View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 0651-0058	ICR Reference No: 201110-0651-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201105-0651-010
Agency/Subagency: DOC/PTO	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) Program
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 01/30/2012
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 12/09/2011
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	01/31/2015	36 Months From Approved	01/31/2012
Responses	3,900	0	3,700
Time Burden (Hours)	7,800	0	7,400
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Abstract: 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 forms in this collection allow participants to file a request in a corresponding U.S. application and petition to make the U.S. application special under the PPH or PCT-PPH program. The forms collect similar data; however, there is a unique form for each participant. The USPTO is proposing to add two forms to this collection (PTO/SB/20NO and PTO/SB/20IS) for new participants in the PPH pilot program. The USPTO launched the PPH pilot program with the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) on November 1, 2011, and the Icelandic Patent Office (IPO) on December 1, 2011.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 35 USC 119

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	76 FR 40339	07/08/2011
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	76 FR 76951	12/09/2011
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to Agency Discretion
Annual Number of Responses	3,900	3,700	200
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	7,800	7,400	400
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: The increases in annual responses and burden hours are due to program changes from adding two forms for new participants in the PPH pilot program--the Norwegian Industrial Property Office (NIPO) and the Icelandic Patent Office (IPO).

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $300,651

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Magdalen Greenlief 703 305-8813 mgreenlief@uspto.gov

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