[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5500-5506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01722]


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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; Patent Processing

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

ACTION: Notice 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 and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-
0031 (Patent Processing). The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 
days for public comment preceding submission of this information 
collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information 
collection must be received on or before March 29, 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-
0031 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Justin Isaac, Information Collection Officer, 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 Raul Tamayo, Senior Legal Advisor, Office of 
Patent Legal Administration, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; 
by telephone at 571-272-7728; or by email to [email protected] with 
``0651-0031 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 United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is required 
by 35 U.S.C. 131 to examine an application for patent and, when 
appropriate, issue a patent. The USPTO is also required to publish 
patent applications, with certain exceptions, promptly after the 
expiration of a period of eighteen months from the earliest filing date 
for which a benefit is sought under title 35, United States Code 
(``eighteen-month publication''). Certain situations may arise which 
require that additional information be supplied in order for the USPTO 
to further process the patent or application. The USPTO administers the 
statutes through various sections of the rules of practice in 37 CFR 
part 1.
    During the processing of an application for a patent, the applicant 
or the applicant's representative may be required to submit additional 
information to the USPTO concerning the examination of a specific 
application. The specific information required to be submitted 
includes: requests for extension of time, abandonment of applications 
and the revival of abandoned applications, disclaimers, appeals, 
petitions, expedited examination of design applications, requests for 
continued examinations, requests to inspect, copy, access patent 
applications, and transmittal forms.
    The information in this collection is used by the USPTO to continue 
the processing of the patent or application to ensure that applicants 
are complying with the patent regulations and to aid in the prosecution 
of the application. This also includes situations that require 
additional information in order for the USPTO to further process the 
patent or application.

II. Method of Collection

    The items in this information collection can be submitted through 
the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center), the USPTO's 
online filing and viewing system for patent applications and related 
documents. The USPTO also will accept submissions by mail, hand 
delivery, and facsimile.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0031.
    Forms: (AIA--America Invents Act; SB--Specimen Book; PTOL = Patent 
and Trademark Office Legal)


[[Page 5501]]


 PTO/AIA/22 (Petition for Extension of Time under 37 CFR 
1.136(a))
 PTO/AIA/24 (Express Abandonment under 37 CFR 1.138)
 PTO/AIA/24B (Petition for Express Abandonment to Obtain a 
Refund)
 PTO/AIA/33 (Pre-Appeal Brief Request for Review)
 PTO/AIA/40 (Request for Correction in a Patent Application 
Relating to Inventorship or an Inventor Name, or Order of Names, Other 
than in a Reissue Application (37 CFR 1.48)
 PTO/AIA/41 (Request to Correct or Update the Name of the 
Applicant Under 37 CFR 1.45(c)(1), or Change the Applicant Under 37 CFR 
1.46(c)(2))
 PTO/AIA/67 (Power to Inspect/Copy--For Applications Filed On 
or After September 16, 2012)
 PTO/AIA/96 (Statement Under 37 CFR 3.73(c))
 PTO/SB/08a (Information Disclosure Statement by Applicant)
 PTO/SB/08b (Information Disclosure Statement by Applicant)
 PTO/SB/17i (Processing Fee under 37 CFR 1.17(i) Transmittal)
 PTO/SB/21 (Transmittal Form)
 PTO/SB/22 (Petition for Extension of Time under 37 CFR 
1.136(a))
 PTO/SB/24 (Express Abandonment under 37 CFR 1.138)
 PTO/SB/24B (Petition for Express Abandonment to Obtain a 
Refund)
 PTO/SB/25 (Terminal Disclaimer to Obviate a Provisional Double 
Patenting Rejection Over a Pending ``Reference'' Application)
 PTO/SB/26 (Terminal Disclaimer to Obviate a Double Patenting 
Rejection over a ``Prior'' Patent)
 PTO/SB/27 (Request for Expedited Examination of a Design 
Application (37 CFR 1.155))
 PTO/SB/30 (Request for Continued Examination (RCE) 
Transmittal)
 PTO/SB/33 (Pre-Appeal Brief Request for Review)
 PTO/SB/35 (Nonpublication Request under 35 U.S.C. 
122(b)(2)(B)(i))
 PTO/SB/36 (Rescission of Previous Nonpublication Request (35 
U.S.C. 122(b)(2)(B)(ii) and, if applicable, Notice of Foreign Filing 
(35 U.S.C. 122(b)(2)(B)(iii))
 PTO/SB/37 (Request Deferral of Examination 37 CFR 1.103(d))
 PTO/SB/38 (Request to Retrieve Electronic Priority 
Applications(s) Filed with Nonparticipating Office(s) That is Available 
in a Participating Office (37 CFR 1.55(i)(4)))
 PTO/SB/39 (Authorization or Rescission of Authorization to 
Permit Access to Application-as-filed by Participating Offices)
 PTO/SB/43 (Disclaimer in a Patent under 37 CFR 1.321(a))
 PTO/SB/63 (Terminal Disclaimer to Accompany Petition)
 PTO/SB/64 (Petition for Revival of an Application for Patent 
Abandoned Unintentionally Under 37 CFR 1.137(a))
 PTO/SB/64a (Petition for Revival of an Application for Patent 
Abandoned for Failure to Notify the Office of a Foreign or 
International Filing (37 CFR 1.137(f))
 PTO/SB/67 (Power to Inspect/Copy--For Applications Filed 
Before September 16, 2012)
 PTO/SB/68 (Request for Access to an Abandoned Application 
under 37 CFR 1.14)
 PTO/SB/91 (Deposit Account Order Form)
 PTO/SB/92 (Certificate of Mailing or Transmission under 37 CFR 
1.8)
 PTO/SB/96 (Statement under 37 CFR 3.73(b))
 PTO/SB/130 (Petition to Make Special Based on Age for 
Advancement of Examination under 37 CFR 1.102(c)(1))
 PTOL/413A (Applicant Initiated Interview Request Form)
 PTO-2053-A/B (Notice Under 37 CFR 1.251--Pending Application)
 PTO-2054-A/B (Notice Under 37 CFR 1.251--Abandoned 
Application)
 PTO-2055-A/B (Notice Under 37 CFR 1.251--Patent)

    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: 2,435,597 respondents per 
year.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 2,435,597 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
respondents between 2 minutes (0.03 hours) and 8 hours to submit items 
in this information collection depending on the instrument used. This 
includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the 
document, and submit the completed request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 535,466 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $170,503,027.

                                       Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Private Sector Respondents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                             Estimated
                                          Estimated    Responses      Estimated      Estimated time for      Estimated     Rate \1\ ($/       annual
    Item No.               Item             annual        per          annual         response (hours)     burden (hour/       hour)        respondent
                                         respondents   respondent     responses                                year)                        cost burden
                                                 (a)          (b)     (a) x (b) =  (d)..................     (c) x (d) =             (f)     (e) x (f) =
                                                                              (c)                                    (e)                             (g)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...............  Information                694,000            1         694,000  0.20 (12 minutes)....         138,800            $447     $62,043,600
                   Disclosure
                   Statements (IDS)
                   that do not require
                   the fee set forth in
                   37 CFR 1.17(p).
2...............  Transmittal Form.....      517,000            1         517,000  0.20 (12 minutes)....         103,400             122      12,614,800
3...............  Petition for               192,884            1         192,884  0.40 (24 minutes)....          77,154             122       9,412,788
                   Extension of Time
                   under 37 CFR
                   1.136(a).
4...............  Express Abandonment          2,000            1           2,000  0.08 (5 minutes).....             160             122          19,520
                   under 37 CFR 1.138.
5...............  Statutory Disclaimers       49,950            1          49,950  0.25 (15 minutes)....          12,488             447       5,582,136
                   (including terminal
                   disclaimers).
6...............  Request for Expedited        7,227            1           7,227  0.25 (15 minutes)....           1,807             447         807,729
                   Examination of a
                   Design Application.

[[Page 5502]]

 
7...............  Petition for Revival         7,024            1           7,024  1....................           7,024             447       3,139,728
                   of an Application
                   for Patent Abandoned
                   Unintentionally.
8...............  Petition for Revival           125            1             125  1....................             125             447          55,875
                   of an Application
                   for Patent Abandoned
                   for Failure to
                   Notify the Office of
                   a Foreign or
                   International Filing.
9...............  Requests to Access,          1,000            1           1,000  0.25 (15 minutes)....             250             122          30,500
                   Inspect, and Copy.
10..............  Deposit Account Order       55,000            1          55,000  0.25 (15 minutes)....          13,750             122       1,677,500
                   Form.
11..............  Certificates of            450,000            1         450,000  0.03 (2 minutes).....          13,500             122       1,647,000
                   Mailing or
                   Transmission.
12..............  Statement Under 37         146,000            1         146,000  0.25 (15 minutes)....          36,500             447      16,315,500
                   CFR 3.73(c) (AIA),
                   37 CFR 3.83(b) (pre-
                   AIA).
13..............  Non-publication             16,000            1          16,000  0.25 (15 minutes)....           4,000             447       1,788,000
                   Request.
14..............  Rescission of                  500            1             500  0.25 (15 minutes)....             125             447          55,875
                   Previous Non-
                   publication Request
                   (35 U.S.C. Sec.
                   122(b)(2)(B)(ii)
                   and, if applicable,
                   Notice of Foreign
                   Filing (35 U.S.C.
                   Sec.
                   122(b)(2)(B)(iii).
15..............  USPTO Patent                     1            1               1  2.50.................               3             122             366
                   Electronic Filing
                   System Copy of
                   Application for
                   Publication.
16..............  Copy of File Content             3            1               3  4....................              12             447           5,364
                   Showing Redactions.
17..............  Copy of the Applicant           10            1              10  2....................              20             122           2,440
                   or Patentee's Record
                   of the Application
                   (including copies of
                   the correspondence,
                   list of the
                   correspondence, and
                   statements verifying
                   whether the record
                   is complete or not).
18..............  Request for Continued      132,000            1         132,000  0.30 (18 minutes)....          39,600             447      17,701,200
                   Examination (RCE)
                   Transmittal).
19..............  Request for                    630            1             630  0.20 (12 minutes)....             126             447          56,322
                   Suspension of Action
                   or Deferral of
                   Examination Under 37
                   CFR 1.103(b), (c),
                   or (d).
20..............  Request for Voluntary          450            1             450  0.20 (12 minutes)....              90             122          10,980
                   Publication or
                   Republication
                   (includes
                   publication fee for
                   republication).
21..............  Applicant Initiated         50,000            1          50,000  0.40 (24 minutes)....          20,000             447       8,940,000
                   Interview Request
                   Form.
22..............  Processing Fee Under           100            1             100  0.08 (5 minutes).....               8             447           3,576
                   37 CFR 1.17(i)
                   Transmittal.
23..............  Request to Retrieve         10,000            1          10,000  0.25 (15 minutes)....           2,500             447       1,117,500
                   Electronic Priority
                   Application (s)
                   Under 37 CFR
                   1.55(i)(4).
24..............  Authorization or             6,000            1           6,000  0.25 (15 minutes)....           1,500             447         670,500
                   Rescission of
                   Authorization to
                   Permit Access to
                   Application-as-filed
                   by Participating
                   Offices Under 37 CFR
                   1.14(h).
25..............  Petition for Express         2,050            1           2,050  0.20 (12 minutes)....             410             447         183,270
                   Abandonment to
                   Obtain a Refund.
26..............  Pre-Appeal Brief             6,700            1           6,700  5....................          33,500             447      14,974,500
                   Request for Review.
27..............  Request for Corrected       44,000            1          44,000  0.08 (5 minutes).....           3,520             122         429,440
                   Filing Receipt.

[[Page 5503]]

 
28..............  Petition to Make             2,100            1           2,100  2....................           4,200             447       1,877,400
                   Special Based on Age
                   for Advancement of
                   Examination under 37
                   CFR 1.102(c)(1).
29..............  Filing a submission             43            1              43  8....................             344             447         153,768
                   after final
                   rejection (see 37
                   CFR 1.129(a)).
30..............  Correction of                3,300            1           3,300  0.75 (45 minutes)....           2,475             447       1,106,325
                   inventorship after
                   first office action
                   on the merits.
31..............  Request for                 18,500            1          18,500  0.75 (45 minutes)....          13,875             447       6,202,125
                   correction in a
                   patent application
                   relating to
                   inventorship or an
                   inventor name, or
                   order of names,
                   other than in a
                   reissue application
                   (37 CFR 1.48).
32..............  Request to correct or       21,000            1          21,000  0.20 (12 minutes)....           4,200             447       1,877,400
                   update the name of
                   the applicant under
                   37 CFR 1.46(c)(1),
                   or change the
                   applicant under 37
                   CFR 1.46(c)(2).
                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Totals..  .....................    2,435,597  ...........       2,435,597  .....................         535,466  ..............     170,503,027
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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). 2022 National Utilization and Compensation Survey Report published by the National Association of Legal
  Assistants (NALA); pg. 38. The USPTO uses the average billing rate for paralegals/paraprofessionals, which is $122 per hour (https://nala.org/paralegal-info/).

    Estimated Total Annual Non-Hourly Cost Burden: $363,821,958. There 
is no capital start-up, maintenance costs, or recordkeeping costs 
associated with this information collection. However, there is non-hour 
cost burden in the way of filing fees and postage costs. The total 
annual (non-hour) respondent cost burden for this collection is 
estimated to be $363,821,958, which includes $363,579,616 in filing 
fees, and $242,342 in postage.

Filing Fees

    The fees in this information collection are listed in the table 
below. The fee for Request for Prioritized Examination has no 
counterpart in the hourly cost table due to that form being exempt from 
the PRA.

                                              Table 2--Filing Fees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Estimated
       Item No.            Fee code              Item              annual        Filing  fee    Non-hourly  cost
                                                                  responses          ($)             burden
                                                                          (a)             (b)    (a) x (b) = (c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.....................            1806  Information                    85,540            $260        $22,240,400
                                         Disclosure
                                         Statements (IDS)
                                         that require the fee
                                         set forth in 37 CFR
                                         1.17(p)
                                         (undiscounted).
1.....................            2806  IDS that require the           22,173             104          2,305,992
                                         fee set forth in 37
                                         CFR 1.17(p) (small
                                         entity).
1.....................            3806  IDS that require the              624              52             32,448
                                         fee set forth in 37
                                         CFR 1.17(p) (micro
                                         entity).
3.....................            1251  One-month Extension            62,740             220         13,802,800
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a)
                                         (undiscounted).
3.....................            2251  One-month Extension            29,039              88          2,555,432
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (small
                                         entity).
3.....................            3251  One-month Extension             3,509              44            154,396
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (micro
                                         entity).
3.....................            1252  Two-month Extension            23,560             640         15,078,400
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a)
                                         (undiscounted).
3.....................            2252  Two-month Extension            15,484             256          3,963,904
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (small
                                         entity).
3.....................            3252  Two-month Extension             1,922             128            246,016
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (micro
                                         entity).
3.....................            1253  Three-month Extension          20,377           1,480         30,157,960
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a)
                                         (undiscounted).
3.....................            2253  Three-month Extension          23,002             592         13,617,184
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (small
                                         entity).

[[Page 5504]]

 
3.....................            3253  Three-month Extension           2,558             296            757,168
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (micro
                                         entity).
3.....................            1254  Four-month Extension            1,810           2,320          4,199,200
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a)
                                         (undiscounted).
3.....................            2254  Four-month Extension            2,196             928          2,037,888
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (small
                                         entity).
3.....................            3254  Four-month Extension              266             464            123,424
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (micro
                                         entity).
3.....................            1255  Five-month Extension            3,039           3,160          9,603,240
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a)
                                         (undiscounted).
3.....................            2255  Five-month Extension            3,176           1,264          4,014,464
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (small
                                         entity).
3.....................            3255  Five-month Extension              206             632            130,192
                                         of Time under 37 CFR
                                         1.136(a) (micro
                                         entity).
5.....................            1814  Statutory Disclaimers          36,105             170          6,137,850
                                         (including terminal
                                         disclaimers)
                                         (undiscounted).
5.....................            2814  Statutory Disclaimers          13,175             170          2,239,750
                                         (including terminal
                                         disclaimers) (small
                                         entity).
5.....................            3814  Statutory Disclaimers             670             170            113,900
                                         (including terminal
                                         disclaimers) (micro
                                         entity).
6.....................            1802  Request for Expedited             713           1,600          1,140,800
                                         Examination of a
                                         Design Application
                                         (undiscounted).
6.....................            2802  Request for Expedited           1,426             640            912,640
                                         Examination of a
                                         Design Application
                                         (small entity).
6.....................            3802  Request for Expedited           5,088             320          1,628,160
                                         Examination of a
                                         Design Application
                                         (micro entity).
7.....................            1453  Petition for Revival            2,323           2,100          4,878,300
                                         of an Application
                                         for Patent Abandoned
                                         Unintentionally
                                         (undiscounted).
7.....................            2453  Petition for Revival            3,388             840          2,845,920
                                         of an Application
                                         for Patent Abandoned
                                         Unintentionally
                                         (small entity).
7.....................            3453  Petition for Revival            1,313             420            551,460
                                         of an Application
                                         for Patent Abandoned
                                         Unintentionally
                                         (micro entity).
8.....................            1453  Petition for Revival               94           2,100            197,400
                                         of an Application
                                         for Patent Abandoned
                                         for Failure to
                                         Notify the Office of
                                         a Foreign or
                                         International Filing
                                         (undiscounted).
8.....................            2453  Petition for Revival               19             840             15,960
                                         of an Application
                                         for Patent Abandoned
                                         for Failure to
                                         Notify the Office of
                                         a Foreign or
                                         International Filing
                                         (small entity).
8.....................            3453  Petition for Revival               12             420              5,040
                                         of an Application
                                         for Patent Abandoned
                                         for Failure to
                                         Notify the Office of
                                         a Foreign or
                                         International Filing
                                         (micro entity).
16....................            1808  Copy of File Content                1             140                140
                                         Showing Redactions
                                         (undiscounted).
16....................            2808  Copy of File Content                1             140                140
                                         Showing Redactions
                                         (small entity).
16....................            3808  Copy of File Content                1             140                140
                                         Showing Redactions
                                         (micro entity).
18....................            1801  Request for Continued          70,734           1,360         96,198,240
                                         Examination (RCE)
                                         Transmittal (First
                                         Request)
                                         (undiscounted).
18....................            2801  Request for Continued          19,673             544         10,702,112
                                         Examination (RCE)
                                         Transmittal (First
                                         Request) (small
                                         entity).
18....................            3801  Request for Continued           1,992             272            541,824
                                         Examination (RCE)
                                         Transmittal (First
                                         Request) (micro
                                         entity).
18....................            1820  Request for Continued          29,979           2,000         59,958,000
                                         Examination (RCE)
                                         Transmittal (Second
                                         and Subsequent
                                         Requests)
                                         (undiscounted).
18....................            2820  Request for Continued           8,985             800          7,188,000
                                         Examination (RCE)
                                         Transmittal (Second
                                         and Subsequent
                                         Requests) (small
                                         entity).
18....................            3820  Request for Continued             637             400            254,800
                                         Examination (RCE)
                                         Transmittal (Second
                                         and Subsequent
                                         Requests) (micro
                                         entity).
19....................            1830  Request for                       354             140             49,560
                                         Suspension of Action
                                         or Deferral of
                                         Examination Under 37
                                         CFR 1.103(b), (c),
                                         or (d)
                                         (undiscounted).
19....................            2830  Request for                       245              56             13,720
                                         Suspension of Action
                                         or Deferral of
                                         Examination Under 37
                                         CFR 1.103(b), (c),
                                         or (d) (small
                                         entity).
19....................            3830  Request for                        31              28                868
                                         Suspension of Action
                                         or Deferral of
                                         Examination Under 37
                                         CFR 1.103(b), (c),
                                         or (d) (micro
                                         entity).

[[Page 5505]]

 
20....................            1803  Request for Voluntary             157             140             21,980
                                         Publication or
                                         Republication
                                         (includes
                                         publication fee for
                                         republication)
                                         (undiscounted).
20....................            2803  Request for Voluntary              19             140              2,660
                                         Publication or
                                         Republication
                                         (includes
                                         publication fee for
                                         republication)
                                         (small entity).
20....................            3803  Request for Voluntary               4             140                560
                                         Publication or
                                         Republication
                                         (includes
                                         publication fee for
                                         republication)
                                         (micro entity).
22....................            1830  Processing Fee Under               56             140              7,840
                                         37 CFR 1.17(i)
                                         Transmittal
                                         (undiscounted).
22....................            2830  Processing Fee Under               39              56              2,184
                                         37 CFR 1.17(i)
                                         Transmittal (small
                                         entity).
22....................            3830  Processing Fee Under                5              28                140
                                         37 CFR 1.17(i)
                                         Transmittal (micro
                                         entity).
29....................            1810  For each additional                 1             880                880
                                         invention to be
                                         examined (see 37 CFR
                                         1.129(b))
                                         (undiscounted).
29....................            2810  For each additional                 1             352                352
                                         invention to be
                                         examined (see 37 CFR
                                         1.129(b)) (small
                                         entity).
29....................            3810  For each additional                 1             176                176
                                         invention to be
                                         examined (see 37 CFR
                                         1.129(b)) (micro
                                         entity).
29....................            1809  Filing a submission                17             880             14,960
                                         after final
                                         rejection (see 37
                                         CFR 1.129(a))
                                         (undiscounted).
29....................            2809  Filing a submission                20             352              7,040
                                         after final
                                         rejection (see 37
                                         CFR 1.129(a)) (small
                                         entity).
29....................            3809  Filing a submission                 6             176              1,056
                                         after final
                                         rejection (see 37
                                         CFR 1.129(a)) (micro
                                         entity).
30....................            1819  Correction of                     793             640            507,520
                                         inventorship after
                                         first office action
                                         on the merits
                                         (undiscounted).
30....................            2819  Correction of                     617             256            157,952
                                         inventorship after
                                         first office action
                                         on the merits (small
                                         entity).
30....................            3819  Correction of                      60             128              7,680
                                         inventorship after
                                         first office action
                                         on the merits (micro
                                         entity).
31....................            1830  Request for                     7,122             140            997,080
                                         correction in a
                                         patent application
                                         relating to
                                         inventorship or an
                                         inventor name, or
                                         order of names,
                                         other than in a
                                         reissue application
                                         (37 CFR 1.48) (non-
                                         provisional)
                                         (undiscounted).
31....................            2830  Request for                     5,180              56            290,080
                                         correction in a
                                         patent application
                                         relating to
                                         inventorship or an
                                         inventor name, or
                                         order of names,
                                         other than in a
                                         reissue application
                                         (37 CFR 1.48) (non-
                                         provisional) (small
                                         entity).
31....................            3803  Request for                       648              28             18,144
                                         correction in a
                                         patent application
                                         relating to
                                         inventorship or an
                                         inventor name, or
                                         order of names,
                                         other than in a
                                         reissue application
                                         (37 CFR 1.48) (non-
                                         provisional) (micro
                                         entity).
31....................            1807  Request for                     5,550              50            277,500
                                         correction in a
                                         patent application
                                         relating to
                                         inventorship or an
                                         inventor name, or
                                         order of names,
                                         other than in a
                                         reissue application
                                         (37 CFR 1.48)
                                         (provisional).
N/A...................            1817  Request for                     6,481           4,200         27,220,200
                                         prioritized
                                         examination
                                         (undiscounted).
N/A...................            2817  Request for                     7,491           1,680         12,584,880
                                         prioritized
                                         examination (small
                                         entity).
N/A...................            3817  Request for                     1,028             840            863,520
                                         prioritized
                                         examination (micro
                                         entity).
                       -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals............  ..............  .....................         533,476  ..............        363,579,616
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Postage Costs

    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). The USPTO 
estimates that 1% of the 2,435,597 items will be submitted in the mail 
resulting in 24,356 mailed items. The USPTO estimates that the average 
postage cost for a mailed submission, using a Priority Mail flat rate 
legal envelope, will be $9.95. Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the 
total mailing costs for this information collection is $242,342.

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

[[Page 5506]]

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. 2024-01722 Filed 1-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P