0651-0058 Justification for Nonmaterial/Nonsubstantive Change

JUSTIFICATION FOR NONMATERIAL/NONSUBSTANTIVE CHANGE
0651-0058 PATENT PROSECUTION HIGHWAY (PPH) PILOT PROGRAM

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is submitting this change
worksheet for the revision of the form included in information collection 0651-0058
Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Pilot Program, which was previously approved by
OMB on 12/6/2006. This program between the USPTO and the Japan Patent Office
(JPO) allows 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. The program also enables the office of
second filing to exploit the search and examination results of the office of first filing,
which increases examination efficiency and improves patent quality.
The USPTO is revising the existing Form PTO/SB/20 in order to accommodate
participation in the PPH Program by the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office
(UKIPO). Accordingly, the name of Form PTO/SB/20 is also being revised to “Request
for Participation in the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Program Between the (1)
JPO or (2) UKIPO and the USPTO.” The revised form does not include any additional
information requirements.

Change in Burden
The information collection 0651-0058 PPH Pilot Program is currently approved with an
estimated burden of 500 responses, 1,000 hours, and $65,000 in annual (non-hour)
costs in the form of filing fees. The USPTO estimates that the inclusion of the UKIPO
will result in a burden increase of 250 responses, 500 hours, and $32,500 in annual
costs as a program change. Therefore, this collection would have a revised total
burden of 750 responses, 1,500 hours, and $97,500 in annual costs.
A sample copy of the proposed revised version of Form PTO/SB/20 has been attached
to this submission.