Patent cases: Effective date delay,

[Federal Register: October 1, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 190)]

[Rules and Regulations]

[Page 52609-52610]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr01oc98-15]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Patent and Trademark Office

37 CFR Part 1

[Docket No. 980713170-8247-02]

RIN 0651-AA96

Revision of Patent Fees for Fiscal Year 1999

AGENCY: Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule; Delay of effective date.

SUMMARY: The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) published a final rule in the Federal Register of July 24, 1998, that revised certain patent fee amounts for fiscal year 1999. Since then, a continuing resolution appropriations bill has been passed by the Congress and signed by the President. The continuing resolution maintains patent fees at their September 1998 (fiscal year 1998) rates through October 9, 1998. This document delays the effective date

[[Page 52610]]

of the PTO's final rule until October 10, 1998, unless it is superseded by law.

DATES: The effective date of the final rule published at 63 FR 46891, July 24, 1998, and corrected at 63 FR 46981, September 3, 1998, is delayed until October 10, 1998, unless it is superseded by law. If this date is superseded by law, PTO will publish further notice in the Federal Register.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Lee by telephone at (703) 305- 8051, fax at (703) 305-8007, or by mail marked to his attention and addressed to the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks, Office of Finance, Crystal Park 1, Suite 802, Washington, D.C. 20231.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) published a final rule in the Federal Register of July 24, 1998, that revised certain patent fee amounts for fiscal year 1999 (63 FR 39731). See also 63 FR 46891 (September 3, 1998) (correcting one of the fee amounts specified in the July 24, 1998 final rule). Since then, a continuing resolution appropriations bill was passed by the Congress and signed by the President on September 25, 1998. See H.J. Res. 128, P.L. 105-240 (1998). It maintains patent fees at their September 1998 (fiscal year 1998) rates through the period of the continuing resolution enacted on September 25, 1998, which expires October 9, 1998. The continuing resolution supersedes the July 24, 1998, final rule on revision of patent fees for fiscal year 1999. Accordingly, this notice delays the effective date of the final rule until October 10, 1998. Additional continuing resolutions could further extend the fiscal year 1998 fee rates into fiscal year 1999.

Legislation is still pending in the Congress to set new patent fees for fiscal year 1999. If an appropriations or authorization bill authorizing new patent fees is enacted prior to the expiration of a continuing resolution, it will supersede the continuing resolution. Patent customers should refer to the official PTO website (www.uspto.gov), or call the PTO General Information Services Division at (703) 308-4357 or (800) PTO-9199, for the most current fee amounts and information.

Dated: September 28, 1998. Bruce A. Lehman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks.

[FR Doc. 98-26428Filed9-30-98; 8:45 am]

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