The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act
was enacted into law on September 16, 2011 (Pub. L. 112-29, 125
Stat. 283 (2011)). Section 3 of the Leahy-Smith America Invents
Act, inter alia, amends the patent laws to: (1) convert the United
States patent system from a "first to invent" system to a "first
inventor to file" system. The changes in section 3 of the AIA went
into effect on March 16, 2013, but apply only to certain
applications filed on or after March 16, 2013. 37 CFR 1.55(k),
1.78(a)(6) and 1.78(d)(6) require information needed to assist the
USPTO in determining whether an application is subject to 35 U.S.C.
102 and 103 as amended by the AIA or 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 in
effect on March 15, 2013. 37 CFR 1.110 requires information needed
to identify the inventorship and ownership, or obligation to assign
ownership, of each claimed invention on its effective filing date
(as defined in § 1.109) or on its date of invention, as applicable,
in an application or patent naming one or more joint inventors,
when necessary for purposes of a USPTO proceeding. 37 CFR 1.130,
1.131, and 1.132 provide for the submission of affidavits or
declarations needed (i) to show that a disclosure was by the
inventor or joint inventor, or was by a party who obtained the
subject matter from the inventor or a joint inventor (1.130), (ii)
to show that there was a prior public disclosure by the inventor or
a joint inventor, or by a party who obtained the subject matter
from the inventor or a joint inventor (1.130), (iii) to establish
prior invention or to disqualify a commonly owned patent or
published application as prior art (1.131), or (iv) to submit
evidence to traverse a rejection or objection on a basis not
otherwise provided for (1.132).
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.