Patent applications that contain
nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosures must include a
copy of the sequence listing in accordance with the requirements in
37 CFR 1.821-1.825. Applicants submit copies of sequence listings
for both U.S. and international biotechnology patent applications.
The USPTO uses the sequence listings during the examination process
to determine the patentability of the associated patent
application. The USPTO also uses the sequence listings to support
publication of patent applications and issued patents. Sequence
listings are searchable after publication. This information
collection covers the submission of the sequence listing
information itself. Information pertaining to the filing of the
initial U.S. patent application is collected under OMB Control
Number 0651-0032, and information pertaining to the filing of the
initial international application is collected under OMB Control
Number 0651-0021. In particular, this information collection
accounts for sequence listings submitted on paper, compact disc
(CD), or through EFS-Web, the USPTO’s online filing system.
Sequence listings may be submitted via EFS-Web as an ASCII text
file or in Portable Document Format (PDF). For U.S. applications, §
1.821(c) permits all modes of submission: paper, CD, or EFS-Web.
Sequence listings for international applications may be submitted
on paper or through EFS-Web only, though sequence listings that are
too large to be filed electronically though EFS-Web may be
submitted on CD. This information collection also accounts for the
requirement under § 1.821(e) that a copy of the sequence listing
required by § 1.821(c) be submitted in computer readable form (CRF)
in accordance with the requirements of § 1.824. Under §§
1.821(e)–(f), applicants who submit their sequence listings on
paper, CD, or as a PDF via EFS-Web must submit a copy of the
sequence listing in CRF with a statement indicating that the CRF
copy of the sequence listing is identical to the paper, CD, or PDF
copy provided under § 1.821(c). Applicants may submit the CRF copy
of the sequence listing to the USPTO on CD or other acceptable
media as provided in § 1.824. If a new application is filed via
EFS-Web with an ASCII text file sequence listing that complies with
the requirements of §§ 1.824(a)(2)–(6) and (b), and applicant has
not filed a sequence listing on paper, CD or as a PDF file, the
text file will serve as both the copy required by § 1.821(c) and
the CRF required by § 1.821(e). Moreover, the associated statement
of identity would not be required. This information collection also
covers the mechanism in § 1.821(e) where an applicant may request,
in limited circumstances, a transfer of the CRF from the
application already on file to the new application, if the CRF
sequence listing in a new application is identical to the CRF
sequence listing of another application that the applicant already
has on file at the USPTO. In such a case, the applicant may submit
a letter identifying the application and CRF sequence listing that
is already on file and stating that the sequence listing submitted
in the new application is identical to the CRF copy already filed
with the previous application. The USPTO provides a form, Request
for Transfer of a Computer Readable Form Under 37 CFR 1.821(e)
(PTO/SB/93), in order to assist customers in submitting this
statement.
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.