PTO - Next Generation Electronic Survey Regarding Fee Processing System Access

OMB Control Number 0690-0030

Expiration Date: 06/30/2017

FEE PROCESSING NEXT GENERATION (FPNG) User Survey

Introduction

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is conducting this survey to obtain a better understanding of customers’ preferences regarding the functionality of the Fee Processing Next Generation (FPNG) system. The goal of FPNG is to replace the current fee processing system with updated technology and to enhance the user experience. This survey is strictly voluntary, includes 18 questions and should take approximately 20 minutes to complete. This information collection contains requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number.

For the purpose of this survey, the following definitions apply:

• Item – A single good or service; related to one fee code

• Order – A set of goods/services that a customer would like to pay for at the same time; multiple fee codes

• Shopping Cart – The area of the internet store where a customer can view goods/services that they would like to pay for. The web page lists the fee codes, quantities, unit prices, and total amount.

• Storefront – The area of the internet store where the product/service order is determined. The user/applicant interacts with the USPTO storefront to determine the service type (file, search, examine, issue/register, maintain/renew), type of patent/trademark (design, utility, provisional, international, statement of use), claims/classes, number of sheets, late fees, time extensions, etc.

• Stored Payment Method – The types of payment methods used to pay fees to the USPTO, such as credit card, deposit account, or EFT.

• General Authorizations – A blanket approval to charge a deposit account for specific patent or trademark fee deficiencies or underpayments

Survey Questions

1. What role most closely describes your position in your organization?

   1. Law Firm Attorney Practitioner

   2. Legal Assistant or Administrator

   3. In-House Counsel

   4. Individual Pro Se Inventor or Applicant

   5. Accounting or Finance Representative

   6. Other, please describe_______________

2. Do you work on Patent or Trademark matters?

   1. Patents

   2. Trademarks

   3. Both Patents and Trademarks

   4. Neither, please describe______________

3. Approximately how many active Patent or Trademark matters does your organization have?

   1. 0 – 10

   2. 10 – 100

   3. 100 – 1,000

   4. 1,000+

4. What percentage of USPTO fees do you pay online versus on paper?

   1. 100%

   2. 75% - 100%

   3. 50% - 75%

   4. 25% - 50%

   5. 0% - 25%

5. If you answered less than 100% for question #4, please explain the types of fees you DON’T pay online.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What payment method do you use to pay fees to USPTO? (circle all that apply)

   1. Credit/Debit Card

   2. Deposit Account

   3. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)

   4. Check

   5. Wire Payment

Comments: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Questions 7 and 8 apply to Deposit Account Holders Only

7. Upcoming policy changes will require that several Deposit Account activities to be completed exclusively online. This includes opening a new Deposit Account, closing an existing Deposit Account, making a withdrawal from a Deposit Account, maintaining contact information (name/address/phone, etc.) and managing a list of authorized users on the account.

   1. Please rate your level of comfort with completing the Deposit Account activities listed above exclusively online on a scale of 1-5:

Not Comfortable At All

1

2

3

4

5

Very Comfortable

2. Which of the following would increase your level of comfort with completing the Deposit Account activities listed above exclusively online? (circle all that apply)

1. Access to a Help Desk

2. Online Video Tutorials

3. A Detailed User’s Guide

4. A Virtual Training Session

5. Comprehensive Help Functionality

6. Nothing, I am completely comfortable completing Deposit Account activities online

3. If you had access to the resources you selected above, rate your new level of comfort completing the Deposit Account activities listed above exclusively online:

Not Comfortable At All

1

2

3

4

5

Very Comfortable

4. Do you have any other specific ideas that would help increase your level of comfort with completing the Deposit Account activities listed above exclusively online? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Rate from 1 to 5 how likely you are to perform the following actions online (if available) with respect to a general authorization to charge a deposit account for specific patent or trademark fee deficiencies or underpayments.

Create a general authorization online at the time of filing, if filing electronically	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
Create a general authorization online after filing, whether filing in paper or electronically	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
Update a general authorization online throughout the life of the application, even if filing on paper	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
Assign effective begin / end date fields to manage the authorization period for the patent/trademark	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
Restrict a general authorization to specific fee codes	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
Restrict the individuals within your organization who can setup a general authorization	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely

9. USPTO will be adding Shopping Cart functionality to several online storefronts over the next few years. Rate from 1 to 5 how likely it is that you would need to do the following when paying USPTO fees.

   Use the Shopping Cart to pay for multiple items at once rather than selecting the Pay Now button	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
   Modify the order before making payment by deleting items	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
   Pay for only select items in your shopping cart and save others to pay for later	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
   Pay for items in your shopping cart with two different payment methods	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
   Pay for multiple orders from one storefront (i.e. patents OR trademarks)	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
   Pay for multiple orders from different storefronts (i.e. patents AND trademarks)	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely
   Add items to a Shared Shopping Cart so the items can viewed and paid for by another person in your organization or a client	Not Likely	1	2	3	4	5	Very Likely

10. How long should items be stored/saved in the shopping cart?

1. Until logging out of the system

2. One day

3. Three days

4. One week

5. Two weeks

9. Would you like to be alerted if the fee code amounts change for the items stored/saved in your cart?

Yes

No

9. Yes

   No

   Would you like to receive reminders about unpaid items in your cart before they are removed from the cart?

9. Yes

   No

   Would you like to receive reminders about unpaid items in your cart before they are removed from the cart?

9. What information would you like included on a payment receipt? (circle all that apply)

   1. Attorney Docket Number

   2. Client Matter Code

   3. Fee Code

   4. Fee Description

   5. Patent/Trademark Application Number

   6. Patent/Trademark Serial Number

   7. Payer Information (Name, Organization, Email Address)

   8. Other, please describe

9. How would you prefer to receive your receipt?

   1. Email

   2. By running a report in the USPTO fee payment system

   3. On the payment confirmation screen

   4. Other, please describe

9. How would you prefer to receive information about the new system rollout? (circle all that apply)

   1. Email

   2. USPTO Press Releases

   3. USPTO Director’s Forum Blog

   4. USPTO Monthly Review Publication

   5. USPTO’s FYI Publication

   6. Inventors Eye Publications

   7. Patents Alerts

   8. Trademarks Alerts

   9. OCCO Home Page

   10. USPTO's Facebook Page

   11. USPTO Twitter Feed

   12. Mailings (Deposit Account Statements and Examiner Office Actions)

9. What resources should the USPTO provide to help ease your transition to the new system? (circle all that apply)

   1. Access to a Help Desk

   2. Online Video Tutorials

   3. A Detailed User’s Guide

   4. A Virtual Training Session

   5. Comprehensive Help Functionality

   6. Nothing, I will figure it out on my own

9. How long do you anticipate that it will take your organization to transition your Stored Payment Methods to the new system?

   1. 1 week, we can’t wait to use the new system!

   2. 1-3 months, we will transition when we have time

   3. Unknown, we won’t migrate until we have to

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