[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 93 (Monday, May 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41395-41396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10396]


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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; Public Search Facility User ID and Badging

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-
0041 (Public Search Facility User ID and Badging). 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 July 12, 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-
0041 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal eRulemaking 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 Chad Hyland, Director, Security Division, United 
States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 
22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-2978; or by email at 
[email protected] with ``0651-0041 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 41(i)(1) to maintain a Public Search Facility to make 
publicly accessible USPTO patent and trademark collections for search 
and retrieval. The Public Search Facility is located in a publicly 
accessible portion of USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, and 
offers the public access to the collection's paper, microfilm, and 
electronic files and trained staff to assist users with searches.
    This information collection covers the application used to 
establish, renew, or replace security identification badges issued to 
members of the public who wish to access the Public Search Facility. 
Users can apply for a security badge in-person at the USPTO Security 
Office by providing the necessary information and presenting a valid 
form of photo identification. The issued security badges include a 
color photograph of the user and must be worn at all times while within 
the USPTO facility. Issued badges are valid for one year and can be 
renewed at no cost. Lost badges can be replaced at a cost of $15. 
Public users are not required to obtain a security identification badge 
to access the Public Search Facility. Alternatively, public users can 
fill out a visitor badge request upon visiting the library. The process 
for obtaining a visitor badge is exempt from the Paperwork Reduction 
Act (PRA). The visitor badge must be turned in each time the user 
leaves the library. Re-entry requires obtaining a new visitor badge. 
However, using a security identification badge issued to a public user 
allows that individual to leave and re-enter the library without 
needing to obtain a visitor badge. Public users only need to obtain 
either the visitor badge or a security identification badge to enter 
the Public Search Facility; they do not need both simultaneously.
    Previously, the Public Search Facility collected information from 
the public to establish and maintain accounts for online access to 
USPTO resources and to register the public for user trainings. Instead 
of using unique accounts for the Public Search Facility, access is now 
automatically provided through MyUSPTO accounts. Registrations for 
training are no longer required as trainings are now provided on 
demand, via self-service online platforms. As a result, the USPTO is 
removing the information collection lines for online access accounts 
and user training registration from this information collection as a 
part of this renewal.

II. Method of Collection

    Items in this information collection must be submitted in writing 
and in person at the USPTO Security Office.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0651-0041.
    Forms:

 PTO Form 2030 (Application for Public User ID)

    Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 60 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 60 responses.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses 
in this information collection will take the public approximately 5 
minutes (0.08 hours) to complete. This includes the time to gather the 
necessary information, prepare the document, and submit the completed 
request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 6 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $1,710.

[[Page 41396]]



                                  Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Individual and Household Respondents
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                                                                                                 Estimated                                   Estimated
                                                       Estimated    Responses      Estimated      time for      Estimated    Rate \1\ ($/     annual
        Item No.                     Item                annual        per          annual        response    burden (hour/     hour)       respondent
                                                      respondents   respondent     responses      (hours)         year)                     cost burden
                                                              (a)          (b)     (a) x (b) =          (d)     (c) x (d) =          (f)     (e) x (f) =
                                                                                           (c)                          (e)                          (g)
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1.......................  Application for Public               60            1              60      0.08 (5               6         $285          $1,170
                           User ID PTO Form 2030.                                                  minutes)
                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Totals..............  ..........................           60  ...........              60  ...........               6  ...........           1,710
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\1\ A combined rate for attorneys and paralegals/paraprofessionals is used for the security badge items. 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. 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 paralegals/paraprofessionals, which is $122 per hour (https://nala.org/paralegal-info/). 2022 National
  Utilization and Compensation Survey Report published by the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA); pg. 38.

    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden: $75. 
There are no capital start-up, maintenance costs, recordkeeping costs, 
or postage associated with this information collection. However, the 
USPTO estimates that the total annual non-hour cost burden in this 
information collection, in the form of filing fees, is $75.

Filing Fees

                                              Table 2--Filing Fees
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                                                                     Estimated
           Item No.                           Item                    annual      Filing fee ($)    Non-hourly
                                                                     responses                      cost burden
                                                                             (a)             (b)     (a) x (b) =
                                                                                                             (c)
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1.............................  Replace Security Identification                5             $15             $75
                                 Badges for Public Users.
                                                                 -----------------------------------------------
    Totals....................  ................................               5  ..............              75
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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. The 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, the 
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. 2024-10396 Filed 5-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P