[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 196 (Friday, October 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61177-61178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-25826]
[[Page 61177]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Patents External Quality Survey
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 extension of a continuing 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 before December 8,
2015.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: [email protected]. Include `0651-0057
comment' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Marcie Lovett, Records Management Division Director,
Office of the Chief Information 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 Martin Rater, Management Analyst, Office of
Patent Quality Assurance, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313- 1450; by telephone at 571-272-
5966; or by email to [email protected], with ``0651-0057 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
The USPTO developed the Patents External Quality Survey in 2006 as
part of its quality improvement efforts. This survey narrows the focus
of customer satisfaction to examination quality and uses a
longitudinal, rotating panel design to assess changes in customer
perceptions and to identify key areas for examiner training and
opportunities for improvement. The USPTO plans to survey patent agents,
attorneys, and other individuals from large domestic corporations
(including those with 500+ employees), small and medium-size
businesses, and universities and other non-profit research
organizations. In addition, the USPTO also plans to survey independent
inventors. The USPTO does not plan to survey foreign entities.
The USPTO will draw a random sample of these customers from their
database. Due to the rotating panel design, some sample members will be
surveyed twice in order to measure change over a period of time. Each
year of the survey will include two waves of data collection.
The Patents External Quality Survey is a mail survey, although
respondents can also complete the survey electronically on the Web. The
content of both versions will be identical. A survey packet containing
the questionnaire, a separate cover letter prepared by the Deputy
Commissioner of Patent Quality, a postage-paid, pre-addressed return
envelope, and instructions for completing the survey electronically
will be mailed to all sample members. A pre-notification letter,
reminder/thank you postcards, and telephone calls will be used to
encourage response from sample members.
This is a voluntary survey and all responses will remain
confidential. The collected data will not be linked to the respondent
and contact information that is used for sampling purposes will be
maintained in a separate file from the quantitative data. Respondents
are not required to provide any identifying information such as their
name, address, or Social Security Number. In order to access and
complete the online survey, respondents will need to use the username,
password, and survey ID number provided by the USPTO.
II. Method of Collection
Electronically via email; by postal mail, facsimile, or hand
delivery in paper form.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0057.
IC Instruments and Forms: No form numbers.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently previously existing
Information Collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profits; and non-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,100 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public 10 minutes (.17 hours) to submit a single item in this
collection, including: The time to gather the necessary information,
prepare the appropriate form or petition, and submit the completed
request to the USPTO. The time per response, estimated annual
responses, and estimated annual hour burden associated with each
instrument in this collection are shown in the table below.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 516.67 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden:
$211,834.70. The USPTO expects that attorneys will complete these
applications. The professional hourly rate for attorneys is $410. Using
this hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that the total respondent cost
burden for this collection is $211,834.70 per year.
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Responses Burden (hrs/
IC No. Item Hours (yr) yr) Rate ($/hr)
..................... (a) (b) (c) (a) x (b) (d)
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1........................ Patents External 0.17 465 77.5 $410.00
Quality Survey.
2........................ Electronic Patents 0.17 2,635 439.17 410.00
External Quality
Survey.
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Total................ ..................... .............. 3,100 516.67 ..............
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Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden: $0. There
are no annual (non-hour) costs associated with this information
collection. Respondents do not need to submit filing fees with these
surveys. The USPTO covers the costs of all survey materials and
provides postage-paid, pre-addressed return envelopes for the completed
mail surveys so there are no postage costs associated with this
information collection.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on:
[[Page 61178]]
(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 also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: October 2, 2015.
Marcie Lovett,
Records Management Division Director, USPTO, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-25826 Filed 10-8-15; 8:45 am]
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