[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 125 (Friday, June 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29848-29852]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13716]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


International Design Applications (Hague Agreement)

ACTION: Proposed extension of a continuing information collection; 
comment request.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a 
proposed extension of an existing collection: 0651-0075 (International 
Design Applications (Hague Agreement)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before August 29, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
    Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-0075 
comment'' in the subject line of the message.
    Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records and Information Governance Division 
Director, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, United States Patent 
and

[[Page 29849]]

Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Rafael Bacares, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of 
Patent Legal Administration, United States Patent and Trademark Office, 
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-3276; 
or by email at [email protected] with ``0651-0075 comment'' in 
the subject line. Additional information about this collection is also 
available at http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection 
Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Abstract

    The Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act of 2012 (PLTIA) amends 
the patent laws to implement the provisions of the Geneva Act of the 
Hague Agreement Concerning International Registration of Industrial 
Designs (hereinafter ``Hague Agreement'') in title 1, and the Patent 
Law Treaty (PLT) in title 2. The Hague Agreement is an international 
agreement that enables an applicant to file a single international 
design application which may have the effect of an application for 
protection for the design(s) in countries and/or intergovernmental 
organizations that are Parties to the Hague Agreement (the 
``Contracting Parties'') designated in the application. The United 
States is a Contracting Party to the Hague Agreement, which took effect 
with respect to the United States on May 13, 2015. The Hague Agreement 
is administered by the International Bureau (IB) of World Intellectual 
Property Organization (WIPO) located in Geneva, Switzerland.
    Thus, under the Hague Agreement, a U.S. applicant could file an 
international design application in English ``indirectly'' through the 
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (``USPTO''), which will forward the 
application to the IB or ``directly'' with the IB. The industrial 
design or designs will be eligible for protection in all the 
Contracting Parties designated by the applicant.
    The IB ascertains whether the international design application 
complies with formal requirements, registers the international design 
in the International register, and publishes the international 
registration in the International Designs Bulletin. The international 
registration contains all of the data of the international application, 
any reproduction of the industrial design, date of the international 
registration, number of the international registration, and relevant 
class of the International Classification.
    The IB will provide a copy of the publication of the international 
registration to each Contracting party designated by the applicant. A 
designated Contracting Party may perform a substantive examination of 
the design application. The USPTO will perform a substantive 
examination for patentability of the international design application, 
as in the case of regular U.S. design applications.
    The Hague Agreement enables applicants from a Contracting Party to 
obtain protection of their designs with minimal formality and expense. 
Additionally, under the Hague Agreement, the international registration 
can be centrally maintained by the IB. For example, through the IB, 
applicants can record changes of their representatives or changes in 
ownership, and renew their international registration.

II. Method of Collection

    Most of the items in this collection can be submitted 
electronically through EFS-Web. The items can also be submitted by 
mail.

III. Data

    Collection Name: International Design Applications (Hague 
Agreement).
    OMB Number: 0651-0075.
    IC Instruments and Forms: WIPO DM/1.
    Type of Review: Extension of a Previously Reviewed Information 
Collection.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profits; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 556 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the response 
time for activities related to International Design Applications will 
take the public between approximately 15 minutes (0.25 hours) to 6 
hours to complete. (See Table 1.) This includes the time to gather the 
necessary information, create the document, and submit the completed 
request to the USPTO. The USPTO calculates that, on balance, it takes 
the same amount of time to do this, regardless of whether the public is 
submitting the information in paper form or electronically.
    Estimated Total Response Burden Hours: 1,898.00 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $778,180. 
The USPTO expects that an attorney will complete these applications. 
The professional hourly rate for attorneys is $410. This rate is 
established by estimates in the 2015 Report of the Economic Survey, 
published by the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the 
American Intellectual Property Law Association. Using this hourly rate, 
the USPTO estimates that the total respondent cost burden for this 
collection is $778,180 per year.

                                                           Table 1--Annual Hourly Cost Burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                             Estimated       Estimated
              IC No.                          Item                Estimated time for          annual       annual burden    Rate ($/hr)      Estimated
                                                                   response (hours)          responses         hours                       annual burden
                                                              (a).......................             (b)     (a) x (b) =             (d)     (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                     (c)                             (e)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1................................  Applicant for              6.00......................             156             936         $410.00     $383,750.00
                                    International
                                    Registration.
2................................  Claim and Reproductions    4.00......................             156             624          410.00      255,840.00
                                    (Drawings).
3................................  Transmittal Letter.......  2.00......................             140             280          410.00      114,800.00
4................................  Appointment of a           0.25 (15 minutes).........              15            3.75          410.00        1,537.50
                                    Representative.
5................................  Petition to Excuse a       4.00......................               1               4          410.00        1,640.00
                                    Failure to Comply with a
                                    Time Limit.
6................................  Petition to Convert to a   4.00......................               1               4          410.00        1,640.00
                                    Design Application under
                                    35 U.S.C. Chapter 16.
7................................  Petition to Review a       4.00......................               2               8          410.00        3,280.00
                                    Filing Date.
8................................  Fee Authorization........  0.25 (15 minutes).........              31            7.75          410.00        3,177.50
9................................  Petitions to the           4.00......................               1               4          410.00        1,640.00
                                    Commissioner.

[[Page 29850]]

 
10...............................  Transmittal of Issue Fee   0.50 (30 minutes).........               1            0.50          410.00          205.00
                                    to UPSTO for an
                                    International Design
                                    Application.
11...............................  Declaration on             0.50 (30 minutes).........              46              23          410.00        9,430.00
                                    Inventorship for
                                    Purposes of Designation
                                    of the United States.
12...............................  Substitute Statement in    0.50 (30 minutes).........               1            0.50          410.00          205.00
                                    Lieu of a Declaration of
                                    Inventorship for the
                                    Purposes of Designating
                                    the United States.
13...............................  Assignment Cover Sheet...  0.50 (30 minutes).........               5            0.50          410.00        1,025.00
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals.......................  .........................  ..........................             556        1,898.00  ..............      778,180.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: 
$424,245.90.
    There are no maintenance, operation, capital start-up, or 
recordkeeping costs associated with this collection. However, this 
collection does have annual (non-hour) costs in the form of postage 
costs and filing fees.
    Although the USPTO prefers that the items in this collection be 
submitted electronically, the items may be submitted by mail through 
the United States Postal Service (USPS). The USPTO estimates that the 
average cost for a paper submission will be $5.95 and that 62 
submissions will be mailed to the USPTO per year.

                                             Table 2--Postage Costs
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                                                                     Estimated                       Estimated
               IC No.                            Item                 annual       Postage costs   total postage
                                                                     responses                         costs
                                                                             (a)             (b)             (c)
                                                                                                       (a) x (b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..................................  Applicant for International               1           $5.95           $5.95
                                      Registration.
2..................................  Claim and Reproductions                   1            5.95            5.95
                                      (Drawings).
3..................................  Transmittal Letter.........               1            5.95            5.95
4..................................  Appointment of a                          1            5.95            5.95
                                      Representative.
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1            5.95            5.95
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit.
6..................................  Petition to Convert to a                  1            5.95            5.95
                                      Design Application under
                                      35 U.S.C. Chapter 16.
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               1            5.95            5.95
                                      Date.
8..................................  Fee Authorization..........               1            5.95            5.95
9..................................  Petitions to the                          1            5.95            5.95
                                      Commissioner.
10.................................  Transmittal of Issue Fee to               1            5.95            5.95
                                      USPTO for an International
                                      Design Application.
11.................................  Declaration on Inventorship              46            5.95          273.70
                                      for Purposes of
                                      Designation of the United
                                      States.
12.................................  Substitute Statement in                   1            5.95            5.95
                                      Lieu of a Declaration of
                                      Inventorship for the
                                      Purposes of Designating
                                      the United States.
13.................................  Assignment Cover Sheet.....               5            5.95           29.75
                                    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Postage Costs............  62.........................  ..............          368.90
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    This collection also contains an annual (non-hour) cost burden in 
the way of filing fees. The total estimated filing costs for this 
collection is $423,876 detailed in Table 3 below.

                                              Table 3--Filing Fees
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                                                                     Estimated
               IC No.                            Item                 annual        Filing fee     Total filing
                                                                     response         amount         fee cost
                                                                             (a)             (b)             (c)
                                                                                                       (a) x (b)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..................................  Application for                         155       $1,766.00     $273,730.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Average Fee
                                      per registration to WIPO
                                      (collecting for WIPO).

[[Page 29851]]

 
1..................................  Application for                         155          760.00      117,800.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Designation
                                      Fee (first part) for the
                                      U.S. (collecting for WIPO)
                                      (large entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          380.00          380.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Designation
                                      Fee (first part) for the
                                      U.S. (collecting for WIPO)
                                      (small entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          190.00          190.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Designation
                                      Fee (first part) for the
                                      U.S. (collecting for WIPO)
                                      (micro entity).
1..................................  Application for                         155          120.00       18,600.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Transmittal
                                      Fee (set by and collected
                                      by USPTO) (large entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          120.00          120.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Transmittal
                                      Fee (set by and collected
                                      by USPTO) (small entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          120.00          120.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (electronic)--Transmittal
                                      Fee (set by and collected
                                      by USPTO) (micro entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1        1,766.00        1,766.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--Average
                                      Fee per registration to
                                      WIPO (collecting for WIPO).
1..................................  Application for                           1          760.00          760.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--
                                      Designation Fee (first
                                      part) for the U.S.
                                      (collecting for WIPO)
                                      (large entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          380.00          380.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--
                                      Designation Fee (first
                                      part) for the U.S.
                                      (collecting for WIPO)
                                      (small entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          190.00          190.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--
                                      Designation Fee (first
                                      part) for the U.S.
                                      (collecting for WIPO)
                                      (micro entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          120.00          120.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--
                                      Transmittal Fee (set by
                                      and collected by USPTO)
                                      (large entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          120.00          120.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--
                                      Transmittal Fee (set by
                                      and collected by USPTO)
                                      (small entity).
1..................................  Application for                           1          120.00          120.00
                                      International Registration
                                      (non-electronic)--
                                      Transmittal Fee (set by
                                      and collected by USPTO)
                                      (micro entity).
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1        1,700.00        1,700.00
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit (electronic)
                                      (large entity).
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1          850.00          850.00
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit (electronic)
                                      (small entity).
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1          850.00          850.00
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit (electronic)
                                      (micro entity).
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1        1,700.00        1,700.00
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit (non-
                                      electronic) (large entity).
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1          850.00          850.00
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit (non-
                                      electronic) (small entity).
5..................................  Petition to Excuse a                      1          850.00          850.00
                                      Failure to Comply with a
                                      Time Limit (non-
                                      electronic) (micro entity).
6..................................  Petition to Convert to a                  1          180.00          180.00
                                      Design Application under
                                      35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
                                      (electronic).
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               2          400.00          400.00
                                      Date (electronic) (large
                                      entity).
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               1          200.00          200.00
                                      Date (electronic) (small
                                      entity).
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               1          100.00          100.00
                                      Date (electronic) (micro
                                      entity).
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               1          400.00          400.00
                                      Date (non-electronic)
                                      (large entity).
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               1          200.00          200.00
                                      Date (non-electronic)
                                      (small entity).
7..................................  Petition to Review a Filing               1          100.00          100.00
                                      Date (non-electronic)
                                      (micro entity).
9..................................  Petitions to Commissioner                 1          400.00          400.00
                                      (electronic) (large
                                      entity).
9..................................  Petitions to Commissioner                 1          200.00          200.00
                                      (electronic) (small
                                      entity).
9..................................  Petitions to Commissioner                 1          100.00          100.00
                                      (electronic) (micro
                                      entity).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                     Totals.....................             493  ..............      423,876.00
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    The USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour) respondent 
cost burden for this collection in the forms of postage costs and 
filing fees is estimated to be approximately be $424,245.90 per year 
($368.90 in postage costs and $423,876 in filing fees).

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the USPTO's request for OMB approval. All comments 
will become a matter of public record.
    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

[[Page 29852]]

collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Marcie Lovett,
Records and Information Governance Division Director, USPTO, Office of 
the Chief Technology Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-13716 Filed 6-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P