[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 237 (Friday, December 11, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65733-65737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-29528]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Admittance To Practice and Roster of Registered Patent Attorneys
and Agents Admitted To Practice Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO)
ACTION: Proposed collection; Comment Request.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden,
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on this continuing information collection, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 9,
2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
E-mail: [email protected]. Include ``0651-0012
Admittance to Practice and Roster of Registered Patent Attorneys and
Agents Admitted to Practice Before the USPTO comment'' in the subject
line of the message.
Fax: 571-273-0112, marked to the attention of Susan K.
Fawcett.
Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records Officer, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to the attention of Christine Nucker, Enrollment and
Discipline Administrator, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
Mail Stop OED, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone
at 571-272-6071; or by e-mail at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 65734]]
I. Abstract
This collection of information is required by 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2)(D),
which permits the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to
establish regulations governing the recognition and conduct of agents,
attorneys or other persons representing applicants or other parties
before the USPTO. This statute also permits the USPTO to require
information from applicants that shows that they are of good moral
character and reputation and have the necessary qualifications to
assist applicants with the patent process and to represent them before
the USPTO.
The USPTO administers the statute through 37 CFR 1.21, 10.14 and
11.5 to 11.12. These rules address the requirements to apply for the
examination for registration and to demonstrate eligibility to be a
registered attorney or agent before the USPTO, including the fee
requirements. The Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) collects
information to determine the qualifications of individuals entitled to
represent applicants before the USPTO in the preparation and
prosecution of applications for a patent. The OED also collects
information to administer and maintain the roster of attorneys and
agents registered to practice before the USPTO. Information concerning
registered attorneys and agents is published by the OED in a public
roster that can be accessed through the USPTO Web site.
The information in this collection is used by the USPTO to review
applications for the examination for registration and to determine
whether an applicant may be added to, or an existing practitioner may
remain on, the Register of Patent Attorneys and Agents.
There are eight forms associated with this information collection.
Two new forms are being introduced into this collection: The
Application for Reciprocal Recognition to Practice in Trademark Matters
Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office Under 37 CFR
11.14(c) by a Foreign Attorney or Agent (PTO-158T) and the Application
for Registration in the USPTO Law School Pilot Program to Practice
Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office by a Foreign
Attorney or Agent (PTO-158LS).
Three additional new items being introduced into the collection
are: (1) Cover pages used for submitting correspondence to OED (for
documents submitted with applications, requests for reconsideration,
and petitions); (2) record keeping costs (a copy of every document
submitted to OED in connection with an application for registration);
and (3) electronic change of address submissions.
II. Method of Collection
By mail to the USPTO when the individual desires to participate in
the information collection and electronically when the individual is
submitting a change of address.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0012.
Form Number(s): PTO-158, PTO-158A, PTO/275, PTO-107A, PTO-1209,
PTO-2126, PTO-2149 and PTO-2150. Two new forms being introduced into
the collection are PTO-158T and PTO-158LS.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 93,340 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public approximately 1 minute (0.02 hours) to 40 hours, depending
upon the complexity of the situation, to gather, prepare, and submit
the various documents in this information collection.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 98,028 hours per
year.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $23,010,260. The
cost to respondents for taking the registration examination is
estimated to be at the rate of $39 per hour, for a cost burden of
$1,206,660. The USPTO estimates that the remaining items in this
collection will be prepared by attorneys in private firms. Using the
professional hourly rate of $325 for attorneys in private firms, the
USPTO estimates $21,803,600 per year in respondent cost burden
associated with the remaining items in this information collection.
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Estimated Estimated
Item Estimated time for response annual annual burden
responses hours
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Application for Registration to Practice 30 minutes......................... 4,420 2,210
Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (includes both the
computerized exam and the USPTO-
administered exam) FORM PTO-158.
Application for Registration to Practice 30 minutes......................... 100 50
Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office (former examiners;
examination waived) FORM PTO-158.
Application for Registration to Practice 30 minutes......................... 100 50
Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.6(c) by a
Foreign Resident (examination waived) FORM
PTO-158A.
Application for Reciprocal Recognition to 30 minutes......................... 25 13
Practice in Trademark Matters Before the
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) by a Foreign
Attorney or Agent (examination waived)
FORM PTO-158T.
Application for Registration in the USPTO 30 minutes......................... 60 30
Law School Pilot Program to Practice
Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c)
(examination waived) (Law School Students
Only) FORM PTO-158LS.
Registration examination to become a 7 hours............................ 4,420 30,940
registered practitioner.
Undertaking under 37 CFR 11.10(b) PTO/275.. 20 minutes......................... 520 172
Data Sheet--Register of Patent Attorneys 10 minutes......................... 1,995 339
and Agents (individuals passing the
registration exam) PTO-107A.
Data Sheet--Register of Patent Attorneys 10 minutes......................... 100 17
and Agents (Foreign applicants) PTO-107A.
Data Sheet--Register of Patent Attorneys 10 minutes......................... 100 17
and Agents (former examiners seeking
registration) PTO-107A.
Oath or Affirmation PTO-1209............... 5 minutes.......................... 2,195 176
Reinstatement to the Register PTO-107A..... 10 minutes......................... 30 5
Written request for reconsideration and 90 minutes......................... 30 45
further review of disapproval notice of
application.
Petition to the Director of the Office of 45 minutes......................... 20 15
Enrollment and Discipline Under 37 CFR
11.12(c).
Petition for reinstatement after 40 hours........................... 4 160
disciplinary removal under 37 CFR 11.7(h).
Annual Practitioner Registration Fee FORM 10 minutes......................... 32,500 5,525
PTO-2126.
Annual Fee, Limited Recognition FORM PTO- 10 minutes......................... 200 34
2126.
[[Page 65735]]
Voluntary Inactive Status FORM PTO-2126.... 10 minutes......................... 2,000 340
Request for Restoration to Active Status 10 minutes......................... 700 119
from Voluntary Inactive Status FORM PTO-
2126.
Balance of Annual Fee Due on Restoration to 10 minutes......................... 700 119
Active Status from Voluntary Inactive
Status FORM PTO-2126.
Delinquency Fee for Annual Fee FORM PTO- 10 minutes......................... 2,100 357
2126.
Reinstatement Fee (fee required to be paid 10 minutes......................... 420 71
after the due date of the required annual
fee) FORM PTO-2126.
Sponsor Application for USPTO Continuing 1 hour............................. 350 350
Legal Education (CLE) FORM PTO-2149.
Certification of Attendance at USPTO- 1 hour............................. 350 350
approved CLE Training FORM PTO-2150.
Practitioner request for paper version of 5 minutes.......................... 100 8
CLE.
On-line version of the seminar CLE......... 2 hours............................ 28,000 56,000
Paper version of the CLE................... 2 hours............................ 100 200
Practitioner's supporting documentation for 40 hours........................... 1 40
a motion to hold in abeyance a
disciplinary proceeding because of a
current disability or addiction.
Cover pages used for submitting 1 minute........................... 7,500 150
correspondence to OED (for documents
submitted with applications, Requests for
Reconsideration, and petitions).
Change of address--electronic submission... 2 minutes.......................... 4,200 126
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Total.................................. ................................... 93,340 98,028
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Estimated Total Annual (non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden:
$5,710,143. There are no capital start-up or maintenance costs
associated with this information collection. There are, however, non-
hour costs due to record keeping requirements, filing fees, and postage
costs.
There are record keeping costs as a result of the Oath which
includes a notary public requirement. The average fee for having a
document notarized is $2. The USPTO estimates that it will receive
2,195 responses to this information collection per year as a result of
this notary requirement, for a total cost of $4,390 per year. Also,
there is another record keeping cost being added into the collection.
The General Requirements Bulletin recommends that ``applicants should
make and keep a copy of every document submitted to the office in
connection with an application for registration.'' The USPTO estimates
that it will take an applicant approximately 5 minutes (0.08 hours) to
print and retain a copy of the submissions and that approximately 4,700
responses will be made per year, for a total of 376 hours. Using the
professional rate of $325 per hour for attorneys in private firms, the
USPTO estimates that the record keeping cost associated with this copy
requirement will be $122,200 per year, for a total record keeping cost
of $126,590.
There are also filing fees associated with this collection. The
application fees for registration to practice before the USPTO vary
depending on whether the applicant is a current applicant, a former
examiner, or a foreign resident. The fee for administration of the
computerized examination to become a registered patent practitioner
also varies depending on how the examination is administered. The total
annual non-hour cost burden associated with filing fees is $5,561,840.
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Total non-hour
Item Responses (a) Filing fee ($) cost burden
(b) (a) x (b) (c)
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Non-Refundable Application Fee for Registration to Practice 4,420 $40.00 $176,800.00
Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (includes
both the computerized exam and the USPTO-administered exam)....
Non-Refundable Application Fee for Enrollment and/or 35 1,600.00 56,000.00
Reinstatement to Practice Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 1.21(a)(10) (those who must prove
fitness to practice)...........................................
Application fee for Registration to Practice Before the United 100 40.00 4,000.00
States Patent and Trademark Office, as applicable when used for
registration fees only (former examiners; examination waived)..
Application for Registration to Practice Before the United 100 40.00 4,000.00
States Patent and Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.6(c) by a
Foreign Resident (examination waived)..........................
Application fee for Reciprocal Recognition to Practice in 25 40.00 1,000.00
Trademark Matters Before the United States Patent and Trademark
Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) by a Foreign Attorney/Agent
(examination waived)...........................................
Application Fee for Registration in the USPTO Law School Pilot 60 0.00 0.00
Program to Practice Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) (examination waived)
(Law School students only).....................................
Registration examination fee for administration of computerized 20 450.00 9,000.00
examination to become a registered patent practitioner
administered by the USPTO (USPTO-administered exam)............
Registration examination fee for administration of computerized 4,400 200.00 880,000.00
examination to become a registered patent practitioner
administered by a commercial entity (Computer exam)............
Undertaking under 37 CFR 11.10(b)............................... 520 0.00 0.00
Data Sheet--Register of Patent Attorneys and Agents (includes 2,195 100.00 219,500.00
applicants that passed the examination, former examiners, and
foreign applicants)............................................
Oath or Affirmation............................................. 2,195 0.00 0.00
Reinstatement to the Register................................... 30 100.00 3,000.00
[[Page 65736]]
Written request for reconsideration and further review of 30 130.00 3,900.00
disapproval notice of application..............................
Petition to the Director of the Office of Enrollment and 20 130.00 2,600.00
Discipline under 11.12(c)......................................
Petition for reinstatement after disciplinary removal under 4 1,600.00 6,400.00
11.7(h)........................................................
Annual Practitioner Registration Fee............................ 32,500 118.00 3,835,000.00
Annual Fee, Limited Recognition................................. 200 118.00 23,600.00
Voluntary Inactive Status....................................... 2,000 25.00 50,000.00
Request for Restoration to Active from Voluntary Inactive Status 700 50.00 35,000.00
Balance of annual fee due on restoration to active from 700 93.00 65,100.00
voluntary inactive status......................................
Delinquency fee for annual fee (fee paid after the due date and 2,100 50.00 105,000.00
for CLE).......................................................
Reinstatement Fee (required to be paid after the due date of the 420 100.00 42,000.00
required annual fee or CLE)....................................
Sponsor Application for USPTO CLE............................... 350 60.00 21,000.00
Certification of Attendance at USPTO-approved CLE Training...... 350 0.00 0.00
Practitioner request for paper version of CLE program and 100 75.00 7,500.00
furnished narrative............................................
On-line version of the Seminar CLE.............................. 28,000 0.00 0.00
Paper version of the CLE........................................ 100 0.00 0.00
Practitioner's supporting documentation for a motion to hold in 1 11,440.00 11,440.00
abeyance a disciplinary proceeding because of a current
disability or addiction........................................
Cover pages used for submitting correspondence to OED (includes 7,500 0.00 0.00
``Request for Reconsideration'' cover page)....................
Change of address--electronic submission........................ 4,200 0.00 0.00
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Total....................................................... 93,375 .............. 5,561,840.00
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The General Requirements Bulletin for Admission to the Examination
for Registration to Practice in Patent Cases before the USPTO states
that all business with the USPTO should be transacted in writing. The
actions of the OED will be based exclusively on the written record in
the USPTO (37 CFR 1.2). Personal attendance is unnecessary. All
documents may be submitted to the USPTO by first-class mail through the
United States Postal Service. Mailed submissions should include a
certificate of mailing for each piece of correspondence enclosed,
stating the date of deposit or transmission to the USPTO. The USPTO
estimates that the average first-class postage cost for responses to
this collection will vary from 44 cents for one ounce to $4.80 for one
pound, depending on the individual submission. The total annual non-
hour cost burden associated with postage costs is $21,713.
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Total non-hour
Item Responses (a) Postage cost cost burden
($) (b) (a) x (b) (c)
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Application for Registration to Practice Before the United 4,420 $0.61 $2,696.00
States Patent and Trademark Office (includes both the
computerized exam and the USPTO-administered exam).............
Application for Registration to Practice Before the United 100 0.61 61.00
States Patent and Trademark Office (former examiners;
examination waived)............................................
Application for Registration to Practice Before the United 100 0.44 44.00
States Patent and Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.6(c) by a
Foreign Resident (examination waived)..........................
Application for Reciprocal Recognition to Practice in Trademark 25 0.61 15.00
Matters Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) by a Foreign Attorney or Agent
(examination waived)...........................................
Application for Registration in the USPTO Law School Pilot 60 0.00 0.00
Program to Practice Before the United States Patent and
Trademark Office Under 37 CFR 11.14(c) (examination waived)
(Law School Students only).....................................
Registration examination to become a registered practitioner.... 4,420 0.00 0.00
Undertaking under 37 CFR 11.10(b)............................... 520 0.00 0.00
Data Sheet--Register of Patent Attorneys and Agents (includes 2,195 0.44 966.00
applicants that passed the examination, former examiners, and
foreign applicants)............................................
Oath or Affirmation............................................. 2,195 0.00 0.00
Reinstatement to the Register................................... 30 0.44 13.00
Written request for reconsideration and further review of 30 0.61 18.00
disapproval notice of application..............................
Petition to the Director of the Office of Enrollment and 20 1.73 35.00
Discipline under 37 CFR 11.12(c)...............................
Petition for reinstatement after disciplinary removal under 37 4 0.78 3.00
CFR 11.7(h)....................................................
Annual Practitioner Registration Fee............................ 32,500 0.44 14,300.00
Annual Fee, Limited Recognition................................. 200 0.44 88.00
Voluntary Inactive Status....................................... 2,000 0.44 880.00
Request for Restoration to Active from Voluntary Inactive Status 700 0.44 308.00
Balance of annual fee due on restoration to active from 700 0.44 308.00
voluntary inactive status......................................
Delinquency Fee for annual fee (fee paid after the due date and 2,100 0.44 924.00
for CLE).......................................................
Reinstatement fee (required to be paid after the due date of the 420 0.44 185.00
required annual fee or CLE)....................................
Sponsor application for USPTO CLE............................... 350 1.73 606.00
Certification of Attendance at USPTO-approved CLE Training...... 350 0.61 214.00
Practitioner request for paper version of CLE program and 100 0.44 44.00
furnished narrative............................................
[[Page 65737]]
On-line version of the Seminar CLE.............................. 28,000 0.00 0.00
Paper version of the CLE........................................ 100 0.00 0.00
Practitioner's supporting documentation for a motion to hold in 1 4.80 5.00
abeyance a disciplinary proceeding because of a current
disability or addiction........................................
Cover pages used for submitting correspondence to OED (includes 7,500 0.00 0.00
``Request for Reconsideration'' cover page)....................
Change of Address--electronic submission........................ 4,200 0.00 0.00
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Total....................................................... 93,340 .............. 21,713.00
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The USPTO estimates that the total (non-hour) respondent cost
burden for this collection in the form of recordkeeping costs, filing
fees, and postage costs is $5,710,143.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of
automated collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or
included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they will also become a matter of public record.
Dated: December 7, 2009.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E9-29528 Filed 12-10-09; 8:45 am]
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