[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 244 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82456-82458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27904]
[[Page 82456]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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; Applications for Trademark Registration
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), in
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments
on the extension and revision of an existing information collection:
0651-0009 (Applications for Trademark Registration). 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 16, 2021.
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-
0009 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Kimberly Hardy, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Catherine Cain, Attorney Advisor, Office of the
Commissioner for Trademarks, 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] with ``0651-0009 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) administers
the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq., which provides for the
Federal registration of trademarks, service marks, collective
trademarks and service marks, collective membership marks, and
certification marks. Individuals and businesses who use their marks, or
intend to use their marks, in commerce regulated by Congress may file
an application with the USPTO to register their marks. Registered marks
remain on the register indefinitely, so long as the owner of the
registration files the necessary maintenance documents.
This information collection addresses submissions required by the
regulations at 37 CFR part 2 for initial applications regarding the
registration of trademarks, service marks, collective trademarks and
service marks, collective membership marks, and certification marks.
These regulations also mandate that each registered mark appear in the
principle register or supplemental register, and that each 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. The Federal trademark registration
process may thereby reduce the number of filings between both
litigating parties and the courts.
II. Method of Collection
Items in this information collection must be submitted via online
electronic submissions. In limited circumstances, applicants may also
be permitted to submit the information in paper form by mail, fax, or
hand delivery.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0651-0009.
Form Numbers:
PTO 1478 (Trademark/Service Mark Application, Principal
Register)
PTO 1479 (Trademark/Service Mark Form, Supplemental Register)
PTO 1480 (Certification Mark Form, Principal Register)
PTO 1481 (Collective Membership Mark Form, Principal Register)
PTO 1482 (Collective Trademark/Service Mark Form, Principal
Register)
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information
collection.
Affected Public: Private sector; individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 506,837 respondents per year.
Estimated Number of Responses: 506,837 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it takes the
public approximately 40 minutes (0.67 hours) to 50 minutes (0.83
hours), depending on the complexity of the situation, to gather the
necessary information, prepare the appropriate documents, and submit
the information to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 377,830 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $151,132,000.
Table 1--Total Hourly Burden for Private Sector Respondents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Estimated Estimated Estimated time for response Estimated Rate \1\ ($/ annual
Item No. Item annual annual (hours) annual burden hour) respondent
respondents responses (hour/year) cost burden
(a) (b).......................... (a) x (b) = (d) (c) x (d) =
(c) (e)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1................. Use-Based Trademark/ 94,956 94,956 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 71,217 $400 $28,486,800
Service Mark
Applications (TEAS
Standard).
1................. Use-Based Trademark/ 90,111 90,111 0.83 (50 minutes)............ 74,792 400 29,916,800
Service Mark
Applications (TEAS
Plus).
2................. Intent to Use 99,770 99,770 0.67 (40 minutes)............ 66,846 400 26,738,400
Trademark/Service
Mark Application
(TEAS Standard).
2................. Intent to Use 94,678 94,678 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 71,009 400 28,403,600
Trademark/Service
Mark Application
(TEAS Plus).
3................. Applications for 13,318 13,318 0.67 (40 minutes)............ 8,923 400 3,569,200
Registration of
Trademark/Service
Mark under 37 CFR
Sec. 44 (TEAS
Standard).
[[Page 82457]]
3................. Applications for 12,638 12,638 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 9,479 400 3,791,600
Registration of
Trademark/Service
Mark under 37 CFR 44
(TEAS Plus).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals............ 405,471 405,471 ............................. 302,266 .............. 120,906,400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2--Total Hourly Burden for Individuals or Households Respondents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Estimated Estimated Estimated time for response Estimated Rate \2\ ($/ annual
Item No. Item annual annual (hours) annual burden hour) respondent
respondents responses (hour/year) cost burden
(a) (b).......................... (a) x (b) = (d) (c) x (d) =
(c) (e)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1................. Use-Based Trademark/ 23,739 23,739 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 17,804 $400 $7,121,600
Service Mark
Applications (TEAS
Standard).
1................. Use-Based Trademark/ 22,528 22,528 0.83 (50 minutes)............ 18,698 400 7,479,200
Service Mark
Applications (TEAS
Plus).
2................. Intent to Use 24,942 24,942 0.67 (40 minutes)............ 16,711 400 6,684,400
Trademark/Service
Mark Application
(TEAS Standard).
2................. Intent to Use 23,669 23,669 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 17,752 400 7,100,800
Trademark/Service
Mark Application
(TEAS Plus).
3................. Applications for 3,329 3,329 0.67 (40 minutes)............ 2,230 400 892,000
Registration of
Trademark/Service
Mark under 37 CFR
Sec. 44 (TEAS
Standard).
3................. Applications for 3,159 3,159 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 2,369 400 947,600
Registration of
Trademark/Service
Mark under 37 CFR 44
(TEAS Plus).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals............ 101,366 101,366 ............................. 75,564 .............. 30,225,600
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden:
$152,980,250. There are no capital start-up, maintenance, or
recordkeeping fees associated with this information collection.
However, this information collection does have annual (non-hour) cost
burden in the form of filing fees, processing fees, and postage costs.
The USPTO amended its regulations to set, increase, or decrease certain
trademark fees, to become effective January 2, 2021, including the fees
in this information collection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms
which is $400 per hour.
\2\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms
which is $400 per hour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A complete application must include a filing fee for each class of
goods and services. Therefore, the total filing fees associated with
this information collection can vary depending on the number of classes
in each application. The total filing fees of $152,714,650, shown in
the table below, reflect the filing fee for one class associated with
this information collection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ This fee rate is effective on January 2, 2021.
Table 3--Total Non-Hour Respondent Cost Burden
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Item No. Item annual Amount \3\ Totals
responses
(a) (b) (a) x (b) =
(c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................. Use-Based Trademark/Service Mark 118,695 $350 $41,543,250
Applications (TEAS Standard).
1............................. Use-Based Trademark/Service Mark 112,639 250 28,159,750
Applications (TEAS Plus).
2............................. Intent to Use Trademark/Service 124,712 350 43,649,200
Mark Application (TEAS
Standard).
2............................. Intent to Use Trademark/Service 118,347 250 29,586,750
Mark Application (TEAS Plus).
3............................. Applications for Registration of 16,647 350 5,826,450
Trademark/Service Mark under 37
CFR Sec. 44 (TEAS Standard).
3............................. Applications for Registration of 15,797 250 3,949,250
Trademark/Service Mark under 37
CFR 44 (TEAS Plus).
-----------------------------------------------
Totals....................... 506,837 .............. 152,714,650
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 82458]]
In addition, the USPTO charges a processing fee of $100 per class
for TEAS Plus applications that do not meet the TEAS Plus filing
requirements. In such cases, the applicant will be required to submit
the additional processing fee of $100 per class. The total processing
fees associated with this information collection can vary depending on
the number of classes in each application. The total processing fees of
$265,600 is shown in the table below.
In addition, the USPTO charges a processing fee of $100 per class
for TEAS Plus applications that do not meet the TEAS Plus filing
requirements. In such cases, the applicant will be required to submit
the additional processing fee of $100 per class. The total processing
fees associated with this information collection can vary depending on
the number of classes in each application. The total processing fees of
$265,000 is shown in the table below.
Table 4--Processing Fees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item No. Item Responses Amount \4\ Totals
(a) (b) (a) x (b) =
(c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................. Processing fee for applications 2,656 $100 $265,600
that fail to meet the
additional filing and
processing requirements for
reduced filing fee (TEAS Plus).
-----------------------------------------------
Totals.......................... 2,656 .............. 265,600
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the total annual (non-hour)
cost burden for this information collection in the form of filing fees
($152,714,650) and processing fees ($265,600) is $152,980,250.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ This fee rate is scheduled to become effective on January 2,
2021.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
IV. Request for Comments
The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
(a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(d) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. 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 personal identifying
information in a comment, be aware that the entire comment--including
personal identifying information--may be made publicly available at any
time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold personal
identifying information from public view, the USPTO cannot guarantee
that it will be able to do so.
Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2020-27904 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P