Under 35 U.S.C. 41 and 15 U.S.C. 1113,
as implemented in 37 CFR 1.16-1.26, 2.6-2.7, and 2.206-2.209, the
USPTO charges fees for processing and other services related to
patents, trademarks, and information products. Customers may submit
payments to the USPTO by several methods, including credit card,
deposit account, electronic funds transfer (EFT), and paper check
transactions. The USPTO is developing a pilot program that will
allow customers to access and manage their financial activity
online by establishing a Financial Profile through the USPTO web
site. The Financial Profiles are being added to this information
collection.
The USPTO is developing a pilot
program that will allow customers to access and manage their
financial activity records online. Customers will be able to create
a Financial Profile through the USPTO web site by registering a
username and password, providing contact information, and
specifying the types of notifications and alerts they would like to
receive. After establishing a Financial Profile, customers may then
add the relevant account information to the profile in order to
track their credit card, deposit account, EFT, and paper check
transactions with the USPTO. The USPTO estimates that the Financial
Profiles will add 500 responses and 50 burden hours per year to
this information collection as a program change. The Financial
Profiles will not change the annual cost burden for this
collection.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.