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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) amends the rules of practice in patent cases to clarify and expand exceptions to the rule pertaining to government use licenses and their effect on small entity status for purposes of paying reduced patent fees. This action is designed to encourage persons, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations to collaborate with the Federal government by providing an opportunity to qualify for the small entity patent fees discount for inventions made during the course of federally-funded or federally-supported research.