[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 224 (Tuesday, November 22, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71307-71310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25362]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Post Allowance and Reissue
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of 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 and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-
0033 Post Allowance and Reissue. 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 February 21, 2023.
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-
0033 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Justin Isaac, 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 Parikha Mehta, Senior Legal Advisor, United
States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA
22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-3248; or by email at
[email protected] with ``0651-0033 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 covers the submission of issue fee
payments, requests for certificates of correction, and reissue
applications 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. The rules outlining the procedures for
payment of the issue fee and issuance of a patent are found at 37 CFR
1.18, 1.311, and 1.314.
This collection of information also covers several transactions
that may be taken after issuance of a patent.
[[Page 71308]]
Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 254 and 255, a certificate of correction may
be requested to correct an error or errors in an issued 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. The reissue application process requires, among other
items, 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 reissue application procedures are found
at 37 CFR 1.171-1.173 and 1.175-1.178.
The title of this item has been changed from ``Post Allowance and
Refilling'' to ``Post Allowance and Reissue'' to better reflect the
nature of the items in this information collection.
II. Method of Collection
Electronically via the USPTO's patent electronic filing system, by
mail, or by hand delivery to the USPTO.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0651-0033.
Forms: (AIA = America Invents Act; SB = Specimen Book; PTOL =
Patent Trademark Office Legal Form).
PTO/AIA/05, PTO/AIA/06, PTO/SB/51, PTO/SB/52 (Reissue
Application Declaration by the Inventor or the Assignee)
PTO/AIA/07 (Substitute Statement in Lieu of an Oath or
Declaration for Reissue Patent Application (35 U.S.C. 115(d) and 37 CFR
1.64)
PTO/AIA/50 (Reissue Patent Application Transmittal)
PTO/AIA/53, PTO/SB/53 (Reissue Application: Consent of
Assignee; Statement of Non-Assignment)
PTO/SB/44 (Certificate of Correction)
PTO/SB/51S, (Supplemental Declaration for Reissue Patent
Application to Correct ``Errors'' Statement (pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.175(c)))
PTO/SB/56 (Reissue Application Fee Transmittal Form)
PTOL-85B (Issue Fee Transmittal)
Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Affected Public: Private sector; individuals or households.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 426,301 respondents.
Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 426,301 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses
in this information collection will take the public approximately
between 30 minutes (0.5 hours) and 5.3 hours to complete. This includes
the time to gather the necessary information, create the document, and
submit the completed item to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 373,568 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $162,502,080.
Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Private Sector Respondents
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Hourly
Estimated Responses Estimated Estimated time per Estimated cost Total annual
Item No. Item annual per annual response (hour) burden (hour/ burden cost for time
respondents respondent responses year) rate \1\ spent
........................ (a) (b) (a) x (b) = (d).................... (c) x (d) = (f) (e) x (f) =
(c) (e) (g)
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1............ Certificate of 58,200 1 58,200 1.3 (80 minutes)....... 75,660 $435 $32,912,100
Correction (PTO/SB/44).
2............ Petition to Correct 534 1 534 0.8 (46 minutes)....... 427 435 185,745
Assignee After Payment
of Issue Fee (37 CFR
3.81(b)).
3............ Reissue Documentation... 698 1 698 5.3 (318 minutes)...... 3,699 435 1,609,065
4............ Reissue Patent 698 1 698 0.5 (30 minutes)....... 349 435 151,815
Application Transmittal.
(PTO/SB/50).............
5............ Reissue Application 1,175 1 1,175 0.8 (46 minutes)....... 940 435 408,900
Declaration by the
Inventor or the
Assignee (PTO/SB/51/52,
PTO/AIA/05/06) or
Substitute Statement in
Lieu of an Oath or
Declaration for Reissue
Patent Application (35
U.S.C. 115(d) and 37
CFR 1.64) (PTO/AIA/07).
6............ Supplemental Declaration 30 1 30 0.6 (36 minutes)....... 18 435 7,830
for Reissue Patent
Application to Correct
``Errors'' Statement
(37 CFR 1.175) (PTO/SB/
51S).
7............ Reissue Application: 889 1 889 0.5 (30 minutes)....... 445 435 193,575
Consent of Assignee;
Statement of Non-
assignment (PTO/SB/53,
PTO/AIA/53).
8............ Reissue Application Fee 698 1 698 0.5 (30 minutes)....... 349 435 151,815
Transmittal Form (PTO/
SB/56).
9............ Issue Fee Transmittal 350,588 1 350,588 0.8 (46 minutes)....... 280,470 435 122,004,450
(PTOL-85B).
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Totals............... 413,510 .......... 413,510 ....................... 362,357 .......... 157,625,295
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\1\ 2021 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual Property Law Association
(AIPLA); pg. F-27. The USPTO uses the average billing rate for intellectual property attorneys in private firms which is $435 per hour.
[[Page 71309]]
Table 2--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Individual and Household Respondents
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Hourly
Estimated Responses Estimated Estimated time per Estimated cost Total annual
Item No. Item annual per annual response (hour) burden (hour/ burden cost for time
respondents respondent responses year) rate \2\ Spent
........................ (a) (b) (a) x (b) = (d).................... (c) x (d) = (f) (e) x (f) =
(c) (e) (g)
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1............ Certificate of 1,800 1 1,800 1.3 (80 minutes)....... 2,340 $435 $1,017,900
Correction (PTO/SB/44).
2............ Petition to Correct 16 1 16 0.8 (46 minutes)....... 13 435 5,655
Assignee After Payment
of Issue Fee (37 CFR
3.81(b)).
3............ Reissue Documentation... 22 1 22 5.3 (320 minutes)...... 117 435 50,895
4............ Reissue Patent 22 1 22 0.5 (30 minutes)....... 11 435 4,785
Application Transmittal
(PTO/SB/50).
5............ Reissue Application 37 1 37 0.8 (46 minutes)....... 30 435 13,050
Declaration by the
Inventor or the
Assignee (PTO/SB/51/52,
PTO/AIA/05/06) or
Substitute Statement in
Lieu of an Oath or
Declaration for Reissue
Patent Application (35
U.S.C. 115(d) and 37
CFR 1.64) (PTO/AIA/07).
6............ Supplemental Declaration 1 1 1 0.6.................... 1 435 435
for Reissue Patent
Application to Correct
``Errors'' Statement
(37 CFR 1.175) (PTO/SB/
51S).
7............ Reissue Application: 28 1 28 0.5.................... 14 435 6,090
Consent of Assignee;
Statement of Non-
assignment (PTO/SB/53,
PTO/AIA/53).
8............ Reissue Application Fee 22 1 22 0.5.................... 11 435 4,785
Transmittal Form (PTO/
SB/56).
9............ Issue Fee Transmittal 10,843 1 10,843 0.8 (46 minutes)....... 8,674 435 3,773,190
(PTOL-85B).
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Totals................. 12,791 .......... 12,791 ....................... 11,211 .......... 4,876,785
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\2\ Ibid.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden:
$434,518,228.
There are no maintenance costs, capital start-up costs, or
recordkeeping costs associated with this information collection.
However, the USPTO estimates that the total annual (nonhour) cost
burden for this information collection, in the form of filing fees
($434,478,795) and postage ($39,433), is $434,518,228.
Filing Fees
The items with filing fees are listed in the table below.
Table 3--Filing Fees
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Estimated
Item No. Type of cost annual Amount Totals
responses
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1.............................. Certificate of correction 9,521 $160 $1,523,360
(Undiscounted entity).
1.............................. Certificate of correction 2,394 160 383,040
(Small entity).
1.............................. Certificate of correction 90 160 14,400
(Micro entity.
3.............................. Basic filing fee--Reissue 1,501 320 480,320
(Undiscounted entity).
3.............................. Basic filing fee--Reissue 528 160 84,480
(Small entity).
3.............................. Basic filing fee--Reissue 65 80 5,200
(Micro entity).
3.............................. Basic Filing Fee--Reissue 25 320 8,000
(Design CPA) (Undiscounted
entity).
3.............................. Basic Filing Fee--Reissue 5 160 800
(Design CPA) (Small entity).
3.............................. Basic Filing Fee--Reissue 5 80 400
(Design CPA) (Micro entity).
3.............................. Reissue Search Fee or Reissue 1,544 700 1,080,800
Design CPA Search Fees
(Undiscounted entity).
3.............................. Reissue Search Fee or Reissue 580 350 203,000
Design CPA Search Fees (Small
entity).
3.............................. Reissue Search Fee or Reissue 72 175 12,600
Design CPA Search Fees (Micro
entity).
3.............................. Reissue independent claims in 561 480 269,280
excess of three (Undiscounted
entity).
3.............................. Reissue independent claims in 176 240 42,240
excess of three (Small entity).
3.............................. Reissue independent claims in 21 120 2,520
excess of three (Micro entity).
3.............................. Reissue claims in excess of 20 4,531 100 453,100
(Undiscounted entity).
3.............................. Reissue claims in excess of 20 1,495 50 74,750
(Small entity).
3.............................. Reissue claims in excess of 20 115 25 2,875
(Micro entity).
3, 4........................... Reissue Application Size Fee-- 46 420 19,320
for each additional 50 sheets
that exceeds 100 sheets
(Undiscounted entity).
3, 4........................... Reissue Application Size Fee-- 10 210 2,100
for each additional 50 sheets
that exceeds 100 sheets (Small
entity).
3, 4........................... Reissue Application Size Fee-- 8 105 840
for each additional 50 sheets
that exceeds 100 sheets (Micro
entity).
3.............................. Reissue Examination Fee or 1,542 2,320 3,577,440
Reissue Design CPA Examination
Fee (Undiscounted entity).
[[Page 71310]]
3.............................. Reissue Examination Fee or 577 1,160 669,320
Reissue Design CPA Examination
Fee (Small entity).
3.............................. Reissue Examination Fee or 70 580 40,600
Reissue Design CPA Examination
Fee (Micro entity).
9.............................. Utility issue fee (Undiscounted 294,254 1,200 353,104,800
entity).
9.............................. Utility issue fee (Small 79,574 600 47,744,400
entity).
9.............................. Utility issue fee (Micro 9,678 300 2,903,400
entity).
9.............................. Design issue fee (Undiscounted 18,674 740 13,818,760
entity).
9.............................. Design issue fee (Small entity) 14,600 370 5,402,000
9.............................. Design issue fee (Micro entity) 6,228 185 1,152,180
9.............................. Plant issue fee (Undiscounted 641 840 538,440
entity).
9.............................. Plant issue fee (Small entity). 598 420 251,160
9.............................. Plant issue fee (Micro entity). 7 210 1,470
9.............................. Reissue issue fee (Undiscounted 448 1,200 537,600
entity).
9.............................. Reissue issue fee (Small 120 600 72,000
entity).
9.............................. Reissue issue fee (Micro 6 300 1,800
entity).
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Total Filing Fees........... 450,310 .............. 434,478,795
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Postage
Although the USPTO prefers that the items in this information
collection be submitted electronically, responses may be submitted by
mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Customers may
incur postage costs when submitting the information in this information
collection to the USPTO by mail. The USPTO expects that approximately
1% (4,263) of the responses for this information collection will be
submitted by mail. The USPTO estimates that the average postage cost
for a mailed submission, using a Priority Mail 2-day flat rate legal
envelope, will be $9.25 and that approximately 4,263 submissions will
be mailed to the USPTO per year. Therefore, the USPTO estimates that
postage costs in this collection will be $39,433.
IV. Request for Comments
The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
(a) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of
the 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 personally
identifiable information (PII) in a comment, be aware that the entire
comment--including PII--may be made publicly available at any time.
While you may ask in your comment to withhold PII from public view,
USPTO cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Justin Isaac,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Adminstrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2022-25362 Filed 11-21-22; 8:45 am]
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