The United States Patent and Trademark
Office (USPTO) is required by 35 U.S.C. 131 and 151 to examine
applications and, when appropriate, allow applications and issue
them as patents. Chapter 30 of Title 35 U.S.C. provides that any
person at any time may file a request for reexamination by the
USPTO of any claim of a patent on the basis of prior art patents or
printed publications. Once initiated, the reexamination proceedings
under Chapter 30 are substantially ex parte and do not permit input
from third parties. Chapter 31 of Title 35 U.S.C. provides for
inter partes reexamination allowing third parties to participate
throughout the reexamination proceeding. If a request for ex parte
or inter partes reexamination is denied, the requester may petition
the Director to review the examiners refusal of reexamination. The
rules outlining ex parte and inter partes reexaminations are found
at 37 CFR 1.510-1.570 and 1.902-1.997. The public uses this
information collection to request reexamination proceedings and to
ensure that the associated fees and documentation are submitted to
the USPTO.
Information requirements
related to patent reexaminations are currently covered under OMB
Control Number 0651-0033, along with other requirements related to
patent issue fees and reissue applications. The USPTO is proposing
to move the following items that are under 0651-0033 into a new
information collection for Patent Reexaminations: Request for Ex
Parte Reexamination Transmittal Form; Request for Inter Partes
Reexamination Transmittal Form; Petition to Review the Refusal to
Grant Ex Parte Reexamination; Petition to Review the Refusal to
Grant Inter Partes Reexamination; and Petition to Request Extension
of Time in Ex Parte or Inter Partes Reexamination. The USPTO is
also proposing to include additional items related to patent
reexaminations in this new information collection: Request for Ex
Parte Reexamination; Request for Inter Partes Reexamination; Patent
Owners 37 CFR 1.530 Statement; Third Party Requesters 37 CFR
1.535 Reply; Amendment in Ex Parte or Inter Partes Reexamination;
Third Party Requesters 37 CFR 1.947 Comments in Inter Partes
Reexamination; Response to Final Rejection in Ex Parte
Reexamination; Patent Owners 37 CFR 1.951 Response in Inter Partes
Reexamination; and Third Party Requesters 37 CFR 1.951 Comments in
Inter Partes Reexamination. These additional items are existing
information requirements that previously were not fully covered by
an information collection and are now being included in order to
more accurately reflect the burden on the public for submitting
requests related to patent reexaminations.
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.