[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 225 (Wednesday, November 21, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 58760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25410]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; ``Patents for 
Humanity Program''

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will submit 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the 
following proposal for collection of information under the provisions 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.
    Title: Patents for Humanity Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0651-0066.
    Form Number(s):

 PTO/PFH/001
 PTO/PFH/002
 PTO/SB/431

    Type of Request: Regular.
    Number of Respondents: 55 responses per year.
    Average Hours per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public approximately four hours to complete the humanitarian 
program application. Those selected as winners (about 5 to 10 per year) 
may additionally require one hour to complete a petition to extend 
their acceleration certificate redemption beyond 12 months, if needed. 
These estimated times include gathering the necessary information, 
preparing the application and any supplemental materials, and 
submitting the completed request to USPTO.
    Burden Hours: 205 hours per year.
    Cost Burden: $0 per year.
    Needs and Uses: The USPTO has developed two application forms that 
applicants can use to apply for participation in the Patents for 
Humanity Program. One application covers the humanitarian uses of 
technologies or products and the other application covers humanitarian 
research. In addition, there is a form that allows applicants to 
provide their contact information which the USPTO uses to notify 
applicants that they have been selected for an award. These 
applications may be up to five pages long and can be supplemented with 
additional supporting materials. The applications must be submitted 
electronically through the competition website.
    Applicants who are ultimately awarded a Humanitarian Award 
Certificate may wish to extend the redemption period of that 
certificate. In the event that an applicant wishes to extend that time 
period, they must complete a Petition to Extend the Redemption Period 
of the Humanitarian Awards Certificate. The petition is a one-page 
document which allows the applicant to request a 12-month extension of 
their certificate's redemption period based on criteria outlined on the 
form (e.g., lack of a suitable matter, a pending matter is not yet ripe 
for certificate redemption, etc.).
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.
    OMB Desk Officer: Nicholas A. Fraser, email: 
[email protected].
    Once submitted, the request will be publically available in 
electronic format through www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to 
view Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.
    Further information can be obtained by:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0066 copy request'' in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records and Information Governance 
Division Director, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, United 
States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 
22313-1450.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent on or before December 21, 2018 to Nicholas A. 
Fraser, OMB Desk Officer, via email to [email protected], 
or by fax to 202-395-5167, marked to the attention of Nicholas A. 
Fraser.

Marcie Lovett,
Records Management Division Director, USPTO, Office of the Chief 
Administrative Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-25410 Filed 11-20-18; 8:45 am]
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