[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1072-1073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00611]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Patents External Quality Survey
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 2, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include `0651-0057
comment' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Marcie Lovett, Director, Records and Information
Governance Division, Office of the Chief Administrative 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 David Fitzpatrick, Management Analyst, Office of
Patent Quality Assurance, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-0525;
or by email to [email protected], with ``0651-0057 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 USPTO developed the Patents External Quality Survey in 2006 as
part of its quality improvement efforts. This survey gauges customer
satisfaction with respect to examination quality. It uses a
longitudinal, rotating panel design to assess changes in customer
perceptions, identify areas for improvement, and pinpoint key areas for
additional examiner training. Participants of this survey include
patent agents, attorneys, and other individuals from large domestic
corporations (including those with 500+ employees), small and medium-
size businesses, and universities and other non-profit research
organizations. The USPTO also plans to survey independent inventors.
The USPTO does not survey foreign entities.
From the Patent Application and Location Management (PALM)
database, the USPTO draws a random sample of firms and entities that
have filed more than 6 patent applications in a 12-month period. These
firms and entities typically represent 95% of total domestic patent
applications filed over the same period. The Patents External Quality
Survey uses a rotating panel design in order to measure changes in the
quality of USPTO's work over time. Customers participate in two
consecutive data collection periods (waves) before rotating out of the
panel. Each wave is conducted over a two month period. One wave occurs
during the months of January and February and the other wave occurs
during July and August. The rotating panel design means that for each
wave, 50 percent of the panel have participated in a prior wave and 50
percent are being surveyed for the first time. At the next panel
rotation, the 50 percent of customers who have participated in two
consecutive waves will be dropped, and the panel will be refreshed.
Respondents receive the Patents External Quality Survey by mail and
can respond either by mail or electronically on the USPTO website. A
survey packet containing the questionnaire, a separate cover letter
prepared by the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Quality, a postage-paid,
pre-addressed return envelope, and instructions for completing the
survey electronically are mailed to all respondents. A pre-notification
letter, reminder/thank you postcards, and telephone calls are used to
encourage a response.
This is a voluntary survey and all responses remain confidential.
The collected data is not linked to the respondent, and contact
information that is used for sampling purposes is maintained in a
separate file from the quantitative data. Respondents are not required
to provide any identifying information such as their name, address, or
Social Security Number. Instead, in order to access and complete the
online survey, respondents must use the username, password, and survey
ID number provided by the USPTO.
II. Method of Collection
Electronically via email; by postal mail, facsimile, or hand
delivery in paper form.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0057.
IC Instruments and Forms: No forms.
Type of Review: Extension of an existing information collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profits; and non-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public 10 minutes (.17 hours) to respond to the survey, including
the time to gather the necessary information along with completing and
submitting the survey. The time per response, estimated annual
responses, and estimated annual hour burden associated with each
instrument in this collection are shown in the table below.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 416.67 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden:
$182,501.46. The USPTO expects that attorneys will complete these
applications. The professional hourly rate for attorneys is $438. The
rate is established by estimates in the 2017 Report on 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 $182,501.46 per year.
[[Page 1073]]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Burden (hrs/
IC No. Item Hours Responses (yr) yr) Rate ($/hr) Total cost
................................ (a) (b) (c) = (a) x (d) (e) = (c) x
(b) (d)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..................................... Patents External Quality Survey. 0.17 325 54.17 $438.00 $23,726.46
2..................................... Electronic Patents External 0.17 2,175 362.50 438.00 158,775.00
Quality Survey.
Total............................. ................................ .............. 2,500 416.67 .............. 182,501.46
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no annual (non-hour) costs associated with this information
collection. Respondents do not need to submit filing fees with these
surveys. The USPTO covers the costs of all survey materials and
provides postage-paid, pre-addressed return envelopes for the completed
mail surveys so there are no postage costs associated with this
information collection.
IV. Request for Comments
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.
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.
Marcie Lovett,
Director, Records and Information Governance Division, Office of the
Chief Administrative Officer, USPTO.
[FR Doc. 2019-00611 Filed 1-31-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P