[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58351-58352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15870]


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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

    The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will submit 
the following information collection request to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of 
publication of this notice. The USPTO invites comments on this 
information collection renewal, which helps the USPTO assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the 
Federal Register on May 13 during a 60-day comment period (89 FR 
41395). This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public 
comment.
    Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of 
Commerce.
    Title: Public Search Facility User ID and Badging.
    OMB Control Number: 0651-0041.
    Needs and Uses: 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 registrations from this information collection as a part of 
this renewal.
    Previously in the 60-Day Federal Register Notice, the USPTO listed 
the estimated total annual respondent burden as 6 hours. The USPTO now 
corrects this estimate to 5 hours of annual burden.
    Forms:
     PTO Form 2030 (Application for Public User ID)

[[Page 58352]]

    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.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 60 respondents.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 60 responses.
    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, create the document, and submit the completed 
request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-Hourly Cost Burden: $75.
    This information collection request may be viewed at 
www.reginfo.gov. Follow the instructions to view Department of 
Commerce, USPTO information collections currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for this information 
collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice on the following website, www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function and entering either the title of the information 
collection or the OMB Control Number, 0651-0041.
    Further information can be obtained by:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0041 information request'' in the subject line of the message.
     Mail: Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative 
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, 
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

Lisa Lawn,
Director, Records and Information Compliance Program Office, Office of 
the Chief Administrative Officer, United States Patent and Trademark 
Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-15870 Filed 7-17-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P