[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60405-60407]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16328]
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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; Trademark Post Registration
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-
0055 (Trademark Post 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 September 23, 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-
0055 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 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 at [email protected] with ``0651-0055 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 (Act), 15 U.S.C. 1501 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 that use or intend to
use such marks in commerce may file an application to register their
marks with the USPTO.
This information collection covers various communications submitted
by individuals and businesses to the USPTO after the registration of a
trademark. One type of communication is a request to amend a
registration to delete goods or services that are no longer being used
by the owner. Registered marks remain on the register for 10 years and
can be renewed, but will be cancelled unless the owner files with the
USPTO a declaration attesting to the continued use (or excusable non-
use) of the mark in commerce, and a renewal application, with specific
deadlines. Owners may also request to amend or divide a registration,
respond to a post-registration office action, and surrender a
registration.
The regulations implementing the Act are set forth in 37 CFR part
2. These regulations mandate that each register entry include the mark,
the goods and/or services in connection with which
[[Page 60406]]
the mark is used, ownership information, dates of use, and certain
other information. The information in this information collection is
used to maintain the quality of the trademark register. The register
may be accessed by an individual or by businesses to determine the
availability of a mark. By keeping the register current and accurate,
parties may reduce the possibility of initiating use of a mark
previously adopted by another.
II. Method of Collection
Items in this information collection must be submitted
electronically. In limited circumstances, registrants may also be
permitted to submit the information in paper form by mail or hand
delivery.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0651-0055.
Forms:
PTO-1563 (Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce Under Section
8)
PTO-1573 (Declaration of Incontestability of a Mark Under
Section 15)
PTO-1583 (Combined Declaration of Use and Incontestability
Under Sections 8 and 15)
PTO-1597 (Section 7 Request)
PTO-1963 (Combined Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce and
Application for Renewal of Registration of a Mark Under Sections 8 and
9)
PTO-2302 (Response to Office Action for Post-Registration
Matters)
PTO-2309 (Surrender of Registration for Cancellation)
PTO-2310 (Request to Divide Registration)
PTO-2311 (Section 12(c) Affidavit)
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: 271,793 respondents.
Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 271,793 responses.
Frequency: On occasion.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that the responses
in this information collection will take the public approximately
between 12 minutes (0.20 hours) and 50 minutes (0.83 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: 162,987 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden: $72,855,189.
Table 1--Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Private Sector Respondents
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Estimated Estimated Estimated Estimated annual
Item No. Item annual Responses per annual Estimated time for burden (hour/ Rate \1\ respondent cost
respondents respondent responses response (hours) year) ($/hour) burden
(a) (b) (a) x (b) = (d)................. (c) x (d) = (f) (e) x (f) = (g)
(c) (e)
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1............... Declaration of Use 67,809 1 67,809 0.58 (35 minutes)... 39,329 $447 $17,580,063
of Mark in Commerce
Under Section 8.
2............... Combined Declaration 94,584 1 94,584 0.58 (35 minutes)... 54,859 447 24,521,973
of Use of Mark in
Commerce and
Application for
Renewal of
Registration of a
Mark Under Sections
8 and 9.
3............... Declaration of 1,341 1 1,341 0.20 (12 minutes)... 268 447 119,796
Incontestability of
a Mark Under
Section 15.
4............... Combined Declaration 75,796 1 75,796 0.58 (35 minutes)... 43,962 447 19,651,014
of Use and
Incontestability
Under Sections 8
and 15.
5............... Surrender of 600 1 600 0.20 (12 minutes)... 120 447 53,640
Registration for
Cancellation.
6............... Section 7 Request... 6,500 1 6,500 0.67 (40 minutes)... 4,355 447 1,946,685
7............... Response to Office 22,000 1 22,000 0.83 (50 minutes)... 18,260 447 8,162,220
Action for Post-
Registration
Matters.
8............... Request to Divide 3,161 1 3,161 0.58 (35 minutes)... 1,833 447 819,351
Registration.
9............... Section 12(c) 2 1 2 0.30 (18 minutes)... 1 447 447
Affidavit.
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Totals...... .................... 271,793 .............. 271,793 .................... 162,987 ......... 72,855,189
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\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).
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden:
$103,718,072.
There are no capital start-up, maintenance costs, or recordkeeping
costs associated with this information collection. However, the USPTO
estimates that the total annual non-hour cost burden for this
information collection, in the form of filing fees and postage, is
$103,718,072.
Filing Fees
Filing fees are charged per class of goods or services and can vary
depending on the number of classes. The filing fees shown here are
based on the minimum fee of one class per document associated with this
information collection.
[[Page 60407]]
Table 2--Filing Fees
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Estimated
Item No. Fee code Item annual Filing fee ($) Non-hourly
responses cost burden
(a) (b) (a) x (b) =
(c)
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1.............................................. 7205 Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce 61,644 $225 $13,869,900
Under Section 8--Filed During the
Statutory Period (electronic).
1.............................................. 6205 Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce 1 325 325
Under Section 8--Filed During the
Statutory Period (paper).
1.............................................. 7205, 7206 Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce 6,163 325 2,002,975
Under Section 8--Filed During the
Grace Period (electronic).
1.............................................. 6205, 6206 Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce 1 525 525
Under Section 8--Filed During the
Grace Period (paper).
2.............................................. 7201, 7205 Combined Declaration of Use of Mark in 85,984 525 45,141,600
Commerce and Application for Renewal
of Registration of a Mark Under
Sections 8 and 9--Filed During the
Statutory Period (electronic).
2.............................................. 6201, 6205 Combined Declaration of Use of Mark in 1 825 825
Commerce and Application for Renewal
of Registration of a Mark Under
Sections 8 and 9--Filed During the
Statutory Period (paper).
2.............................................. 7201, 7203, Combined Declaration of Use of Mark in 8,598 725 6,233,550
7205, 7206 Commerce and Application for Renewal
of Registration of a Mark Under
Sections 8 and 9--Filed During the
Grace Period (electronic).
2.............................................. 6201, 6203, Combined Declaration of Use of Mark in 1 1,225 1,225
6205, 6206 Commerce and Application for Renewal
of Registration of a Mark Under
Sections 8 and 9--Filed During the
Grace Period (paper).
2.............................................. 7211 Issuing New Certificate of Registration 97 100 9,700
(electronic).
2.............................................. 6211 Issuing New Certificate of Registration 1 200 200
(paper).
2.............................................. 7212 Certificate of Correction, Registrant's 6,421 100 642,100
Error (electronic).
2.............................................. 6212 Certificate of Correction, Registrant's 1 200 200
Error (paper).
3.............................................. 7208 Declaration of Incontestability of a 1,340 200 268,000
Mark Under Section 15 (electronic).
3.............................................. 6208 Declaration of Incontestability of a 1 300 300
Mark Under Section 15 (paper).
4.............................................. 7205, 7208 Combined Declaration of Use and 68,905 425 29,284,625
Incontestability Under Sections 8 and
15--Filed During the Statutory Period
(electronic).
4.............................................. 6205, 6208 Combined Declaration of Use and 1 625 625
Incontestability Under Sections 8 and
15--Filed During the Statutory Period
(paper).
4.............................................. 7205, 7206, Combined Declaration of Use and 6,890 525 3,617,250
7208 Incontestability Under Sections 8 and
15--Filed During the Grace Period
(electronic).
4.............................................. 6205, 6206, Combined Declaration of Use and 1 825 825
6208 Incontestability Under Sections 8 and
15--Filed During the Grace Period
(paper).
6.............................................. 7012 Section 7 Request (electronic)......... 6,499 250 1,624,750
6.............................................. 6012 Section 7 Request (paper).............. 1 350 350
7.............................................. 7012 Deletion of Goods or Services after 2,805 250 701,250
submission and prior to acceptance of
a section 8 affidavit (electronic).
7.............................................. 6012 Deletion of Goods or Services after 1 350 350
submission and prior to acceptance of
a section 8 affidavit (paper).
8.............................................. 7006 Request to Divide Registration 3,160 100 316,000
(electronic).
8.............................................. 6006 Request to Divide Registration (paper). 1 200 200
9.............................................. 7210 Section 12(c) Affidavit (electronic)... 1 100 100
9.............................................. 6210 Section 12(c) Affidavit (paper)........ 1 200 200
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Totals..................................... .............. ....................................... 258,520 .............. 103,717,950
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Postage Costs
In limited circumstances, applicants may be permitted to submit the
information in paper form by mail or hand delivery. Applicants and
registrants incur postage costs when submitting information to the
USPTO by mail through the United States Postal Service (USPS). The
USPTO estimates that 12 items will be submitted to the USPTO by mail.
The USPTO estimates that the average postage cost for a mailed
submission, using a Priority Mail legal flat rate envelope, will be
$10.15. Therefore, the USPTO estimates the total mailing costs for this
information collection at $122.
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.
Lisa Lawn,
Director, Records and Information Compliance Program Office, Office of
the Chief Administrative Officer, United States Patent and Trademark
Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-16328 Filed 7-24-24; 8:45 am]
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