[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 26, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31474-31476]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11248]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions

ACTION: Notice of an extension of a currently approved information 
collection; request for comment.

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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 
the extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0040 
(Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0040 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Kimberly Hardy, 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 LaToya Brown, United States Patent and Trademark 
Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-
272-4283; or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0040 
comment'' in the subject line. Additional information about this 
information collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov 
under ``Information Collection Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This collection of information is required by the Trademark Act of 
1946, Sections 13, 14, and 20, 15 U.S.C. 1063, 1064, and 1070, 
respectively. Under the Trademark Act, any individual or entity that 
adopts a trademark or service mark to identify their goods or services 
may apply to federally register their mark. Section 14 of the Trademark 
Act allows individuals and entities to file a petition to cancel a 
registration of a mark, while Section 13 allows individuals and 
entities who believe that they would be damaged by the registration of 
a mark to file an opposition, or an extension of time to file an 
opposition, to the registration of a mark. Section 20 of the Trademark 
Act allows individuals and entities to file an appeal from any final 
decision of the Trademark Examining Attorney assigned to review an 
application for registration of a mark.
    The USPTO administers the Trademark Act of 1946 through the 
regulations at 37 CFR part 2, which contains the various rules that 
govern the filings identified above and other submissions filed in 
connection with inter partes and ex parte proceedings. These petitions, 
notices, extensions, and additional papers are filed with the Trademark 
Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), an administrative tribunal empowered to 
determine the right to register and subsequently determine the validity 
of a trademark.
    The information in this collection must be submitted electronically 
through the Electronic System for Trademark Trials and Appeals (ESTTA). 
If applicants or entities wish to submit the petitions, notices, 
extensions, and additional papers in inter partes and ex parte cases, 
they must use the forms provided through ESTTA.
    The responses in this information collection is a matter of public 
record, and is used by the public for a variety of private business 
purposes related to establishing and enforcing trademark rights. This 
information is important to the public, as both common law trademark 
owners and federal trademark registrants must actively protect their 
own rights.

II. Method of Collection

    Items in this information collection may be submitted via mail, 
hand delivery, or electronic submission.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0040.
    Form Number(s):

 PTO 2188 (Petition for Cancellation)
 PTO 2120 (Notice of Opposition)
 PTO 2153 (Request for Extension of Time to File an Opposition)
 PTO 2151 (Papers in Inter Partes Cases)
 PTO 2190 (Notice of Appeal)
 PTO 2189 (Ex Parte Appeal General Filing)

    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Private sector; individuals and households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 70,475 respondents. The USPTO 
estimates that the majority (95%) of respondents will be from the 
private sector, but that about 5% will be individuals and households.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 83,100 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public from 10 to 30 minutes (0.17 to 0.50 hours), depending on the 
complexity of the situation, to gather the necessary information, 
prepare the appropriate documents, and submit the information required 
for this information collection.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 21,133 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $5,798,746. 
The USPTO estimates that it will take a combined effort by attorneys 
and paraprofessional/paralegals to complete the requirements in this 
information collection. The hourly rate for attorneys is $400, 
published in the 2019 Report of the Economic Survey from the Law 
Practice Management Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law 
Association (AIPLA). The hourly rate for paraprofessional/paralegals is 
$145 as published in the 2018 Utilization and Compensation Survey by 
the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA). After calculating 
the average of these rates, the USPTO estimates that the hourly rate 
will be $272.50. Using this hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that the 
total respondent cost burden for this information collection will be 
$5,798,746 per year.

                                                     Table 1--Burden Hour/Burden Cost to Respondents
                                                                    [Private sector]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           Burden (hrs/                   Total cost ($/
      Item No.                    Item                  Respondents       Responses (yr)       Hours            yr)         Rate ($/hr)         hr)
                                                                                     (a)             (b)             (c)             (d)             (e)
                                                                                                               (a) x (b)                       (c) x (d)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...................  Petition to Cancel.........  Same as line 4.......           2,660            0.50           1,330         $272.50        $362,425

[[Page 31475]]

 
2...................  Notice of Opposition.......  Same as line 4.......           7,030            0.50           3,515          272.50         957,838
3...................  Request for Extension of     20,425...............          20,425            0.17           3,472          272.50         946,120
                       Time to File an Opposition.
4...................  Submissions in Inter Partes  39,900...............          39,900            0.25           9,975          272.50       2,718,188
                       Cases.
                          Answers........
                          Amendments to
                          Pleadings.
                          Amendment of
                          Application or
                          Registration During
                          Proceeding.
                          Motions (such
                          as consent motions,
                          motions to extend,
                          motions to suspend,
                          etc.).
                          Evidence.......
                          Briefs.........
                          Oral hearing
                          requests.
                          Surrender of
                          Registration.
                          Abandonment of
                          Application.
                          Documents
                          Related to Concurrent
                          Use Applications.
                          Notice of
                          Intent to Appeal a TTAB
                          decision.
5...................  Notice of Appeal...........  Same as line 6.......           3,325            0.25             831          272.50         226,448
6...................  Miscellaneous Ex Parte       5,605................           5,605            0.17             953          272.50         259,693
                       Submissions.
                                                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Appeal Briefs..
                          Requests to
                          extend time to file
                          Appeal Briefs.
                          Oral hearing
                          requests.
                                                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..........  ...........................  65,930...............          78,945  ..............          20,076  ..............       5,510,712
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                                     Table 2--Burden Hour/Burden Cost to Respondents
                                                               [Individual and households]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           Burden (hrs/                   Total cost ($/
       Item #                     Item                  Respondents       Responses (yr)       Hours            yr)         Rate ($/hr)         hr)
                                                                                     (a)             (b)   (c) (a) x (b)             (d)   (e) (c) x (d)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...................  Petition to Cancel.........  Same as line 4.......             140            0.50              70         $272.50         $19,075
2...................  Notice of Opposition.......  Same as line 4.......             370            0.50             185          272.50          50,413
3...................  Request for Extension of     1,075................           1,075            0.17             183          272.50          49,868
                       Time to File an Opposition.
4...................  Submissions in Inter Partes  2,100................           2,100            0.25             525          272.50         143,063
                       Cases.
                          Answers........
                          Amendments to
                          Pleadings.
                          Amendment of
                          Application or
                          Registration During
                          Proceeding.
                          Motions (such
                          as consent motions,
                          motions to extend,
                          motions to suspend,
                          etc.).
                          Evidence.......
                          Briefs.........
                          Oral hearing
                          requests.
                          Surrender of
                          Registration.
                          Abandonment of
                          Application.
                          Documents
                          Related to Concurrent
                          Use Applications.
                          Notice of
                          Intent to Appeal a TTAB
                          decision.
5...................  Notice of Appeal...........  Same as line 6.......             175            0.25              44          272.50          11,990
6...................  Miscellaneous Ex Parte       295..................             295            0.17              50          272.50          13,625
                       Submissions.
                          Appeal briefs..
                          Requests to
                          extend time to file
                          appeal briefs.
                          Oral hearing
                          requests.
                                                  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..........  ...........................  3,470................           4,155  ..............           1,057  ..............         288,034
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: 
$6,611,590.70. There are no capital start-up, maintenance, or record 
keeping costs associated with this information collection. However 
there are fees which are listed in the table below.

[[Page 31476]]



                                              Table 3--Filing Fees
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                                                                     Estimated                    Total non-hour
             No.                             Item                     annual      Filing fee ($)    cost burden
                                                                     responses                          ($)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...........................  Petition to Cancel (Paper                        6         $500.00       $3,000.00
                               Submission).
1...........................  Petition to Cancel................           2,794          400.00    1,117,600.00
2...........................  Notice of Opposition (Paper                     15          500.00        7,500.00
                               Submission).
2...........................  Notice of Opposition..............           7,385          400.00    2,954,000.00
3...........................  Ex Parte Appeal to the Trademark                 7          300.00        2,100.00
                               Trial and Appeal Board Filed
                               (Paper Submission).
3...........................  Ex Parte Appeal to the Trademark             3,493          200.00      698,600.00
                               Trial and Appeal Board.
4...........................  Request for Extension of Time to                 5          200.00        1,000.00
                               File an Opposition under Sec.
                               2.102(c)(3) (Paper Submission).
4...........................  Request for Extension of Time to            10,960          100.00    1,096,000.00
                               File an Opposition under Sec.
                               2.102(c)(3).
5...........................  Request for Extension of Time to                 5          300.00        1,500.00
                               File an Opposition under Sec.
                               2.102(c)(1)(ii) or (c)(2) (Paper
                               Submission).
5...........................  Request for Extension of Time to             3,650          200.00      730,000.00
                               File an Opposition under Sec.
                               2.102(c)(1)(ii) or (c)(2).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total...................  ..................................          28,320  ..............    6,611,300.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Express or first-class mail through the United States Postal 
Service or hand delivery to the TTAB is only available under 
extraordinary circumstances. The USPTO estimates that the average 
first-class postage cost for a mailed submission will be $7.65 (1-ounce 
flat 9''x12'' envelope) and that approximately 32 submissions will be 
mailed to the USPTO per year.
    Therefore, the total (non-hour) respondent cost burden for this 
information collection is estimated to be $6,611,590.70 which includes 
$6,611,300 in filing fees and $290.70 in postage.

IV. Request for Comments

    The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
    (a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (b) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, 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.
    All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the 
request to OMB to approve this information collection. Before including 
your address, phone number, email address, or other personal 
identifying information in a comment, you should be aware that the 
entire comment--including personal identifying information--may be made 
publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to 
withhold your personal identifying information from public view, USPTO 
cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-11248 Filed 5-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P