[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49067-49069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21215]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
International Work Sharing
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as
required
[[Page 49068]]
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a proposed
extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0079
(International Work Sharing).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 27,
2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0079 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: Request for additional information
should be directed to Daniel Hunter, Program Manager, United States
Patent and Trademark office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450;
by telephone at 571-272-8050; or by email at [email protected]
with ``0651-0079 comment'' in the subject line. Additional information
about this 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) established a
Work Sharing Pilot Program in conjunction with the Japan Patent Office
(JPO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) to study how
the exchange of search results between offices for corresponding
counterpart applications improves patent quality and facilitates the
examination of patent applications in both offices. Under this Work
Sharing Pilot Program, two Collaborative Search Pilot (CSP) programs--
USPTO-JPO and USPTO-KIPO--have been implemented. Through their
respective CSP(s), each office concurrently conducts searches on
corresponding counterpart applications. Each office's search results
are exchanged following these concurrent searches, which provides
examiners with a comprehensive set of art before them at the
commencement of examination.
Work sharing between Intellectual Property (IP) offices is critical
for increasing the efficiency and quality of patent examination
worldwide. The exchange of information and documents between IP offices
also benefits applicants by promoting compact prosecution, reducing
pendency, and supporting patent quality by reducing the likelihood of
inconsistencies in patentability determinations among IP offices when
considering corresponding counterpart applications. The gains in
efficiency and quality are achieved through a collaborative work
sharing approach to the evaluation of patent claims. As a result of
this exchange of search reports, the examiners in both offices may have
a more comprehensive set of references before them when making an
initial patentability determination.
II. Method of Collection
The forms associated with this collection may be downloaded from
the USPTO website in Portable Document Format (PDF) and filled out
electronically. Requests to participate in the International Work
Sharing Program must be submitted online using EFS-Web, the USPTO's
web-based electronic filing system.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0079.
IC Instruments and Forms: PTO/SB/437, PTO/SB/CSP Survey 1.
Type of Review: Revision of an Existing Information Collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profits; and not-for-profit institution.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 300 responses per year. The USPTO
estimates that 100 percent of the annual responses for this collection
will be submitted electronically via EFS-Web, which customers may
access through the USPTO website.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public approximately between 5 minutes (0.08 hours) and 3 hours to
complete the information in this collection, including the time to
gather the necessary information, prepare the forms or documents, and
submit the completed request to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 462 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $202,356.
The USPTO expects that that an attorney will complete the information
in this 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 $202,356.00 per year.
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Estimated Estimated Estimated
No. Item Estimated time annual annual burden Rate annual total
for response response hours cost
(a) (b) (a) x (b) = (c) (d) (c) x (d) = (e)
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1................................... Petition for Participation in 3 50 150 $438.00 $65,700.00
the Collaborative Search Pilot
(CSP) Program Between the Japan
Patent Office (JPO) and the
USPTO.
2................................... Petition for Participation in 3 100 300 438.00 131,400.00
the Collaborative Search Pilot
(CSP) Program Between the
Korean Intellectual Property
Office (KPO) and the USPTO.
3................................... CSP Survey...................... * 0.08 150 12 438.00 5,256.00
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Total........................... ................................ .............. 300 462 .............. 202,356.00
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* 5 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no estimated filing fees or postage costs for this collection.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or
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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
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. 2018-21215 Filed 9-27-18; 8:45 am]
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