[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16709-16710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8431]
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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 Patent and Trademark Office
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (DOC), as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to comment on the continuing and
proposed information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or June 7, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room
5033, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (e mail
address is LE[email protected]).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to the attention of Karen Bovard, Director, Office
of Enrollment and Discipline, 2221 South Clark Street, Arlington, VA
22202, by telephone at (703) 306-4097, or by facsimile transmission to
(703) 306-4134.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) collects information
to determine the qualifications of individuals entitled to represent
applicants before the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) 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 PTO.
There are forms associated with this information collection, which
OED uses to collect information from the public. These forms are Form
PTO-158 (Application for Registration to Practice Before the United
States Patent and Trademark Office), Form PTO-158A (Application for
Registration to Practice Before the United States Patent and Trademark
Office Under 37 CFR 10.6(c) By a Foreign Resident), Form PTO-275
(Undertaking Under 37 CFR 10.10(b)), and Form PTO-107A (Data Sheet--
Register of Patent Attorneys and
[[Page 16710]]
Agents). The applicant uses Forms PTO-158, 158A, and 275 to register
for the examination. Form PTO-107A is used by the applicant to supply
information for the register.
II. Method of collection
By mail, facsimile, and hand carry when the individual desires to
participate in the information collection.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0012.
Form Number: Form PTO-158, Form PTO-158A, Form PTO-275, and Form
PTO-107A.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households, businesses or other
for-profit, not-for-profit institutions, farms, state, local or tribal
governments, and the Federal Government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 8,100 responses per year.
Estimated Time Per Response: It is estimated to take approximately
30 minutes to complete either an application for registration to
practice before the PTO or an application for a foreign resident to
practice before the PTO. It is estimated to take 20 minutes to complete
undertakings under 37 CFR 10.10(b) and data sheets for the register of
patent attorneys and agents.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 3,557 hours per
year.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $0 (no capital
start-up or maintenance expenditures are required). $622,475 per year
is estimated for salary costs associated with respondents.
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Estimated time Estimated Estimated
Title of form PTO Form Number for response annual burden annual
(minutes) hours responses
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Application for Registration to Form PTO-158 30 2,500 5,000
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office.
Application for Registration to Form PTO-158A 30 100 200
Practice Before the United States
Patent and Trademark Office Under
37 CFR 10.6(c) by a Foreign
Resident.
Undertaking under 37 CFR 10.10(b).. Form PTO-275 20 132 400
Data Sheet--Register of Patent Form PTO-107A 20 825 2,500
Attorneys and Agents.
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Totals......................... ........................ ............... 3,557 8,100
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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, e.g., 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: March 31, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-8431, Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P