E6-12220. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Title: Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program.

Form Number(s): PTO/SB/20.

Agency Approval Number: 0651-00XX.

Type of Request: New collection.

Burden: 1,000 hours annually.

Number of Respondents: 500 responses per year.

Avg. Hours per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take the public approximately two hours (2.0 hours) to gather the necessary information, prepare the form, and submit the completed request.

Needs and Uses: The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program is being established between the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO). This program will allow applicants whose claims are determined to be patentable in the office of first filing to have the corresponding application that is filed in the office of second filing be advanced out of turn for examination. At the same time, this program will allow the office of second filing to exploit the search and examination results of the office of first filing, which will increase examination efficiency and improve patent quality. This information collection includes one proposed form, Request for Participation in the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program Between the JPO and the USPTO (PTO/SB/20), which may be used by applicants to request participation in the pilot program and to ensure that they meet the program requirements.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits, not-for-profit institutions.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, [phone].

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by any of the following methods:

E-mail: [e-mail]. Include “0651-00XX PPH Pilot Program copy request” in the subject line of the message.

Fax: [phone], marked to the attention of Susan Brown.

Mail: Susan K. Brown, Records Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Architecture, Engineering and Technical Services, Data Architecture and Services Division, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent on or before August 30, 2006 to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New Executive Office Building, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

Dated: July 24, 2006.

Susan K. Brown,

Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Architecture, Engineering and Technical Services, Data Architecture and Services Division.