83_FR_45280 83 FR 45108 - Patents for Humanity Program

83 FR 45108 - Patents for Humanity Program

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 172 (September 5, 2018)

Page Range45108-45109
FR Document2018-19201

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a proposed extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0066 (Patents for Humanity Program).

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45108-45109]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19201]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Patent and Trademark Office


Patents for Humanity Program

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 and 
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on 
a proposed extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0066 
(Patents for Humanity Program).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 5, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: InformationCollection@uspto.gov. Include ``0651-
0066 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Edward Elliott, Records and Information Governance 
Division Director, Office of the Chief Technology 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 Edward Elliott, Attorney Advisor, Office of 
Policy and International Affairs, United States Patent and Trademark 
Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-
272-7024; or by email to Edward.Elliott@uspto.gov with ``0651-0066 
comment'' in the subject line. Additional information about this 
collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under 
``Information Collection Review.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Since 2012, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) 
has conducted the Patents for Humanity Program, an annual award program 
to incentivize the distribution of patented technologies or products 
for the purpose of addressing humanitarian needs. The program is open 
to any patent owners or patent licensees, including inventors who have 
not assigned their ownership rights to others, assignees, and exclusive 
or non-exclusive licenses. USPTO collects information from applicants 
that describe what actions they have taken with their patented 
technology to address the welfare of impoverished populations, or how 
they furthered research by others on technologies for humanitarian 
purposes. Currently, there are five categories of awards: Medicine, 
Nutrition, Sanitation, Household Energy, and Living Standards.
    This collection covers information gathered on two application 
forms for the Patents for Humanity Program. The first application 
covers the humanitarian uses of technologies or products, and the 
second application covers humanitarian research. In both, applicants 
are required to describe how their technology or product satisfies the 
program criteria to address humanitarian issues. Additionally, 
applicants must provide non-public contact information in order for 
USPTO to notify them about their award status. Applicants may 
optionally provide contact information for the public to reach them 
with any inquiries. Applications must be submitted via email and will 
be posted on USPTO's website. Qualified judges from outside USPTO will 
review and score the applications. USPTO will then forward the top-
scoring applications to reviewers from participating Federal agencies 
to recommend award recipients.
    Those applications that are chosen for an award will receive a 
certificate redeemable to accelerate select matters before USPTO. The 
certificates can be redeemed to accelerate one of the following 
matters: An ex parte reexamination proceeding, including one appeal to 
the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) from that proceeding; a patent 
application, including one appeal to the PTAB from that application; or 
an appeal to the PTAB of a claim twice rejected in a patent application 
or reissue application or finally rejected in an ex parte 
reexamination, without accelerating the underlying matter which 
generated the appeal. This collection covers the information gathered 
for petitions to extend an acceleration certificate redemption beyond 
12 months. Winners also are invited to participate in an awards 
ceremony at USPTO.

II. Method of Collection

    Electronically through the http://www.uspto.gov/patentsforhumanity 
website.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0066.
    IC Instruments and Forms: PTO/PFH/001, PTO/PFH/002, PTO/SB/431.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits; not-for-profit 
businesses; individuals and households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 55 responses per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: USPTO estimates that it will take the 
public approximately four hours to complete the humanitarian program 
application. Those selected as winners (about 5 to 10 per year) may 
additionally require one hour to complete a petition to extend their 
acceleration certificate redemption

[[Page 45109]]

beyond 12 months, if needed. These estimated times include gathering 
the necessary information, preparing the application and any 
supplemental materials, and submitting the completed request to USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: 205 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $59,757.50. 
The USPTO expects that attorneys will complete the Petition to Extend 
the Redemption Period of the Humanitarian Awards Certificate and that 
attorneys or paralegals will complete the Humanitarian Program 
Application Form. The USPTO uses a professional hourly rate of $291.50 
for respondent cost burden, which is the average rate of both attorneys 
and paralegals. The professional hourly rate for an intellectual 
property attorney in a private firm is $438, as established in the 2017 
Report on the Economic Survey, published by the Commerce on the 
Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual Property Law 
Association. The professional hourly rate for paralegals is $145, as 
established in the 2016 National Utilization and Compensation Survey 
Report, published by the National Association of Legal Assistants 
(NALA). Using the combined hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that the 
total respondent cost burden for this collection is $59,757.50 per 
year.

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                                                                           Estimated                       Estimated
               IC No.                               Item                 response time     Estimated     annual burden        Rate       Estimated total
                                                                            (hours)        response          hours                             cost
                                                                                   (a)             (b)  (a) x (b) = (c)             (d)  (c) x (d) = (e)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...................................  Humanitarian Program Application               4              25              100         $291.50       $29,150.00
                                       (Humanitarian Use) (PTO/PFH/
                                       001).
1...................................  Humanitarian Program Application               4              25              100          291.50        29,150.00
                                       (Humanitarian Research) (PTO/
                                       PFH/002).
2...................................  Petition to Extend the                         1               5                5          291.50         1,457.50
                                       Redemption Period of the
                                       Humanitarian Awards Certificate
                                       (PTO/SB/431).
                                                                       ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  ................................  ..............              55              205  ..............        59,757.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0. This 
collection has no annual (non-hour) postage, operation, maintenance, or 
filing fee costs.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
    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.

Marcie Lovett,
Records and Information Governance Division Director, OCTO, United 
States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-19201 Filed 9-4-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-16-P

45108 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2018 / Notices Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) continuing effort to reduce paperwork products, and the second application Cost Burden: $80.40. The USPTO and respondent burden and as required covers humanitarian research. In both, estimates that the total annualized (non- by the Paperwork Reduction Act of applicants are required to describe how hour) cost burden for this collection is 1995, invites comments on a proposed their technology or product satisfies the due to postage costs. Customers may extension of an existing information program criteria to address incur postage costs when submitting collection: 0651–0066 (Patents for humanitarian issues. Additionally, some of the items covered by this Humanity Program). applicants must provide non-public collection to the USPTO by mail. The DATES: Written comments must be contact information in order for USPTO USPTO expects that approximately 98 submitted on or before November 5, to notify them about their award status. percent of the responses in this 2018. Applicants may optionally provide collection will be submitted ADDRESSES: You may submit comments contact information for the public to electronically. Of the remaining 2 by any of the following methods: reach them with any inquiries. percent, the vast majority—98 percent— • Email: InformationCollection@ Applications must be submitted via will be submitted by mail, for a total of uspto.gov. Include ‘‘0651–0066 email and will be posted on USPTO’s 12 mailed submissions. The average comment’’ in the subject line of the website. Qualified judges from outside first-class USPS postage cost for these message. USPTO will review and score the items is estimated at $6.70; the cost of • Federal Rulemaking Portal: http:// applications. USPTO will then forward a one pound mailed submission in a flat www.regulations.gov. the top-scoring applications to rate envelope. Therefore, the USPTO • Mail: Edward Elliott, Records and reviewers from participating Federal estimates that the postage costs for the Information Governance Division agencies to recommend award mailed submissions in this collection Director, Office of the Chief Technology recipients. will total $80.40. Officer, United States Patent and Those applications that are chosen for Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, an award will receive a certificate IV. Request for Comments redeemable to accelerate select matters Alexandria, VA 22313–1450. Comments are invited on: before USPTO. The certificates can be FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: (a) Whether the proposed collection of redeemed to accelerate one of the Requests for additional information information is necessary for the proper following matters: An ex parte should be directed to Edward Elliott, performance of the functions of the reexamination proceeding, including Attorney Advisor, Office of Policy and agency, including whether the one appeal to the Patent Trial and International Affairs, United States information shall have practical utility; Appeal Board (PTAB) from that Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box (b) the accuracy of the agency’s proceeding; a patent application, 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450; by estimate of the burden (including hours including one appeal to the PTAB from telephone at 571–272–7024; or by email and cost) of the proposed collection of that application; or an appeal to the to Edward.Elliott@uspto.gov with information, including the validity of PTAB of a claim twice rejected in a ‘‘0651–0066 comment’’ in the subject the methodology and assumptions used; patent application or reissue application (c) ways to enhance the quality, line. Additional information about this collection is also available at http:// or finally rejected in an ex parte utility, and clarity of the information to reexamination, without accelerating the be collected; and (d) ways to minimize www.reginfo.gov under ‘‘Information Collection Review.’’ underlying matter which generated the the burden of the collection of appeal. This collection covers the information on respondents, including SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: information gathered for petitions to through the use of automated collection I. Abstract extend an acceleration certificate techniques or other forms of information redemption beyond 12 months. Winners Since 2012, the United States Patent technology, e.g., permitting electronic also are invited to participate in an and Trademark Office (USPTO) has submission of responses. awards ceremony at USPTO. Comments submitted in response to conducted the Patents for Humanity this notice will be summarized or Program, an annual award program to II. Method of Collection included in the request for OMB incentivize the distribution of patented Electronically through the http:// approval of this information collection; technologies or products for the purpose www.uspto.gov/patentsforhumanity they will also become a matter of public of addressing humanitarian needs. The website. record. program is open to any patent owners or patent licensees, including inventors III. Data Marcie Lovett, who have not assigned their ownership OMB Number: 0651–0066. Director, Records and Information rights to others, assignees, and exclusive IC Instruments and Forms: PTO/PFH/ Governance Division, Office of the Chief or non-exclusive licenses. USPTO 001, PTO/PFH/002, PTO/SB/431. Technology Officer, USPTO. collects information from applicants Type of Review: Extension of a [FR Doc. 2018–19203 Filed 9–4–18; 8:45 am] that describe what actions they have currently approved collection. BILLING CODE 3510–16–P taken with their patented technology to Affected Public: Businesses or other address the welfare of impoverished for-profits; not-for-profit businesses; populations, or how they furthered individuals and households. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE research by others on technologies for Estimated Number of Respondents: 55 humanitarian purposes. Currently, there responses per year. Patent and Trademark Office are five categories of awards: Medicine, Estimated Time per Response: USPTO daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES Nutrition, Sanitation, Household estimates that it will take the public Patents for Humanity Program Energy, and Living Standards. approximately four hours to complete ACTION: Proposed collection; comment This collection covers information the humanitarian program application. request. gathered on two application forms for Those selected as winners (about 5 to 10 the Patents for Humanity Program. The per year) may additionally require one SUMMARY: The United States Patent and first application covers the hour to complete a petition to extend Trademark Office (USPTO) as part of its humanitarian uses of technologies or their acceleration certificate redemption VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:04 Sep 04, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05SEN1.SGM 05SEN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 172 / Wednesday, September 5, 2018 / Notices 45109 beyond 12 months, if needed. These Redemption Period of the Humanitarian Survey, published by the Commerce on estimated times include gathering the Awards Certificate and that attorneys or the Economics of Legal Practice of the necessary information, preparing the paralegals will complete the American Intellectual Property Law application and any supplemental Humanitarian Program Application Association. The professional hourly materials, and submitting the completed Form. The USPTO uses a professional rate for paralegals is $145, as established request to USPTO. hourly rate of $291.50 for respondent in the 2016 National Utilization and Estimated Total Annual Respondent cost burden, which is the average rate of Compensation Survey Report, published Cost Burden: 205 hours. both attorneys and paralegals. The by the National Association of Legal Estimated Total Annual Respondent professional hourly rate for an Assistants (NALA). Using the combined (Hourly) Cost Burden: $59,757.50. The intellectual property attorney in a hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that USPTO expects that attorneys will private firm is $438, as established in the total respondent cost burden for this complete the Petition to Extend the the 2017 Report on the Economic collection is $59,757.50 per year. Estimated Estimated response Estimated annual Estimated IC No. Item Rate time response burden total cost (hours) hours (a) (b) (a) × (b) = (c) (d) (c) × (d) = (e) 1 ..................... Humanitarian Program Application 4 25 100 $291.50 $29,150.00 (Humanitarian Use) (PTO/PFH/001). 1 ..................... Humanitarian Program Application 4 25 100 291.50 29,150.00 (Humanitarian Research) (PTO/ PFH/002). 2 ..................... Petition to Extend the Redemption Pe- 1 5 5 291.50 1,457.50 riod of the Humanitarian Awards Certificate (PTO/SB/431). Total ........ .............................................................. ........................ 55 205 ........................ 59,757.50 Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 G Street Respondent Cost Burden: $0. This PROTECTION NW, Washington, DC 20552. collection has no annual (non-hour) [Docket No. CFPB–2018–0029] • Hand Delivery/Courier: Comment postage, operation, maintenance, or intake, Bureau of Consumer Financial filing fee costs. Agency Information Collection Protection (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 IV. Request for Comments Activities: Comment Request G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552. Please note that comments submitted Comments submitted in response to AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial after the comment period will not be this notice will be summarized or Protection. accepted. In general, all comments included in the request for OMB ACTION: Notice and request for comment. received will become public records, approval of this information collection; including any personal information they also will become a matter of public SUMMARY: In accordance with the provided. Sensitive personal record. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 information, such as account numbers Comments are invited on: (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer or Social Security numbers, should not (a) Whether the proposed collection of Financial Protection (Bureau) is be included. information is necessary for the proper requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: performance of the functions of the Documentation prepared in support of agency, including whether the approval for an existing information collection titled, ‘‘Mortgage Acts And this information collection request is information shall have practical utility; available at www.regulations.gov. Practices (Regulation N) 12 CFR 1014’’. (b) The accuracy of the agency’s Requests for additional information estimate of the burden (including hours DATES: Written comments are should be directed to the Bureau of and cost) of the proposed collection of encouraged and must be received on or Consumer Financial Protection information; before November 5, 2018 to be assured (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 G Street of consideration. (c) Ways to enhance the quality, NW, Washington, DC 20552, (202) 435– utility, and clarity of the information to ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 9575, or email: CFPB_PRA@cfpb.gov. If be collected; and identified by the title of the information you require this document in an (d) Ways to minimize the burden of collection, OMB Control Number (see alternative electronic format, please the collection of information on below), and docket number (see above), contact CFPB_Accessibility@cfpb.gov. respondents, e.g., the use of automated by any of the following methods: Please do not submit comments to these collection techniques or other forms of • Electronic: Go to http:// email boxes. information technology. www.regulations.gov. Follow the daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES instructions for submitting comments. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Marcie Lovett, • Email: FederalRegisterComments@ Title of Collection: Mortgage Acts And Records and Information Governance cfpb.gov. Include Docket No. CFPB– Practices (Regulation N) 12 CFR 1014. Division Director, OCTO, United States Patent 2018–0029 in the subject line of the OMB Control Number: 3170–0009. and Trademark Office. message. Type of Review: Extension without [FR Doc. 2018–19201 Filed 9–4–18; 8:45 am] • Mail: Comment intake, Bureau of Change of an existing information BILLING CODE 3510–16–P Consumer Financial Protection Collection. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:04 Sep 04, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05SEN1.SGM 05SEN1


Document Created: 2018-09-05 01:58:31
Document Modified: 2018-09-05 01:58:31
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionProposed collection; comment request.
DatesWritten comments must be submitted on or before November 5, 2018.
ContactRequests for additional information should be directed to Edward Elliott, Attorney Advisor, Office of Policy and International Affairs, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571- 272-7024; or by email to [email protected] with ``0651-0066 comment'' in the subject line. Additional information about this collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection Review.''
FR Citation83 FR 45108 
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