Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Trademark Post Registration
| Published date | 12 May 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 26015 |
| Record Number | 2021-09972 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Patent And Trademark Office |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 90 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 12, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26015-26018]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09972]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Trademark Post Registration
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on
the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-
0055 (Trademark Post Registration). The purpose of this notice is to
allow 60 days for public comment preceding submission of the
information collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this information
collection must be received on or before July 12, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by
any of the following methods. Do not submit Confidential Business
Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
Email: [email protected]. Include ``0651-
0055 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Mail: Kimberly Hardy, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to Catherine Cain, Attorney Advisor, Office of the
Commissioner for Trademarks, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-272-8946;
or by email at [email protected] with ``0651-0055 comment'' in
the subject line. Additional information about this information
collection is also available at http://www.reginfo.gov under
``Information Collection Review.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) administers
the Trademark Act, 15 U.S.C. 1051 et seq., which provides for the
Federal registration of trademarks, service marks, collective
trademarks and service marks, collective membership marks, and
certification marks. Individuals and businesses that use or intend to
use such marks in commerce may file an application to register their
marks with the USPTO.
This information collection covers various communications submitted
by individuals and businesses to the USPTO occurring after registration
of a trademark. One type of communication is a request to amend
registrations to delete goods or services that are no longer being used
by the registrant or registration owner. Registered marks remain on the
register for 10 years and can be renewed, but will be cancelled unless
the registration owner files with the USPTO a declaration attesting to
the continued use (or excusable non-use) of the mark in commerce, and a
renewal application, within specific deadlines. Registration owners may
also request to amend or divide a registration, respond to a post-
registration Office action, and surrender a registration.
The information in this information collection is used to maintain
the quality of the trademark register. The register information may be
accessed by an individual or by businesses to determine the
availability of a mark. By keeping the register current and accurate,
parties may reduce the possibility of initiating use of a mark
previously adopted by another.
II. Methods of Collection
Items in this information collection must be submitted via online
electronic submissions through the Trademark Electronic Application
System (TEAS). In limited circumstances, applicants may also be
permitted to submit the information in paper form by mail or hand
delivery.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0651-0055.
Form Numbers:
PTO Form 1563 (Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce Under
Section 8)
PTO Form 1573 (Declaration of Incontestability of a Mark Under
Section 15)
PTO Form 1583 (Combined Declaration of Use and
[[Page 26016]]
Incontestability Under Sections 8 and 15)
PTO Form 1597 (Section 7 Request)
PTO Form 1963 (Combined Declaration of Use of Mark in Commerce
and Application for Renewal of Registration of a Mark Under Sections 8
and 9)
PTO Form 2302 (Response to Office Action for Post-Registration
Matters)
PTO Form 2309 (Surrender of Registration for Cancellation)
PTO Form 2310 (Request to Divide Registration)
PTO Form 2311 (Section 12(c) Affidavit)
Type of Review: Extension and revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Affected Public: Private sector; individuals or households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 219,694 respondents per year.
Estimated Number of Responses: 219,694 responses per year.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it takes the
public approximately between 10 minutes (0.17 hours) and 45 minutes
(0.75 hours), depending on the complexity of the situation. This
includes the time to gather the necessary information, prepare the
appropriate documents, and submit the information to the USPTO.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hour: 113,620 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent (Hourly) Cost Burden:
$45,448,000.
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\1\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms
which is $400 per hour.
Table 1--Burden Hour/Burden Cost to Private Sector Respondents
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Estimated Estimated Estimated annual
Item No. Item annual annual Estimated time for response Estimated burden Rate 1 ($/ respondent cost
respondents responses (hours) (hour/year) hour) burden
(a) (b).......................... (a) x (b) = (c) (d) (c) x (d) = (e)
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1............ Declaration of Use 11,932 11,932 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 5,966 $400 $2,386,400
of Mark in Commerce
Under Section 8
(PTO Form 1563).
2............ Combined Declaration 70,235 70,235 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 35,118 400 14,047,200
of Use of Mark in
Commerce and
Application for
Renewal of
Registration of a
Mark Under Sections
8 & 9 (PTO Form
1963).
3............ Declaration of 853 853 0.17 (10 minutes)............ 145 400 58,000
Incontestability of
a Mark Under
Section 15 (PTO
Form 1573).
4............ Combined Declaration 72,448 72,448 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 36,224 400 14,489,600
of Use and
Incontestability
Under Sections 8
and 15 (PTO Form
1583).
5............ Surrender of 390 390 0.17 (10 minutes)............ 66 400 26,400
registration for
cancellation (PTO
Form 2309).
6............ Section 7 Request 5,330 5,330 0.58 (35 minutes)............ 3,091 400 1,236,400
(PTO Form 1597).
7............ Response to Office 12,001 12,001 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 9,001 400 3,600,400
Action for Post-
Registration
Matters (PTO Form
2302).
8............ Request to Divide 2,566 2,566 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 1,283 400 513,200
Registration (PTO
Form 2310).
9............ Section 12(c) 1 1 0.25 (15 minutes)............ 1 400 400
Affidavit (PTO Form
2311).
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Total............ 175,756 175,756 ............................. 90,895 .............. 36,358,000
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Table 2--Burden Hour/Burden Cost to Individual or Household Respondents
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Estimated Estimated Estimated annual
Item No. Item annual annual Estimated time for response Estimated burden Rate 2 ($/ respondent cost
respondents responses (hours) (hour/year) hour) burden
(a) (b).......................... (a) x (b) = (c) (d) (c) x (d) = (e)
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1............ Declaration of Use 2,983 2,983 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 1,492 $400 $596,800
of Mark in Commerce
Under Section 8
(PTO Form 1563).
2............ Combined Declaration 17,559 17,559 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 8,780 400 3,512,000
of Use of Mark in
Commerce and
Application for
Renewal of
Registration of a
Mark Under Sections
8 & 9 (PTO Form
1963).
3............ Declaration of 213 213 0.17 (10 minutes)............ 36 400 14,400
Incontestability of
a Mark Under
Section 15 (PTO
Form 1573).
4............ Combined Declaration 18,112 18,112 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 9,056 400 3,622,400
of Use and
Incontestability
Under Sections 8
and 15 (PTO Form
1583).
5............ Surrender of 98 98 0.17 (10 minutes)............ 17 400 6,800
registration for
cancellation (PTO
Form 2309).
6............ Section 7 Request 1,332 1,332 0.58 (35 minutes)............ 773 400 309,200
(PTO Form 1597).
[[Page 26017]]
7............ Response to Office 3,000 3,000 0.75 (45 minutes)............ 2,250 400 900,000
Action for Post-
Registration
Matters (PTO Form
2302).
8............ Request to Divide 641 641 0.50 (30 minutes)............ 321 400 128,400
Registration (PTO
Form 2310).
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Total............ 43,938 43,938 ............................. 22,725 .............. 9,090,000
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Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden:
$89,646,738. This information collection has no capital startup,
maintenance fees, or operating fees. However, this information
collection does have filing fees and postage costs. The total annual
non-hour respondent cost burden for this information collection in the
form of filing fees ($89,646,625) and postage costs ($113) is
approximately $89,646,738.
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\2\ 2019 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the
Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American
Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA); https://www.aipla.org/detail/journal-issue/2019-report-of-the-economic-survey. The USPTO uses the mean rate for attorneys in private firms
which is $400 per hour.
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Filing Fees
Filing fees are charged per class of goods or services and can vary
depending on the number of classes. The filing fees shown here are
based on the minimum fee of one class per document associated with this
information collection.
Table 3--Filing Fees (Non-Hour) Cost Burden Trademark Post Registration
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Estimated
Item No. Item annual Estimated cost Estimated non-
responses hour cost burden
(a) (b) (a) x (b) = (c)
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1......................... Declaration of Use of Mark in 14,915 $225 $3,355,875
Commerce Under Section 8.
2......................... Combined Declaration of Use of 87,791 525 46,090,275
Mark in Commerce and Application
for Renewal of Registration of a
Mark Under Sections 8 & 9 (TEAS).
2......................... Combined Declaration of Use of 3 825 2,475
Mark in Commerce and Application
for Renewal of Registration of a
Mark Under Sections 8 & 9
(paper).
2......................... Issuing New Certificate of 200 100 20,000
Registration.
2......................... Certificate of Correction, 6,463 100 646,300
Registrant's Error (TEAS).
2......................... Certificate of Correction, 1 200 200
Registrant's Error (paper).
3......................... Declaration of Incontestability 1,066 200 213,200
of a Mark Under Section 15.
4......................... Combined Declaration of Use and 90,557 425 38,486,725
Incontestability Under Section 8
and 15 (TEAS).
4......................... Combined Declaration of Use and 3 625 1,875
Incontestability Under Section 8
and 15 (paper).
6......................... Section 7 Request................ 488 100 48,800
6-7....................... Deletion of Goods or Services 1,839 250 459,750
after submission and prior to
acceptance of a section 8
affidavit (TEAS).
6-7....................... Deletion of Goods or Services 1 350 350
after submission and prior to
acceptance of a section 8
affidavit (paper).
8......................... Request to Divide Registration... 3,207 100 320,700
9......................... Section 12(c) Affidavit.......... 1 100 100
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Total......................... .............. .............. 89,646,625
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Postage Costs
Although the USPTO requires that the items in this information
collection be submitted electronically, the items may, in limited
situations, be submitted by mail through the United States Postal
Service (USPS). The USPTO estimates that the average postage cost for a
mailed submission, using a Priority Mail 2-day flat rate legal
envelope, will be $8.05. The USPTO estimates approximately 14
submissions per year may be mailed to the USPTO, for a total postage
cost of $113 per year.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
IV. Request for Comments
The USPTO is soliciting public comments to:
(a) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency,
including whether the information shall have practical utility;
(b) Evaluate the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and
(d) Minimize the burden of the collection on those who are to
respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
All comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. The USPTO will include or summarize each comment in the
request to OMB to approve this information
[[Page 26018]]
collection. Before including an address, phone number, email address,
or other personal identifying information (PII) in a comment, be aware
that the entire comment--including PII--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask in your comment to withhold PII from
public view, the USPTO cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Kimberly Hardy,
Information Collections Officer, Office of the Chief Administrative
Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2021-09972 Filed 5-11-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P
