[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 82 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18537-18539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08738]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Post Registration (Trademark Processing)
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 extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0055
(Post Registration (Trademark Processing)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 26, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0055 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 Catherine Cain, Attorney Advisor, Office of the
Commissioner for Trademarks, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450, by telephone at 571-272-8946,
or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0055 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
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) administers
the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq., which provides for the
Federal registration of trademarks, service marks, collective
trademarks and service marks, collective membership marks, and
certification marks. Individuals and businesses that use or intend to
use such marks in commerce may file an application to register their
marks with the USPTO.
The information gathered in this collection covers various
communications submitted by individuals and businesses to the USPTO
occurring after registration of a trademark. One type of communication
[[Page 18538]]
is a request to amend their registrations to delete goods or services
that are no longer being used by the registrant. A second type of
communication is a declaration of use. Registered marks remain on the
register for ten years and can be renewed, but will be cancelled unless
the owner files with the USPTO a declaration attesting to the continued
use (or excusable non-use) of the mark in commerce, and a renewal
application, within specific deadlines. Registration owners may also
request to amend or divide a registration, respond to a post-
registration Office action, and surrender a registration.
The information in this collection is used to maintain the quality
of the trademark register. The register information may be accessed by
an individual or by businesses to determine the availability of a mark.
A current and accurate register reduces the possibility that parties
initiate the use of a mark previously adopted by another. It is in the
interest of all parties to update and correct the registry as their
need for and use of marks evolve. Thus, the Federal trademark
registration process may reduce unnecessary litigation and its
associated costs and burdens.
II. Methods of Collection
Electronically, if applicants submit the information using the
forms provided through the Trademark Electronic Application System
(TEAS). By mail or hand delivery, if applicants choose to submit the
information in paper form.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0055.
IC Instruments: PTO Form 1563, PTO Form 1573, PTO Form 1583, PTO
Form 1597, PTO Form 1963, TEAS Global Form.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; business of other for-
profit organizations; not-for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 204,362 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
approximately between 5 minutes (0.08 hours) and 40 minutes (0.67
hours) to complete this information. This includes the time to gather
the necessary information, create the documents, and submit the
completed request to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hour Burden: 55,665.70 hours per
year.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden:
$24,381,576.60. The USPTO expects that attorneys will complete the
instruments associated with this information collection. The
professional hourly rate for intellectual property attorneys in private
firms is $438. Using this hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that the
total respondent cost burden for this collection is $24,381,576.60 per
year.
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Estimated response Estimated Estimated Estimated cost
IC No. Item time responses burden Rate burden
....................... (a)................... (b) (c) (d) (e)
....................... ...................... .............. (a) x (b) .............. (c) x (d)
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1................................... Declaration of Use of 0.25 (15 minutes)..... 19,466 4,866.50 $438.00 $2,131.527.00
Mark in Commerce Under
Section 8 (TEAS).
1................................... Declaration of Use of 0.42 (25 minutes)..... 1 0.42 438.00 183.96
Mark in Commerce Under
Section 8 (paper).
2................................... Combined Declaration of 0.25 (15 minutes)..... 82,337 20,584.25 438.00 9,015,901.50
Use of Mark in
Commerce and
Application for
Renewal of
Registration of a Mark
Under Section 8 & 9
(TEAS).
2................................... Combined Declaration of 0.42 (25 minutes)..... 4 1.68 438.00 735.84
Use of Mark in
Commerce and
Application for
Renewal of
Registration of a Mark
Under Section 8 & 9
(paper).
3................................... Declaration of 0.08 (5 minutes)...... 973 77.84 438.00 34,093.92
Incontestability of a
Mark Under Section 15
(TEAS).
3................................... Declaration of 0.17 (10 minutes)..... 1 0.17 438.00 74.46
Incontestability of a
Mark Under Section 15
(paper).
4................................... Combined Declaration of 0.25 (15 minutes)..... 77,863 1,946.50 438.00 852,567.00
Use and
Incontestability Under
Section 8 and 15
(TEAS).
4................................... Combined Declaration of 0.42 (25 minutes)..... 4 1.68 438.00 735.84
Use and
Incontestability Under
Section 8 and 15
(paper).
5................................... Surrender of 0.08 (5 minutes)...... 413 33.04 438.00 14,471.52
Registration for
Cancellation (TEAS
Global).
5................................... Surrender of 0.25 (15 minutes)..... 1 0.25 438.00 109.52
Registration for
Cancellation (paper).
6................................... Section 7 Request 0.42 (25 minutes)..... 6,277 2,636.34 438.00 1,154,716.92
(TEAS).
6................................... Section 7 Request 0.50 (30 minutes)..... 1 0.50 438.00 219.00
(paper).
7................................... Response to Office 0.50 (30 minutes)..... 14,000 7,000.00 438.00 3,066,000.00
Action for Post-
Registration Matters
(TEAS Global).
7................................... Response to Office 0.67 (40 minutes)..... 1 0.67 438.00 293.46
Action for Post-
Registration Matters
(paper).
[[Page 18539]]
8................................... Request to Divide 0.33 (20 minutes)..... 3,017 995.61 438.00 436,077.18
Registration (TEAS
Global).
8................................... Request to Divide 0.50 (30 minutes)..... 1 0.50 438.00 219.00
Registration (paper).
9................................... Section 12(c) Affidavit 0.17 (10 minutes)..... 1 0.17 438.00 74.46
(TEAS Global).
9................................... Section 12(c) Affidavit 0.33 (20 minutes)..... 1 0.33 438.00 144.54
(paper).
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Totals.......................... ....................... ...................... 204,362 55,665.70 .............. 24,381,576.60
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Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden:
$63,862,182.35. This collection has no capital startup, maintenance
fees, or operating fees. This collection does have filing fees and
postage costs.
Filing Fees
Filing fees are charged per class of goods or services and can vary
depending on the number of classes. The filing fees shown here are
based on the minimum fee of one class per document associated with this
information collection. The USPTO estimates that the filing fees
associated with this collection will total $63,862,175 per year.
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IC No. Item Response Filling fee Total cost
.............................. (a) (b) (c)
.............................. .............. .............. (a) x (b)
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1............................ Declaration of Use of Mark in 19,466 $125.00 $2,433,250.00
Commerce Under Section 8
(TEAS).
1............................ Declaration of Use of Mark in 1 225.00 225.00
Commerce Under Section 8
(paper).
2............................ Combined Declaration of Use of 82,337 425.00 34,993,225.00
Mark in Commerce and
Application for Renewal of
Registration of a Mark Under
Section 8 & 9 (TEAS).
2............................ Combined Declaration of Use of 4 725.00 2,900.00
Mark in Commerce and
Application for Renewal of
Registration of a Mark Under
Section 8 & 9 (paper).
3............................ Declaration of 973 200.00 194,600.00
Incontestability of a Mark
Under Section 15 (TEAS).
3............................ Declaration of 1 300.00 300.00
Incontestability of a Mark
Under Section 15 (paper).
4............................ Combined Declaration of Use 77,863 325.00 25,305,475.00
and Incontestability Under
Section 8 and 15 (TEAS).
4............................ Combined Declaration of Use 4 525.00 2,100.00
and Incontestability Under
Section 8 and 15 (paper).
6............................ Section 7 Request (TEAS)...... 6,277 100.00 627,700.00
6............................ Section 7 Request (paper)..... 1 200.00 200.00
8............................ Request to Divide Registration 3,017 100.00 301,700.00
(TEAS Global).
8............................ Request to Divide Registration 1 200.00 200.00
(paper).
9............................ Section 12(c) Affidavit (TEAS 1 100.00 100.00
Global).
9............................ Section 12(c) Affidavit 1 200.00 200.00
(paper).
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Totals................... .............................. 189,947 .............. 63,862,175.00
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Postage Costs
Customers may incur postage costs when submitting items covered by
this collection to the USPTO by mail. The USPTO estimates that
approximately 98 percent of the responses in this collection will be
submitted electronically. Of the remaining 2 percent, the vast majority
will be submitted by mail for a total of 14 mailed submissions. The
average first-class USPS postage cost for a mailed submission will be
$0.49. Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the postage costs for the
mailed submissions in this collection will be $7.35.
Total
Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour)
cost burden for this collection, in the form of postage costs ($7.35)
and filing fees ($63,862,175), is $63,862,182.35 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 costs) 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.
Marcie Lovett,
Records and Information Governance Division Director, OCTO, United
States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-08738 Filed 4-26-18; 8:45 am]
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