[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 190 (Tuesday, October 5, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54946-54947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-21724]
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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; Matters Related to First Inventor To File
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-
0071 (Matters Relating to First Inventor to File). 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 December 6, 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-
0071 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 Parikha Mehta, Legal Advisor, Office of Patent
Legal Administration, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O.
Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-3248; or
by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0071 comment'' in the
subject line of the message. 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 System uses a `first to file' system, as
introduced by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) which was
enacted into law on September 16, 2011. To determine the first inventor
to file, information is needed in order to identify the inventorship
and ownership, or obligation to assign ownership, of each claimed
invention on its effective filing date. Section 3 of the AIA, inter
alia, amended 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 consistent with the objectives of
the AIA, including the conversion of the United States patent system
from a ``first to invent'' system to a ``first inventor to file''
system. The changes in section 3 of the AIA went into effect on March
16, 2013, but apply only to certain applications filed on or after
March 16, 2013.
This information collection covers information required by 37 CFR
1.55(k), 1.78(a)(6), and 1.78(d)(6) to assist the USPTO in determining
whether an application is subject to 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 as amended
by Section 3 of the AIA, or 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103, in effect on March
15, 2013.
II. Method of Collection
The items in this information collection may be submitted by mail,
facsimile, hand delivery, or via the Patent Electronic Systems (EFS-Web
or Patent Center).
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0651-0071.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Affected Public: Private sector; individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 99 respondents per year.
Estimated Number of Responses: 144 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses
in this information collection will take the public 2 hours to
complete. This
[[Page 54947]]
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: 288 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $115,200.
Table 1--Total Hourly Burden for Private Sector Respondents
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Estimated Estimated
Estimated Responses Estimated time for Estimated Rate \1\ ($/ 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........................ Submissions Under CFR 47 1.5 71 2 142 $400 $56,800
1.55(k).
2........................ Submissions Under 37 CFR 37 1.5 56 2 112 400 44,800
1.78(a)(6).
3........................ Submissions Under 37 CFR 9 1.5 14 2 28 400 11,200
1.78(d)(6).
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Total................ ......................... 96 ........... 141 ........... 282 ........... 112,800
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\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 $400 per hour.
Table 2--Total Hourly Burden for Individuals or Households Respondents
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Estimated Estimated
Estimated Responses Estimated time for Estimated Rate \2\ annual
Item No. Item annual per annual response burden (hour/ ($/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.......................... Submissions Under CFR 1 1 1 2 2 $400 $800
1.55(k).
2.......................... Submissions Under 37 CFR 1 1 1 2 2 400 800
1.78(a)(6).
3.......................... Submissions Under 37 CFR 1 1 1 2 2 400 800
1.78(d)(6).
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Total.................. ........................... 3 ........... 3 ......... 6 ......... 2,400
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\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.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Non-hourly) Cost Burden: $8.
There are no capital start-up, filing fees, recordkeeping, or
maintenance costs associated with this information collection. However,
the information collection may have annual (non-hour) costs in the form
of 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 items will be submitted in the mail resulting
in 1 mailed item. The USPTO estimates that the average postage cost for
a mailed submission, using a Priority Mail 2-day flat rate legal
envelope, will be $8.25. Therefore, the USPTO estimates $8 in postage
costs associated with this information collection.
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 shall 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 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, telephone number, email address, or other personal
identifying 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.
Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-21724 Filed 10-4-21; 8:45 am]
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