[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60964-60967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21553]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; International Design Applications (Hague Agreement)

Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.

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

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments 
on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 
0651-0075 (International Design Applications (Hague Agreement)). The 
purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment preceding 
submission of the information collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information 
collection must be received on or before November 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business 
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0075 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 Rafael Bacares, 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 571-272-3276; 
or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0075 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

    The Patent Law Treaties Implementation Act of 2012 (PLTIA) amends 
the patent laws to implement the provisions of the Geneva Act of the 
Hague Agreement Concerning International Registration of Industrial 
Designs (hereinafter ``Hague Agreement'') in title 1, and the Patent 
Law Treaty (PLT) in title 2. The Hague Agreement is an international 
agreement that enables an applicant to file a single international 
design application which may have the effect of an application for 
protection for the design(s) in countries and/or intergovernmental 
organizations that are Parties to the Hague Agreement (the 
``Contracting Parties'') designated in the applications. The United 
States is a Contracting Party to the Hague Agreement, which took effect 
with respect to the United States on May 13, 2015. The Hague Agreeement 
is administered by the International Bureau (IB) of World Intellectual 
Property Organization (WIPO) located in Geneva, Switzerland.
    This collection covers information filed by U.S. applicants for the 
prosecution of international design applications ``indirectly'' through 
the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), which will 
forward the applications to the IB or ``directly'' with the IB. The IB 
ascertains whether the international design application complies with 
formal requirements, registers the international design in the 
International register, and publishes the international registration in 
the International Designs Bulletin. The international registration 
contains all of the data of the international application, any 
reproduction of the industrial design, date of the international 
registration, number of the international registration, and relevant 
class of the International Classification.
    The IB will provide a copy of the publication of the international 
registration to each Contracting party designated by the applicant. A 
designated Contracting Party may perform a substantive examination of 
the design application. The USPTO will perform a substantive 
examination for patentability of the international design application, 
as in the case of regular U.S. design applications. The industrial 
design or designs will be eligible for protection in all the 
Contracting Parties designated by applicants.
    In addition, this collection covers the various fees related to the 
processing of International design applications, such as the: (1) Basic 
fee; (2) standard designation fee(s); (3) individual designation 
fee(s); and (4) publication fee. Also, an additional fee is required 
where the applications contain a description that exceeds 100 words, 
and a transmittal fee is required for

[[Page 60965]]

international design applications filed through an office of indirect 
filing. The fees required by the IB may be paid either directly to the 
IB or through the USPTO as an office of indirect filing in the amounts 
specified on the WIPO website. If applicants want to pay the required 
fees through USPTO as an office of indirect filing, the fees must be 
paid no later than the date of payment of the transmittal fee. The fees 
will then be forwarded to the IB.
    The Hague Agreement enables applicants from Contracting Parties to 
obtain protection of their designs with minimal formalities and 
expenses in multiple countries and/or regions. The Hague Agreement is 
administered by the IB, which simplifies the management of an 
industrial design registration. For example, through the IB, applicants 
can record changes of their representatives or changes in ownership, 
and renew their international registration.

II. Method of Collection

    Most of the items in this information collection can either be 
submitted electronically through Electronic Filing System-Web (EFS-Web) 
or mailed to the USPTO.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0075.
    Form Numbers: WIPO DM = WIPO Dessins et Modeles (design 
representations); PTOL = Patent Trademark Office Legal

 WIPO DM/1 (Application for International Registration--
entitled Hague Agreement Concerning The International Registration of 
Industrial Design)
 PTOL-85 Part B (Hague): (Issue Fee to USPTO for an 
International Design Application)
 WIPO DM/1/I Annex: (Declaration on Inventorship for Purposes 
of Designation of the United States)
 WIPO DM/1/I Annex: (Substitute Statement in Lieu of a 
Declaration of Inventorship for the Purpose of Designating the United 
States)
 WIPO DM/1/III Annex: (Information On Eligibility For 
Protection)
 WIPO DM/1/IV Annex: (Reduction of United States Individual 
Designation Fee)
 WIPO DM/1/V Annex: (Supporting Document(s) Concerning Priority 
Claim To The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO))
 PTO-1595: (Assignment Cover Sheet)

    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Private sector; individuals and households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,406 respondents per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 1,706 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public between 15 minutes (0.25 hours) and 6 hours to complete a 
response, depending upon the complexity of the situation. This includes 
the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the appropriate 
documents, and submit the completed request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Response Burden Hours: 2,301 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $1,279,400.
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    \1\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey from the Law Practice 
Management Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law 
Association (AIPLA). https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The hourly rate of $400.

                                          Table 1--Total Estimated Hourly Burden for Private Sector Respondents
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                                                                        Estimated                                Estimated                   Estimated
       Item No.                Item             Estimated annual         annual        Estimated time  for     annual  burden   Rate \1\  annual  burden
                                                  respondents           responses       response  (hours)          hours        ($/hour)
                                                                                (a)  (b)....................  (a) x (b) = (c)        (d)     (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                                                     (e)
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1.....................  Application for     151....................             151  6......................              906       $400        $362,400
                         International
                         Registration
                         (WIPO DM/1).
2.....................  Claim and           Same as line 1.........             151  4......................              604        400         241,600
                         Reproductions
                         (Drawings).
3.....................  Transmittal Letter  Same as line 1.........               5  2......................               10        400           4,000
4.....................  Appointment of a    Same as line 1.........              62  0.25 (15 minutes)......               16        400           6,400
                         Representative
                         (WIPO) (WIPO DM/
                         7) filed
                         indirectly
                         through the USPTO
5.....................  Petition to Excuse  Same as line 1.........               1  4......................                4        400           1,600
                         a Failure to
                         Comply with a
                         Time Limit.
6.....................  Petition to         Same as line 1.........               1  4......................                4        400           1,600
                         Convert to a
                         Design
                         Application under
                         35 U.S.C. Chapter
                         16.
7.....................  Petition to Review  Same as line 1.........               2  4......................                8        400           3,200
                         a Filing Date.
8.....................  Fee Authorization.  Same as line 1.........              10  .25 (15 minutes).......                3        400           1,200
9.....................  Petitions to the    Same as line 1.........               4  4......................               16        400           6,400
                         Commissioner.
10....................  Declaration on      Same as line 1.........              30  0.50 (30 minutes)......               15        400           6,000
                         Inventorship for
                         Purposes of
                         Designation of
                         the United States
                         (WIPO DM/1/I
                         Annex) filed
                         indirectly
                         through the USPTO.
11....................  Substitute          Same as line 1.........               2  0.50 (30 minutes)......                1        400             400
                         Statement in Lieu
                         of a Declaration
                         of Inventorship
                         for the Purposes
                         of Designating
                         the United States
                         (WIPO DM/1/I
                         Annex) filed
                         indirectly
                         through the USPTO.
12....................  Information On      Same as line 1.........               3  1......................                3        400           1,200
                         Eligibility For
                         Protection (WIPO
                         DM/1/III Annex)
                         filed indirectly
                         through the USPTO.
13....................  Supporting          Same as line 1.........               5  .5 (30 minutes)........                3        400           1,200
                         Document(s)
                         Concerning
                         Priority Claim To
                         The Korean
                         Intellectual
                         Property Office
                         (KIPO) (WIPO DM/1/
                         V (Annex) filed
                         indirectly
                         through the USPTO.
14....................  Issue Fee to USPTO  1,219..................           1,219  .5 (30 minutes)........              610        400         244,000
                         for an
                         International
                         Design
                         Application.
                                           -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals............  ..................  1,370..................           1,646  .......................            2,203  .........         881,200
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[[Page 60966]]


                                     Table 2--Total Estimated Hourly Burden for Individual and Household Respondents
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                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                                             Estimated  annual       Estimated        Estimated  time for        Estimated      Rate \2\      annual
       Item No.               Item              respondents           annual           response  (hours)       annual  burden  ($/hour)     respondent
                                                                     responses                                     hours                    cost burden
                                                                             (a)  (b).......................  (a) x (b) = (c)        (d)     (c) x (d) =
                                                                                                                                                     (e)
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1....................  Application for    6.....................               6  6.........................               36       $400         $14,400
                        International
                        Registration
                        (Micro-Entity).
2....................  Claim and          Same as line 1........               6  4.........................               24        400           9,600
                        Reproductions
                        (Drawings).
3....................  Transmittal        Same as line 1........               1  2.........................                2        400             800
                        Letter.
4....................  Appointment of a   Same as line 1........               2  0.25 (15 minutes).........                1        400             400
                        Representative
                        (WIPO DM/7)
                        filed indirectly
                        through the
                        USPTO.
5....................  Petition to        Same as line 1........               1  4.........................                4        400           1,600
                        Excuse a Failure
                        to Comply with a
                        Time Limit.
6....................  Petition to        Same as line 1........               1  4.........................                4        400           1,600
                        Convert to a
                        Design
                        Application
                        under 35 U.S.C.
                        Chapter 16.
7....................  Petition to        Same as line 1........               1  4.........................                4        400           1,600
                        Review a Filing
                        Date.
8....................  Fee Authorization  Same as line 1........               1  0.25 (15 minutes).........                1        400             400
9....................  Petitions to the   Same as line 1........               1  0.25 (15 minutes).........                1        400             400
                        Commissioner.
11...................  Declaration on     Same as line 1........               3  0.50 (30 minutes).........                2        400             800
                        Inventorship for
                        Purposes of
                        Designation of
                        the United
                        States (WIPO DM/
                        1/I Annex) filed
                        indirectly
                        through the
                        USPTO.
12...................  Substitute         Same as line 1........               1  0.50 (30 minutes).........                1        400             400
                        Statement in
                        Lieu of a
                        Declaration of
                        Inventorship for
                        the Purposes of
                        Designating the
                        United States
                        (WIPO DM/1/I
                        Annex) filed
                        indirectly
                        through the
                        USPTO.
14...................  Issue Fee to       30....................              30  0.50 (30 minutes).........               15        400           6,000
                        UPSTO for an
                        International
                        Design
                        Application.
15...................  Reduction of       Same as line 1........               6  0.50 (30 minutes).........                3        400           1,200
                        United States
                        Individual
                        Designation Fee
                        (WIPO DM/1/IV
                        (Annex) filed
                        indirectly
                        through the
                        USPTO.
                                         ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals...........  .................  36....................              60  ..........................               98  .........          39,200
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    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: 
$3,389,280.
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    \2\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey from the Law Practice 
Management Committee of the American Intellectual Property Law 
Association (AIPLA). https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey The hourly rate of $400.
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    There are no maintenance, operation, capital start-up, or 
recordkeeping costs associated with this information collection. 
However, this information collection does have annual (non-hour) costs 
in the form of filing fees, drawing costs, and postage fees.
    The total estimated filing fee costs for this information 
collection is $3,376,872, detailed in Table 3 below.

                                              Table 3--Filing Fees
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                                                                     Estimated
              Item No.                           Item                 annual        Filing fee     Total filing
                                                                     response         Amount         fee cost
                                      ..........................             (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =
                                                                                                             (c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...................................  Application for                        157          $2,131        $334,567
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Average Fee
                                       per registration to WIPO
                                       (USPTO collects and
                                       transmits it to WIPO).
1...................................  Application for                         10             960           9,600
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Designation
                                       Fee (first part) for the
                                       U.S. (collecting for
                                       WIPO) (regular entity).
1...................................  Application for                         11             480           5,280
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Designation
                                       Fee (first part) for the
                                       U.S. (collecting for
                                       WIPO) (small entity).
1...................................  Application for                          6             240           1,440
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Designation
                                       Fee (first part) for the
                                       U.S. (collecting for
                                       WIPO) (micro entity).
1...................................  Application for                      1,651             960       1,584,960
                                       International
                                       Registration submitted to
                                       WIPO--Designation Fee
                                       (first part) for the U.S.
                                       (Transmitting to the
                                       USPTO by WIPO) (regular
                                       entity).
1...................................  Application for                        527             480         252,960
                                       International
                                       Registration submitted to
                                       WIPO--Designation Fee
                                       (first part) for the U.S.
                                       (Transmitting to the
                                       USPTO by WIPO) (small
                                       entity).
1...................................  Application for                        138             240          33,120
                                       International
                                       Registration submitted to
                                       WIPO--Designation Fee
                                       (first part) for the U.S.
                                       (Transmitting to the
                                       USPTO by WIPO) (micro
                                       entity).
1...................................  Application for                         89             120          10,680
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Transmittal
                                       Fee (set by and collected
                                       by USPTO) (regular
                                       entity).
1...................................  Application for                         62              60           3,720
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Transmittal
                                       Fee (set by and collected
                                       by USPTO) (small entity).
1...................................  Application for                          6              30             180
                                       International
                                       Registration
                                       (electronic)--Transmittal
                                       Fee (set by and collected
                                       by USPTO) (micro entity).

[[Page 60967]]

 
5...................................  Petition to Excuse a                     1           2,000           2,000
                                       Failure to Comply with a
                                       Time Limit (regular
                                       entity).
5...................................  Petition to Excuse a                     1           1,000           1,000
                                       Failure to Comply with a
                                       Time Limit (small entity).
5...................................  Petition to Excuse a                     1             500             500
                                       Failure to Comply with a
                                       Time Limit (micro entity).
6...................................  Petition to Convert to a                 1             180             180
                                       Design Application under
                                       35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
                                       (regular entity).
6...................................  Petition to Convert to a                 1              90              90
                                       Design Application under
                                       35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
                                       (small entity).
6...................................  Petition to Convert to a                 1              45              45
                                       Design Application under
                                       35 U.S.C. Chapter 16
                                       (micro entity).
7...................................  Petition to Review a                     1             400             400
                                       Filing Date (regular
                                       entity).
7...................................  Petition to Review a                     1             200             200
                                       Filing Date (small
                                       entity).
7...................................  Petition to Review a                     1             100             100
                                       Filing Date (micro
                                       entity).
9...................................  Petitions to Commissioner                3             400           1,200
                                       (regular entity).
9...................................  Petitions to Commissioner                1             200             200
                                       (small entity).
9...................................  Petitions to Commissioner                1             100             100
                                       (micro entity).
14..................................  Issue Fee to UPSTO for an              972             700         680,400
                                       International Design
                                       Application (regular
                                       entity).
14..................................  Issue Fee to UPSTO for an              247             350          86,450
                                       International Design
                                       Application (small
                                       entity).
14..................................  Issue Fee to UPSTO for an               30             175           5,250
                                       International Design
                                       Application (micro
                                       entity).
14..................................  Application for                        420             700         294,000
                                       International
                                       Registration submitted to
                                       WIPO--Issue Fee (Second
                                       part) for the U.S.
                                       (Transmitting to the
                                       USPTO by WIPO) (regular
                                       entity).
14..................................  Application for                        155             350          54,250
                                       International
                                       Registration submitted to
                                       WIPO--Issue Fee (Second
                                       part) for the U.S.
                                       (Transmitting to the
                                       USPTO by WIPO) (small
                                       entity).
14..................................  Application for                         80             175          14,000
                                       International
                                       Registration submitted to
                                       WIPO--Issue Fee (Second
                                       part) for the U.S.
                                       (Transmitting to the
                                       USPTO by WIPO) (micro-
                                       entity).
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  ..........................  ..............  ..............       3,376,872
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    The USPTO estimates that around 20% (31) of the respondents that 
file international design applications through the USPTO as an office 
of indirect filing designate the United States for design protection. 
The costs for preparing the drawings associated with these applications 
are estimated to be $400 per application. Overall the costs associated 
with submitting these drawing are estimated to be $12,400.
    Although the USPTO prefers that the items in this information 
collection be submitted electronically, the items may be submitted by 
mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). The USPTO 
estimates that the average postage cost for a mailed submission, using 
a Priority Mail 2-day flat rate legal envelope, will be $8.05. The 
USPTO estimates that 1 paper submission will be mailed annually.
    The USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour) respondent 
cost burden for this information collection in the forms of filling 
fees, drawing costs, and postage costs is estimated to be approximately 
$3,389,280 per year ($3,376,872 in filling fees, $12,400 in drawing 
costs, and $8 in postage costs).
    Respondents's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

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 
an address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying 
information in a comment, be aware that the entire comment--including 
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any 
time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold 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. 2020-21553 Filed 9-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P