[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61600-61602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24617]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

United States Patent and Trademark Office


Post Allowance and Refiling

ACTION: Notice of renewal of information collection; request for 
comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on 
the extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0033 (Post 
Allowance and Refiling).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 13, 
2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0033 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records and Information Governance 
Branch, Office

[[Page 61601]]

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 Raul Tamayo, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of 
Patent Legal Administration, United States Patent and Trademark Office, 
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-7728; 
or by email to [email protected]. 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 covers the submission of issue fee 
payments to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The 
USPTO is required by 35 U.S.C. 131 and 151 to examine applications and, 
when appropriate, allow applications and issue them as patents. When an 
application for a patent is allowed by the USPTO, the USPTO issues a 
notice of allowance and the applicant must pay the specified issue fee 
within three months to avoid abandonment of the application. If the 
appropriate fees are paid within the proper time period, the USPTO can 
then issue the patent. If the fees are not paid within the designated 
time period, the application is abandoned (applicant may petition the 
Director to accept a delayed payment and revive the application with a 
statement that the delay was unintentional; the Petition for Revival of 
an Application for Patent Abandoned Unintentionally (Form PTO/SB/64) is 
approved under information collection 0651-0031). The rules outlining 
the procedures for payment of the issue fee and issuance of a patent 
are found at 37 CFR 1.18 and 1.311-1.317.
    This collection of information also covers several transactions 
that may be taken after issuance of a patent, pursuant to Chapter 25 of 
Title 35 U.S.C. A certificate of correction may be requested to correct 
an error or errors in the patent. If the USPTO determines that the 
request should be approved, the USPTO will issue a certificate of 
correction. For an original patent that is believed to be wholly or 
partly inoperative or invalid, the original patentee, or the current 
patent owner if there has been a subsequent assignment, may apply for 
reissue of the patent, which entails several formal requirements, 
including provision of an oath or declaration specifically identifying 
at least one error being relied upon as the basis for reissue and 
stating the reason for the belief that the original patent is wholly or 
partly inoperative or invalid (e.g., a defective specification or 
drawing, or claiming more or less than the patentee had the right to 
claim in the patent). The rules outlining these procedures are found at 
37 CFR 1.171-1.178 and 1.322-1.325.

II. Method of Collection

    By mail, facsimile, hand delivery, or electronically to the USPTO.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0033.
    Form Number(s): PTO/SB/44/50/51/51S/52/53/56/141, PTO/AIA/05/06/07, 
and PTOL-85B.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other 
for-profits; and not-for-profit institutions.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 392,149 responses per year. The 
USPTO estimates that approximately 25% (98,037) of these responses will 
be from small entities (22%) and micro entities (3%).
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public from 12 minutes (0.20 hours) to 5 hours to gather the 
necessary information, prepare the appropriate form or document, and 
submit the information to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 213,789.50 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $37,691,207.50. The 
USPTO expects that the information in this collection will be prepared 
by attorneys at an estimated rate of $438 per hour, except for the 
Issue Fee Transmittal, which will be prepared by paraprofessionals at 
an estimated rate of $125 per hour. The attorney rates are found in the 
2017 Report of the Economic Survey of the America Intellectual Property 
Law Association (AIPLA). The paraprofessional rate is found in the 2016 
National Utilization and Compensation Survey Report published by the 
National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). Therefore, the USPTO 
estimates that the respondent cost burden for this collection will be 
approximately $37,691,207.50 per year.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Estimated       Estimated
           IC No.                      Item            Estimated time for response (hr)      annual       annual burden    Rate ($/hr)      Total cost
                                                                                            responses         hours                       burden  ($/hr)
                             ........................  (a).............................             (b)     (a) x (b) =             (d)  (c) x (d) = (e)
                                                                                                                    (c)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..........................  Certificate of            1...............................          29,000       29,000.00         $438.00   $12,702,000.00
                              Correction (PTO/SB/44).
2..........................  Petition to Correct       0.50 (30 minutes)...............             800          400.00          438.00       175,200.00
                              Assignee After Payment
                              of Issue Fee (37 CFR
                              3.81(b)) (PTO/SB/141).
3..........................  Reissue Documentation...  5...............................             900        4,500.00          438.00     1,971,000.00
4..........................  Reissue Patent            0.20 (12 minutes)...............             900          180.00          438.00        78,840.00
                              Application Transmittal
                              (PTO/SB/50)Office (RO/
                              US) (PTO-1382).
5..........................  Reissue Application       0.50 (30 minutes)...............           1,150          575.00          438.00       251,850.00
                              Declaration by the
                              Inventor or the
                              Assignee (PTO/SB/51/52
                              and PTO/AIA/05/06) or
                              Substitute Statement in
                              Lieu of an Oath or
                              Declaration for Reissue
                              Patent Application (35
                              U.S.C. Sec.   115(d)
                              and 37 CFR 1.64) (PTO/
                              AIA/07).
6..........................  Supplemental Declaration  0.30 (18 minutes)...............              50           15.00          438.00         6,570.00
                              for Reissue Patent
                              Application to Correct
                              ``Errors'' Statement
                              (37 CFR 1.175) (PTO/SB/
                              51S).
7..........................  Reissue Application:      0.20 (12 minutes)...............             950          190.00          438.00        83,220.00
                              Consent of Assignee;
                              Statement of Non-
                              assignment (PTO/SB/53).
8..........................  Reissue Application Fee   0.20 (12 minutes)...............             900          180.00          438.00        78,840.00
                              Transmittal Form (PTO/
                              SB/56).
9..........................  Issue Fee Transmittal     0.50 (30 minutes)...............          35,750       17,875.00          125.00     2,234,375.00
                              (PTOL-85B).
10.........................  Issue Fee Transmittal     0.50 (30 minutes)...............         321,749      160,874.50          125.00    20,109,312.50
                              (electronic) (PTOL-85B).
                                                                                        ----------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals.................  ........................  ................................         392,149      213,789.50  ..............    37,691,207.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 61602]]

    Estimated Total Annual Non-hour Respondent Cost Burden: 
$305,708,615. There are no capital start-up, maintenance, or 
recordkeeping costs associated with this information collection. 
However, this collection does have annual (non-hour) costs in the form 
of filing fees and postage costs.
    Filing Fees: There are filing fees associated with this collection. 
The items with filing fees are listed in the table below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Estimated                     Total non-hour
             IC No.                   Information collection         annual        Filing fee      cost burden
                                            instrument              responses          ($)             (yr)
                                  .............................             (a)             (b)  (a) x (b) = (c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...............................  Certificate of correction....          10,395         $150.00    $1,559,250.00
3...............................  Basic filing fee--Reissue                 672          300.00       201,600.00
                                   (Large entity).
3...............................  Basic filing fee--Reissue                 225          150.00        33,750.00
                                   (Small entity).
3...............................  Basic filing fee--Reissue                  11           75.00           825.00
                                   (Micro entity).
3...............................  Reissue Search Fee (Large                 669          660.00       441,540.00
                                   entity).
3...............................  Reissue Search Fee (Small                 226          330.00        74,580.00
                                   entity).
3...............................  Reissue Search Fee (Micro                  11          165.00         1,815.00
                                   entity).
3...............................  Reissue independent claims in             694          460.00       319,240.00
                                   excess of three (Large
                                   entity).
3...............................  Reissue independent claims in             228          230.00        52,440.00
                                   excess of three (Small
                                   entity).
3...............................  Reissue independent claims in              10          115.00         1,150.00
                                   excess of three (Micro
                                   entity).
3...............................  Reissue claims in excess of             5,374          100.00       537,400.00
                                   20 (Large entity).
3...............................  Reissue claims in excess of             1,588           50.00        79,400.00
                                   20 (Small entity).
3...............................  Reissue claims in excess of                82           25.00         2,050.00
                                   20 (Micro entity).
3, 4............................  Reissue Application Size Fee--             41          400.00        16,400.00
                                   for each additional 50
                                   sheets that exceeds 100
                                   sheets (Large entity).
3, 4............................  Reissue Application Size Fee--              9          200.00         1,800.00
                                   for each additional 50
                                   sheets that exceeds 100
                                   sheets (Small entity).
3, 4............................  Reissue Application Size Fee--              1          100.00           100.00
                                   for each additional 50
                                   sheets that exceeds 100
                                   sheets (Micro entity).
3...............................  Reissue Examination Fee                   670        2,200.00     1,474,000.00
                                   (Large entity).
3...............................  Reissue Examination Fee                   222        1,100.00       244,200.00
                                   (Small entity).
3...............................  Reissue Examination Fee                    11          550.00         6,050.00
                                   (Micro entity).
9, 10...........................  Utility issue fee (Large              248,775        1,000.00   248,775,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Utility issue fee (Small               63,994          500.00    31,997,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Utility issue fee (Micro                7,952          250.00     1,988,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Design issue fee (Large                16,668          700.00    11,667,600.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Design issue fee (Small                12,415          350.00     4,345,250.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Design issue fee (Micro                 2,586          175.00       452,550.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Plant issue fee (Large                    768          800.00       614,400.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Plant issue fee (Small                    650          400.00       260,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Plant issue fee (Micro                     15          200.00         3,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Reissue issue fee (Large                  463        1,000.00       463,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Reissue issue fee (Small                  132          500.00        66,000.00
                                   entity).
9, 10...........................  Reissue issue fee (Micro                    2          250.00           500.00
                                   entity).
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................  .............................         375,559  ..............      305,679,890
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Postage Costs: Customers may also incur postage costs when 
submitting the information in this collection by the USPTO by mail. The 
USPTO estimates the average USPS Priority Mail postage cost for a legal 
flat rate envelop is estimated to be $7.65 and that approximately 1% 
(3,755) of the submissions will be mailed to the USPTO per year, for a 
total estimated postage cost of $28,725 per year.
    The total annual (non-hour) respondent cost burden for this 
collection is estimated to be approximately $305,708,615 per year.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will 
become a matter of public record.
    USPTO invites public comments on:
    (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether 
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including 
hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information, including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    (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, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

Marcie Lovett,
 Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, Records and Information 
Governance Branch, USPTO.
[FR Doc. 2019-24617 Filed 11-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P