[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 231 (Monday, December 4, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84132-84134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26556]



[[Page 84132]]

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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; Substantive Submissions Made During the Prosecution of the 
Trademark Application

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-
0054 Substantive Submissions Made During the Prosecution of the 
Trademark Application. 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 2, 2024.

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-
0054 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: Request for additional information 
should be directed to Catherine Cain, Attorney Advisor, United States 
Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; 
by telephone at 571-272-8946; or by email to [email protected]. 
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, 15 
U.S.C. 1051 et seq., which provides for the registration of trademarks, 
service marks, collective trademarks and collective service marks, 
collective membership marks, and certification marks. Individuals and 
businesses that use or intend to use such marks in commerce may file an 
application to register their marks with the United States Patent and 
Trademark Office (USPTO).
    Such individuals and businesses may also submit various 
communications to the USPTO, including providing additional information 
needed to process a request to delete a particular filing basis from an 
application or to divide an application identifying multiple goods and/
or services into two or more separate applications. Applicants may seek 
a six-month extension of time to file a statement that the mark is in 
use in commerce or submit a petition to revive an application that was 
abandoned for failure to submit a timely response to an office action 
or a timely statement of use or extension request. In some 
circumstances, an applicant may expressly abandon an application by 
filing a request for withdrawal of the application.
    The rules implementing the Trademark Act are set forth in 37 CFR 
part 2. These rules mandate that each register entry include the mark, 
the goods and/or services in connection with which the mark is used, 
ownership information, dates of use, and certain other information. The 
USPTO also provides similar information concerning pending 
applications. The register and pending application information may be 
accessed by an individual or by businesses to determine the 
availability of a mark. By accessing the USPTO's information, parties 
may reduce the possibility of initiating use of a mark previously 
adopted by another. As a result, the Federal trademark registration 
process is intended to reduce unnecessary litigation, and its 
accompanying costs and burdens.
    The information in this collection is used to process the 
substantive submissions made during prosecution of the trademark 
application. The submissions in this information collection are a 
matter of public record and are used by the public for a variety of 
private business purposes related to establishing and enforcing 
trademark rights. The information is accessible online, through the 
USPTO website, as well as through various USPTO facilities.

II. Method of Collection

    Items in this information collection must be submitted 
electronically. In limited circumstances, applicants may be permitted 
to submit the information in paper form by mail, fax, or hand delivery.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0054.
    Forms:
 PTO Form 1553 (Allegation of Use (Statement of Use/Amendment 
to Allege Use))
 PTO Form 1554 (Request to Divide Application)
 PTO Form 1555 (Response to Intent-to-Use/Divisional (ITU/
Divisional) Unit Office Action)
 PTO Form 1556 (Response to Petition to Revive Deficiency 
Letter)
 PTO Form 1557 (Petition to Revive with Request to Delete 
Section 1(b) Basis or to Delete ITU Goods/Services/Collective 
Membership Organization After NOA)
 PTO Form 1581 (Request for Extension of Time to File a 
Statement of Use)
 PTO Form 2194 (Petition to Revive Abandoned Application--
Failure to Respond Timely to Office Action)
 PTO Form 2195 (Petition to Revive Abandoned Application--
Failure to File Timely Statement of Use or Extension Request)
 PTO Form 2200 (Request to Delete Section 1(b) Basis, Intent to 
Use)
 PTO Form 2202 (Request for Express Abandonment (Withdrawal) of 
Application)
 PTO Form 2301 (Petition to Director)
    Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Private sector.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 373,293 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 373,293 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 70 minutes (1.17 hours) to complete. 
This includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the 
document, and submit the information to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 265,556 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $118,703,532.

[[Page 84133]]



                                       Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Private Sector Respondents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                                       Estimated     Responses per      Estimated     Estimated time for     Estimated     Rate \1\ ($/       annual
    Item no.            Item            annual         respondent        annual        response (hours)    burden (hour/       hour)        respondent
                                      respondents                       responses                              year)                          burden
                 .................             (a)              (b)     (a) x (b) =  (d)................     (c) x (d) =             (f)     (e) x (f) =
                                                                                (c)                                  (e)                             (g)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..............  Allegation of Use          94,729                1          94,729  1 (60 minutes).....          94,729            $447     $42,343,863
                  (Statement of
                  Use/Amendment to
                  Allege Use).
                 (PTO Form 1553)..
2..............  Request for               238,839                1         238,839  0.58 (35 minutes)..         138,527             447      61,921,569
                  Extension of
                  Time to File a
                  Statement of Use
                  (PTO Form 1581).
3..............  Petition to                20,665                1          20,665  1 (60 minutes).....          20,665             447       9,237,255
                  Revive Abandoned
                  Application--Fai
                  lure to Respond
                  Timely to Office
                  Action (PTO Form
                  2194).
4..............  Petition to                 1,067                1           1,067  0.67 (40 minutes)..             715             447         319,605
                  Revive Abandoned
                  Application--Fai
                  lure to File
                  Timely Statement
                  of Use or
                  Extension
                  Request (PTO
                  Form 2195).
5..............  Request to Delete           2,188                1           2,188  0.5 (30 minutes)...           1,094             447         489,018
                  Section 1(b)
                  Basis, Intent to
                  Use (PTO Form
                  2200).
6..............  Request for                 9,702                1           9,702  0.5 (30 minutes)...           4,851             447       2,168,397
                  Express
                  Abandonment
                  (Withdrawal) of
                  Application (PTO
                  Form 2202).
7..............  Request to Divide           3,223                1           3,223  0.67 (40 minutes)..           2,159             447         965,073
                  Application (PTO
                  Form 1554).
8..............  Response to                     5                1               5  1.17 (70 minutes)..               6             447           2,682
                  Intent-to-Use/
                  Divisional (ITU/
                  Divisional) Unit
                  Office Action
                  (PTO Form 1555).
9..............  Response to                   436                1             436  0.83 (50 minutes)..             362             447         161,814
                  Petition to
                  Revive
                  Deficiency
                  Letter (PTO Form
                  1556).
10.............  Petition to                 2,385                1           2,385  1 (60 minutes).....           2,385             447       1,066,095
                  Director (PTO
                  Form 2301).
11.............  Petition to                    54                1              54  1.17 (70 minutes)..              63             447          28,161
                  Revive with
                  Request to
                  Delete Section
                  1(b) Basis or to
                  Delete ITU Goods/
                  Services/
                  Collective
                  Membership
                  Organization
                  After NOA (PTO
                  Form 1557).
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals.....  .................         373,293  ...............         373,293  ...................         265,556  ..............     118,703,532
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\1\ 2023 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual Property Law Association
  (AIPLA); pg. F-41. The USPTO uses the average billing rate for intellectual property work in all firms which is $447 per hour (https://www.aipla.org/home/news-publications/economic-survey).

    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden: 
$43,517,005. There are no capital start-up, maintenance costs, or 
recordkeeping costs associated with this information collection. 
However, USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour) cost burden 
for this information collection, in the form of filing fees and postage 
is $43,517,005.

Filing Fees

    There are fees associated with submitting certain items in this 
information collection as outlined in Table 2 below:

                                                                  Table 2--Filing Fees
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                             Estimated                    Estimated non-
                    Item No.                        Fee code                       Item                       annual       Estimated fee     hour cost
                                                                                                             responses        amount          burden
                                                                                                                     (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =
                                                                                                                                                     (c)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1..............................................            6002  Allegation of Use (Statement of Use/                  1            $200            $200
                                                           6003   Amendment to Allege Use) (Paper).
1..............................................            7002  Allegation of Use (Statement of Use/             94,729             100       9,472,900
                                                           7003   Amendment to Allege Use) (Electronic).

[[Page 84134]]

 
2..............................................            6004  Request for Extension of Time to File a               1             225             225
                                                                  Statement of Use (Paper).
2..............................................            7004  Request for Extension of Time to File a         238,839             125      29,854,875
                                                                  Statement of Use (Electronic).
3..............................................            6010  Petition to Revive Abandoned                          1             250             250
                                                                  Application--Failure to Respond Timely
                                                                  to Office Action (Paper).
3..............................................            7010  Petition to Revive Abandoned                     20,665             150       3,099,750
                                                                  Application--Failure to Respond Timely
                                                                  to Office Action (Electronic).
4..............................................            6010  Petition to Revive Abandoned                          1             250             250
                                                                  Application--Failure to File Timely
                                                                  Statement of Use or Extension Request
                                                                  (Paper).
4..............................................            7010  Petition to Revive Abandoned                      1,067             150         160,050
                                                                  Application--Failure to File Timely
                                                                  Statement of Use or Extension Request
                                                                  (Electronic).
7..............................................            6006  Request to Divide Application (Paper)..               1             200             200
7..............................................            7006  Request to Divide Application                     3,223             100         322,300
                                                                  (Electronic).
10.............................................            6005  Petition to Director (Paper)...........               1             350             350
10.............................................            7005  Petition to Director (Electronic)......           2,385             250         596,250
11.............................................            6010  Petition to Revive with Request to                    1             250             250
                                                                  Delete Section 1(b) Basis or to Delete
                                                                  ITU Goods/Services/Collective
                                                                  Membership Organization After NOA
                                                                  (Paper).
11.............................................            7010  Petition to Revive with Request to                   54             150           8,100
                                                                  Delete Section 1(b) Basis or to Delete
                                                                  ITU Goods/Services/Collective
                                                                  Membership Organization After NOA
                                                                  (Electronic).
                                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------
                                                                 Totals.................................  ..............  ..............      43,515,950
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Postage

    Although the USPTO requires that the items in this information 
collection be submitted electronically, in certain circumstances, 
respondents may be permitted to submit responses 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 
legal flat rate envelope, will be $9.95. The USPTO estimates 
approximately 106 submissions per year may be mailed to the USPTO, for 
an estimated total postage cost of $1,055 per year.

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 Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-26556 Filed 12-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P