83 FR 49067 - International Work Sharing

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 189 (September 28, 2018)

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a proposed extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0079 (International Work Sharing).

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49067-49069]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21215]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office


International Work Sharing

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as 
required

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by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on a proposed 
extension of an existing information collection: 0651-0079 
(International Work Sharing).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 27, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0079 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Marcie Lovett, 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: Request for additional information 
should be directed to Daniel Hunter, Program Manager, United States 
Patent and Trademark office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; 
by telephone at 571-272-8050; or by email at [email protected] 
with ``0651-0079 comment'' in the subject line. Additional information 
about this information about this 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) established a 
Work Sharing Pilot Program in conjunction with the Japan Patent Office 
(JPO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) to study how 
the exchange of search results between offices for corresponding 
counterpart applications improves patent quality and facilitates the 
examination of patent applications in both offices. Under this Work 
Sharing Pilot Program, two Collaborative Search Pilot (CSP) programs--
USPTO-JPO and USPTO-KIPO--have been implemented. Through their 
respective CSP(s), each office concurrently conducts searches on 
corresponding counterpart applications. Each office's search results 
are exchanged following these concurrent searches, which provides 
examiners with a comprehensive set of art before them at the 
commencement of examination.
    Work sharing between Intellectual Property (IP) offices is critical 
for increasing the efficiency and quality of patent examination 
worldwide. The exchange of information and documents between IP offices 
also benefits applicants by promoting compact prosecution, reducing 
pendency, and supporting patent quality by reducing the likelihood of 
inconsistencies in patentability determinations among IP offices when 
considering corresponding counterpart applications. The gains in 
efficiency and quality are achieved through a collaborative work 
sharing approach to the evaluation of patent claims. As a result of 
this exchange of search reports, the examiners in both offices may have 
a more comprehensive set of references before them when making an 
initial patentability determination.

II. Method of Collection

    The forms associated with this collection may be downloaded from 
the USPTO website in Portable Document Format (PDF) and filled out 
electronically. Requests to participate in the International Work 
Sharing Program must be submitted online using EFS-Web, the USPTO's 
web-based electronic filing system.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0651-0079.
    IC Instruments and Forms: PTO/SB/437, PTO/SB/CSP Survey 1.
    Type of Review: Revision of an Existing Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other 
for-profits; and not-for-profit institution.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 300 responses per year. The USPTO 
estimates that 100 percent of the annual responses for this collection 
will be submitted electronically via EFS-Web, which customers may 
access through the USPTO website.
    Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take 
the public approximately between 5 minutes (0.08 hours) and 3 hours to 
complete the information in this collection, including the time to 
gather the necessary information, prepare the forms or documents, and 
submit the completed request to the USPTO.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 462 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden: $202,356. 
The USPTO expects that that an attorney will complete the information 
in this collection. The professional hourly rate for intellectual 
property attorneys in private firms is $438. Using this hourly rate, 
the USPTO estimates that the total respondent cost burden for this 
collection is $202,356.00 per year.

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                                                                                           Estimated       Estimated                        Estimated
                 No.                                Item                Estimated time      annual       annual burden        Rate         annual total
                                                                         for response      response          hours                             cost
                                                                                   (a)             (b)  (a) x (b) = (c)             (d)  (c) x (d) = (e)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1...................................  Petition for Participation in                  3              50              150         $438.00       $65,700.00
                                       the Collaborative Search Pilot
                                       (CSP) Program Between the Japan
                                       Patent Office (JPO) and the
                                       USPTO.
2...................................  Petition for Participation in                  3             100              300          438.00       131,400.00
                                       the Collaborative Search Pilot
                                       (CSP) Program Between the
                                       Korean Intellectual Property
                                       Office (KPO) and the USPTO.
3...................................  CSP Survey......................          * 0.08             150               12          438.00         5,256.00
                                                                       ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...........................  ................................  ..............             300              462  ..............       202,356.00
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* 5 minutes.

    Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There 
are no estimated filing fees or postage costs for this collection.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or

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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. 2018-21215 Filed 9-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-16-P