,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2015-11318 Filed 5-8-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P