No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection
No
Regular
Approved without change
09/27/2010
09/22/2010
table that charts list comparision
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
01/31/2012
01/31/2012
01/31/2012
2,600
0
2,100
5,200
0
4,200
7,800
0
6,300
The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program was originally established between the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) on July 3, 2006. The PPH program 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. At the same time, the PPH program allows 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 PCT-PPH pilot program is an expansion to the PPH program based on the framework of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Information collected for the PCT is approved under OMB control number 0651-0021.
The USPTO is submitting this request to update the information collection for the PPH program. The USPTO is adding five forms to this collection for new participants in the PPH and PCT-PPH pilot programs: PPH Austria, PCT-PPH Austria, PCT-PPH Russia, PCT-PPH Spain, and PCT-PPH United States. The USPTO plans to launch the PCT-PPH pilot programs with Austria, Russia, and Spain on October 1, 2010.
The increases in responses and burden hours for this collection are due to program changes from the addition of five new forms into the collection for new participants in the PPH and PCT-PPH pilot programs (PPH Austria, PCT-PPH Austria, PCT-PPH Russia, PCT-PPH Spain, and PCT-PPH United States). The increases in annual cost burden are also program changes and represent the record keeping costs associated with submitting these proposed new forms in this collection online.
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.
Request for Participation in the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Program Between the JPO and the USPTO