[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48492-48496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22617]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Admission To Practice and Roster of Registered Patent Attorneys
and Agents Admitted To Practice Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO)
ACTION: Proposed 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 information collection proposed extension of an existing
information collection.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 18,
2017.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0012 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 Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA
22313-1450.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Dahlia George, Office of Enrollment and
Discipline, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-4097; or by email to
[email protected] with ``0651-0012 comment'' in the subject line.
Additional information about this collection is also available at
http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection Review.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This collection of information is required by 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2)(D),
which permits the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to
establish regulations governing the recognition and conduct of agents,
attorneys or other persons representing applicants or other parties
before the USPTO. This statute also permits the USPTO to require
information from applicants that shows that they are of good moral
character and reputation and have the necessary qualifications to
assist applicants with the patent process and to represent them before
the USPTO.
The USPTO administers the statute through 37 CFR 1.21, 10.14 and
11.5 through 11.12. These rules address the requirements to apply for
the examination for registration and to demonstrate eligibility to be a
registered attorney or agent before the USPTO, including the fee
requirements. The Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) collects
information to determine the qualifications of individuals entitled to
represent applicants before the USPTO in the preparation and
prosecution of applications for a patent. The OED also collects
information to administer and maintain the roster of attorneys and
agents registered to practice before the USPTO. Information concerning
registered attorneys and agents is published by the OED in a public
roster that can be accessed through the USPTO Web site. The information
in this collection is used by the USPTO to review applications for the
examination for registration and to determine whether an applicant may
be added to, or an existing practitioner may remain on, the Register of
Patent Attorneys and Agents.
II. Method of Collection
Individuals desiring to participate in the Register of Patent
Attorneys may submit material in electronic form or by mail following
guidance provided by the Office of Enrollment and Discipline.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0012.
IC Instruments and Forms: PTO-158, PTO-158A, PTO-158T, PTO-107A,
PTO-107R, PTO-107S, PTO-275, PTO-1209, PTO-2126, PTO-2149 and PTO-2150.
Type of Review: Extension of a Previously Existing Information
Collection.
Affected Public: Individuals.
Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 18,458. Estimates for
numbers of annual responses are based on the previously received number
of responses and the anticipated participation trends over the next
three years.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it takes the
public approximately 1 minute (0.01 hours) to 40 hours to complete this
information, depending upon the application (see Table 1 below). This
includes the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the
forms, and submit the items to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 18,559.39 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden:
$8,090,661.34. The USPTO expects that attorneys will complete the items
in this collection. The professional hourly rate for attorneys is $438.
The rate is established by estimates in the 2017 Report for the
Economic Survey of the American Intellectual Property Law Association.
Using this hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that the total respondent
cost burden for this collection is $8,090,661.34 per year.
Table 1--Respondent Costs
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Estimated
IC No. Item Hours Responses (yr) Burden (hrs/ Rate ($/hr) respondent
yr) cost
(a).................................... (b) (c) = (a) x (d) (e) = (c) x
(b) (d)
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1.............................. Application for Registration to 0.50 2,611 1,305.50 $438 $571,809.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (includes
both the computerized exam and the
USPTO-administered exam) Form PTO-158.
[[Page 48493]]
1.............................. Application for Registration to 0.50 19 9.50 438 4,161.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (former
examiners; examination waived) Form
PTO-158.
2.............................. Application for Registration to 0.50 10 5.00 438 2,190.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office Under 37
CFR 11.6(c) by a Foreign Resident
(examination waived) Form PTO-158A.
3.............................. Application for Reciprocal Recognition 0.50 3 1.50 438 657.00
to Practice in Trademark Matters
Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c)
by a Foreign Attorney or Agent
(examination waived) Form PTO-158T.
4.............................. Mandatory Survey--Register of Patent 0.50 5,000 2,500 438 1,095,000.00
Attorneys and Agents PTO-107S.
5.............................. Registration Examination to Become a 7.00 1,982 13,874 438 6,076,812.00
Registered Practitioner.
6.............................. Undertaking under 37 CFR 11.10(b) PTO/ 0.33 159 53 438 23,214.00
275.
7.............................. Data Sheet--Register of Patent 0.17 916 152.67 438 68,868.00
Attorneys and Agents (individuals
passing the registration exam) PTO-
107A.
7.............................. Data Sheet--Register of Patent 0.17 100 16.67 438 7,300.00
Attorneys and Agents (foreign
applicants) PTO-107A.
7.............................. Data Sheet--Register of Patent 0.17 100 16.67 438 7,300.00
Attorneys and Agents (former examiners
seeking registration) PTO-107R.
8.............................. Oath or Affirmation PTO-1209........... 0.08 1,116 93 438 40,734.00
9a............................. Reinstatement to the Register PTO-107A, 0.01 53 0.88 438 386.90
PTO-107R.
9b............................. Written request for reconsideration and 1.50 30 45 438 19,710.00
further review of disapproval notice
of application.
9c............................. Petition to the Director of the Office 0.75 20 15 438 6,570.00
of Enrollment and Discipline under
11.2(c).
10............................. Cover pages used for submitting 0.05 6,300 315 438 137,970.00
correspondence to OED (for documents
submitted with applications, requests
for reconsideration, and petitions).
11............................. Reasonable Accommodation PTO 158R...... 4.0 39 156 438 68,328.00
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Totals..................... ....................................... .............. 18,458 18,559.39 .............. 8,090,661.34
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Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: Estimated
Total Annual Non-hour Respondent Cost Burden: $1,546,909.00. There are
no capital start-up or maintenance costs associated with this
information collection. There are, however, non-hour costs due to
recordkeeping requirements, filing fees, and postage costs.
The General Requirements Bulletin recommends that ``applicants
should make and keep a copy of every document submitted to the office
in connection with an application for registration.'' The USPTO
estimates that it will take an applicant approximately 5 minutes (0.08
hours) to print and retain a copy of the submissions and that
approximately 5,176 responses will be made per year, for a total of 413
hours. Using the professional rate of $438 per hour for intellectual
property attorneys, the USPTO estimates that the record keeping cost
associated with this copy requirement will be $181,752 per year.
An additional cost comes from the requirement for an Oath statement
for each member of the patent bar; an item which requires the services
of a notary public. The average fee for having a document notarized is
$6. The USPTO estimates that it will receive 1,116 responses to this
information collection per year as a result of this notary requirement,
for a total cost of $6,696.00 per year, for a total recordkeeping cost
of $195,620.00.
[[Page 48494]]
Table 2--Recordkeeping Costs
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Estimated
IC No. Item Hours Responses (yr) Burden (hrs/ Rate ($/hr) respondent
yr) cost
....................................... (a) (b) (c) = (a) x (d) (e) = (c) x
(b) (d)
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1.............................. Application for Registration to 0.08 2,630 219.17 $438.00 $95,995.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office (includes
both the computerized exam and the
USPTO-administered exam) Form PTO-158.
2.............................. Application for Registration to 0.08 10 0.83 438.00 365.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office Under 37
CFR 11.6(c) by a Foreign Resident
(examination waived) Form PTO-158A.
3.............................. Application for Reciprocal Recognition 0.08 3 0.25 438.00 109.50
to Practice in Trademark Matters
Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c)
by a Foreign Attorney or Agent
(examination waived) Form PTO-158T.
6.............................. Undertaking under 37 CFR 11.10(b) PTO/ 0.08 159 13.25 438.00 5,803.50
275.
7.............................. Data Sheet--Register of Patent 0.08 1,116 93.00 438.00 40,734.00
Attorneys and Agents (individuals
passing the registration exam) PTO-
107A.
8.............................. Oath or Affirmation PTO-1209........... 0.08 1,116 93.00 438.00 40,734.00
8.............................. Oath or Affirmation Cost of Notary .............. 1,116 .............. 6 Cost of 6,696.00
Public. notary public
9a............................. Reinstatement to the Register PTO-107A, 0.08 53 4.42 438.00 1,934.50
PTO-107R.
9b............................. Written request for reconsideration and 0.08 30 2.50 438.00 1,095.00
further review of disapproval notice
of application.
9c............................. Petition to the Director of the Office 0.08 20 1.67 438.00 730.00
of Enrollment and Discipline under
11.2(c).
11............................. Reasonable Accommodation PTO 158R...... 0.08 39 3.25 438.00 1,423.50
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Totals..................... ....................................... .............. 6,292 431.33 .............. 195,620.00
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There are also filing fees associated with this collection. The
application fees for registration to practice before the USPTO vary
depending on whether the applicant is a current applicant, a former
examiner, or a foreign resident, or seeking reinstatement to the
Register to become active upon leaving the USPTO. The fee for
administration of the computerized examination to become a registered
patent practitioner also varies depending on how the examination is
administered. The total annual non-hour cost burden associated with
filing fees is $776,920.00.
Table 3--Filing Fees
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Total non-hour
IC No. Item Responses (yr) Filing Fee ($) cost burden ($/
hr)
(a) (b) (c)=(a) x (b)
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1.......................... Non-Refundable Application Fee for 2,611 $40.00 $104,400.00
Registration to Practice Before
the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (includes both
the computerized exam and the
USPTO-administered exam).
1.......................... Application Fee for Registration to 19 40.00 760.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office, as
applicable when used for
registration fees only (former
examiners; examination waived).
2.......................... Application for Registration to 10 40.00 400.00
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office Under
37 CFR 11.6(c) by a Foreign
Resident (examination waived) Form
PTO-158A.
3.......................... Application Fee for Reciprocal 3 40.00 120.00
Recognition to Practice in
Trademark Matters Before the
United States Patent and Trademark
Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) by a
Foreign Attorney/Agent
(examination waived).
5.......................... Registration examination fee for 20 450.00 9,000.00
administration of computerized
examination to become a registered
patent practitioner administered
by the USPTO (USPTO-administered
exam).
5.......................... Registration examination fee for 2,382 200.00 476,400.00
administration of computerized
examination to become a registered
patent practitioner administered
by a commercial entity (computer
exam).
[[Page 48495]]
7.......................... Data Sheet--Register of Patent 916 100.00 91,600.00
Attorneys and Agents (individuals
passing the registration exam) PTO-
107A.
7.......................... Data Sheet--Register of Patent 100 100.00 10,000.00
Attorneys and Agents (foreign
applicants) PTO-107A.
7.......................... Data Sheet--Register of Patent 100 100.00 10,000.00
Attorneys and Agents (former
examiners seeking registration)
PTO-107R.
9a......................... Reinstatement to the Register PTO- 53 100.00 5,300.00
107A, PTO-107R.
9b......................... Written request for reconsideration 30 130.00 3,900.00
and further review of disapproval
notice of application.
9c......................... Petition to the Director of the 20 130.00 2,600.00
Office of Enrollment and
Discipline under 11.2(c).
9d......................... Petition for reinstatement after 4 1,600.00 6,400.00
disciplinary removal under 37 CFR
11.60.
9f......................... Non-Refundable Application Fee for 35 1,600.00 56,000.00
Enrollment and/or Reinstatement to
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office under
37 CFR 1.21(a)(10) (those who must
prove fitness to practice).
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Totals................. ................................... 6,303 -- 776,920.00
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Postage costs are also associated with this collection. Estimates
for postage range from $0.49 to $1.73 per mailed submission, depending
upon the item sent. The postage costs estimated at $2,260.53 for this
collection and are outlined in the table below.
Table 4--Postage Costs
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Postage fee Total non-hour
IC No. Item Responses ($) cost burden
................................... (a) (b) (a) x (b) = c
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1.......................... Non-Refundable Application Fee for 2,611 $0.61 $1,592.71
Registration to Practice Before
the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (includes both
the computerized exam and the
USPTO-administered exam).
1.......................... Application Fee for Registration to 19 0.61 11.59
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office, as
applicable when used for
registration fees only (former
examiners; examination waived).
2.......................... Application for Registration to 10 0.49 4.90
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office Under
37 CFR 11.6(c) by a Foreign
Resident (examination waived) Form
PTO-158A.
3.......................... Application Fee for Reciprocal 3 0.61 1.83
Recognition to Practice in
Trademark Matters Before the
United States Patent and Trademark
Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) by a
Foreign Attorney/Agent
(examination waived).
7.......................... Data Sheet--Register of Patent 916 0.49 448.84
Attorneys and Agents (individuals
passing the registration exam) PTO-
107A.
7.......................... Data Sheet--Register of Patent 100 0.49 49.00
Attorneys and Agents (foreign
applicants) PTO-107A.
7.......................... Data Sheet--Register of Patent 100 0.49 49.00
Attorneys and Agents (former
examiners seeking registration)
PTO-107A.
9a......................... Reinstatement to the Register PTO- 53 0.49 25.97
107A, PTO-107R.
9b......................... Written request for reconsideration 30 0.61 18.30
and further review of disapproval
notice of application.
9c......................... Petition to the Director of the 20 1.73 34.60
Office of Enrollment and
Discipline under 11.2(c).
11......................... Reasonable Accommodation PTO 158R.. 39 0.61 23.79
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Totals................. ................................... 3,901 .............. 2,260.53
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Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour)
cost burden for this collection, in the form of filing fees and postage
is $779,180.53 per year.
IV. Request for Comments
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.
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
[[Page 48496]]
respondents, e.g., the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
Marcie Lovett,
Records and Information Governance Division Director, OCTO United
States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2017-22617 Filed 10-17-17; 8:45 am]
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