JUSTIFICATION FOR NONMATERIAL/NONSUBSTANTIVE CHANGE
Patents for Humanity
OMB Control Number 0651-0066
2022
Background:
The Patents for Humanity Program incentivizes the distribution of patented technologies or products for the purpose of addressing humanitarian needs. The USPTO collects information annually from applicants that describes their actions taken with their patented technologies for humanitarian purposes. There are several categories in which applicants can seek an award.
This change worksheet adds a new program resulting in both a Patents for Humanity and a Trademark for Humanity program. As awareness of the Patents for Humanity programs has grown, so has interest in participation by applicates for Trademark. The USPTO seeks to add a “Trademarks for Humanity Program” similar to the existing program. The program will begin as a pilot program, with the topic of environmental impacts. Applicants with registered trademarks will describe how their trademark(s) have been used or related to improving the environment. Like the Patents for Humanity, this Trademark focused program will also have a variety of topics depending upon the year.
The process for the Trademarks for Humanity will function in the same way as the existing Patents for Humanity. Applications will be submitted through an electronic portal. Once submitted, applications will be publicly available on the application portal. USPTO will judge the applications and then send top-scoring applications to reviewers from participating federal agencies to recommend award recipients. Awards will be public and recipients will receive recognition for their humanitarian efforts from USPTO and executive branch leadership. These awards are recognition only, there is no special reward or waiver being given for the Trademarks for Humanity program. Patents for Humanity, in contrast, will continue its own reward certification process.
Burden Changes:
Burden Type |
Currently Approved |
Proposed Change |
New Estimate |
Responses |
115 |
30 |
145 |
Time Burden (Hours) |
428 |
30 |
458 |
Cost Burden (Dollars) |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
The 0651-0066 revised total burden is as follows:
145 respondents
458 burden hours
$0 in annual (non-hour) costs
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Gunther, Sarah (AMBIT) |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2023-08-26 |