Sunset of the Patent Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan and a Limited Extension of the Green Technology Pilot Program, 77979-77980 [2011-32115]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2011 / Notices
77979
PROPOSED TIMETABLE—Continued
Date
Location
Activity
Monday, April 16—Day 3 .........................
Riyadh-Dhahran ....
Tuesday, April 17—Day 4 ........................
Dhahran .................
Wednesday, April 18—Day 5 ...................
Dhahran-USA ........
KA–CARE visit and policy roundtable.
Call on Minister of Water and Electricity.
Discussion panels on: (1) Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Saudi Arabia;
(2) Financing Projects/Sales.
Evening: Fly to Dhahran.
Morning: Visit to Saudi Aramco, with briefing on renewable energy projects.
One-on-one matchmaking meetings.
Evening: Networking reception.
Optional morning site visit to Jubail Industrial City.
Departure for the U.S.
(NB: The precise schedule will depend on the availability of local government officials and business managers, and the specific goals of mission participants.)
Participation Requirements
All parties interested in participating
in the trade mission must complete and
submit an application package for
consideration by the DOC. All
applicants will be evaluated, on a
rolling basis, on their ability to meet
certain conditions and best satisfy the
selection criteria as outlined below. A
minimum of 15 and maximum of 25
companies will be selected to
participate in the mission from the
applicant pool. U.S. companies already
doing business with Saudi Arabia as
well as U.S. companies seeking to enter
to the Saudi Arabian market for the first
time may apply.
company’s products and/or services,
primary market objectives, and goals for
participation. If the Department of
Commerce receives an incomplete
application, the Department may reject
the application, request additional
information, or take the lack of
information into account when
evaluating the applications.
Each applicant must also certify that
the products or services it seeks to
export through the mission are either
produced in the United States, or, if not,
marketed under the name of a U.S. firm
and have at least 51 percent U.S.
content of the value of the finished
product or service.
Fees and Expenses
After a company or organization has
been selected to participate on the
mission, a payment to the Department of
Commerce in the form of a participation
fee is required. The participation fee for
the Trade Mission will be $3,020.00 for
a small or medium-sized firm (SME),1
and $3,502.00 for large firms. The fee for
each additional firm representative
(large firm or SME/trade organization) is
$500. Expenses for travel, lodging,
meals, and incidentals will be the
responsibility of each mission
participant. Delegation members will be
able to take advantage of U.S. Embassy
rates for hotel rooms.
Selection Criteria for Participation
Selection will be based on the
following criteria:
• Suitability of the company’s
products or services to the market
• Applicant’s potential for business
in Saudi Arabia and in the region,
including likelihood of exports resulting
from the mission
• Consistency of the applicant’s goals
and objectives with the stated scope of
the mission
Diversity of company size and
location may also be considered during
the review process.
Referrals from political organizations
and any documents containing
references to partisan political activities
(including political contributions) will
be removed from an applicant’s
submission and not considered during
the selection process.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Conditions for Participation
An applicant must submit a
completed mission application signed
by a company officer, together with
supplemental application materials,
including adequate information on the
1 An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer
employees or that otherwise qualifies as a small
business under SBA regulations (see https://
www.sba.gov/services/contracting opportunities/
sizestandardstopics/). Parent companies,
affiliates, and subsidiaries will be considered when
determining business size. The dual pricing reflects
the Commercial Service’s user fee schedule that
became effective May 1, 2008 (see https://
www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/
initiatives.html for additional information).
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Timeframe for Recruitment and
Applications
Mission recruitment will be
conducted in an open and public
manner, including publication in the
Federal Register, posting on the
Commerce Department trade mission
calendar (https://export.gov/
trademissions) and other Internet Web
sites (including the Renewable Energy &
Energy Efficiency Exporters Portal at
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
www.export.gov/reee), press releases to
general and trade media, direct mail,
notices by industry trade associations
and other multiplier groups, and
publicity at industry meetings,
symposia, conferences, and trade shows.
Recruitment for the mission will
begin immediately and conclude no
later than March 1, 2012. The U.S.
Department of Commerce will review
applications and make selection
decisions on a rolling basis beginning
February 1, 2012. Applications received
after March 1, 2012 will be considered
only if space and scheduling constraints
permit.
Contacts
Jennifer Derstine, Manufacturing and
Services, Office of Energy and
Environmental Industries,
Washington, DC, Tel: (202) 482 3889,
Email: Jennifer.Derstine@trade.gov.
Elnora Moye,
Trade Program Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2011–32131 Filed 12–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–FP–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No. PTO–P–2011–0078]
Sunset of the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan and
a Limited Extension of the Green
Technology Pilot Program
United States Patent and
Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The United States Patent and
Trademark Office (Office) has provided
two procedures under which an
applicant may have an application
accorded special status for examination.
The Patent Application Backlog
Reduction Stimulus Plan is available if
the applicant expressly abandons
another copending unexamined
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM
15DEN1
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
77980
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2011 / Notices
application. The Green Technology Pilot
Program is available to patent
applications pertaining to
environmental quality, energy
conservation, development of renewable
energy resources, and greenhouse gas
emission reduction. In view of the trend
in filings under the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, this
plan has fulfilled its purpose and will
not be extended. In view of the success
of the Green Technology Pilot Program,
this plan will be extended until 500
additional applications have been
accorded special status under this
program or until March 30, 2012,
whichever occurs earlier. Following the
expiration of this extension, the
program will be eliminated, and
applicants may instead use the newly
enacted Prioritized Examination (Track
I) program. The Track I program not
only provides advancement of
examination, but sets a target of
reaching final disposition within 12
months from the time advancement is
initiated. Furthermore, the advancement
in the Track I program is available to all
technologies and is not restricted to
certain categories of invention as in the
Pilot Program.
DATES: Effective Date: December 15,
2011. The Patent Application Backlog
Reduction Stimulus Plan became
effective on November 27, 2009, was
modified on June 24, 2010, and was
extended on November 22, 2010. The
Green Technology Pilot Program became
effective on December 8, 2009, was
modified to eliminate the classification
requirement on May 21, 2010, and was
extended on November 10, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Pinchus M. Laufer or Michael Cygan,
Office of Patent Legal Administration,
Office of the Associate Commissioner
for Patent Examination Policy, by
telephone at (571) 272–7726 or (571)
272–7700; or by mail addressed to: Mail
Stop Comments Patents, Commissioner
for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria,
VA 22313–1450.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
November 27, 2009, the USPTO
published a notice in the Federal
Register providing an additional
temporary basis (the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan)
under which a small entity applicant
may have an application accorded
special status for examination if the
applicant expressly abandons another
copending unexamined application. See
Patent Application Backlog Reduction
Stimulus Plan, 74 FR 62285 (Nov. 27,
2009), 1349 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 304
(Dec. 22, 2009) (notice). The USPTO
indicated that the plan would last for
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16:49 Dec 14, 2011
Jkt 226001
the period ending on February 28, 2010,
but may be extended for an additional
time period thereafter. See Patent
Application Backlog Reduction
Stimulus Plan, 74 FR at 62287, 1349 Off.
Gaz. Pat. Office at 306. The USPTO
extended the plan for an additional four
months to June 30, 2010. See Extension
of the Patent Application Backlog
Reduction Stimulus Plan, 75 FR 5041
(Feb. 1, 2010), 1351 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office
202 (Feb. 23, 2010). Subsequently, the
USPTO expanded the plan to eliminate
the small entity requirement and further
extended its duration to expire at the
earlier of the December 31, 2010 date, or
the date that 10,000 applications have
been accorded special status under this
plan. See Expansion and Extension of
the Patent Application Backlog
Reduction Stimulus Plan, 75 FR 36063
(June 24, 2010), 1356 Off. Gaz. Pat.
Office 173 (July 20, 2010). The USPTO
further extended the plan to expire at
the earlier of December 31, 2011, or the
date that 10,000 applications have been
accorded special status under this plan.
See Extension of the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, 75 FR
71072 (Nov. 22, 2010), 1361 Off. Gaz.
Pat. Office 230 (Dec. 28, 2010). Filings
under this plan reached a peak in late
2010 and have since steadily decreased.
Accordingly, as those desiring the
benefits of this plan have taken
advantage of its provisions, the Patent
Application Backlog Reduction
Stimulus Plan has run its course and
will not be further extended beyond
December 31, 2011.
On December 8, 2009, the USPTO
published a notice for the
implementation of the Green
Technology Pilot Program. See Pilot
Program for Green Technologies
Including Greenhouse Gas Reduction,
74 FR 64666 (December 8, 2009), 1349
Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 362 (December 29,
2009) (Green Technology Notice). The
Green Technology Notice indicated that
an applicant may have an application
advanced out of turn (accorded special
status) for examination, if the
application pertained to green
technologies and met other
requirements specified in the Green
Technology Notice. The USPTO
published a notice eliminating the
classification requirement of the Green
Technology Pilot Program on May 21,
2010. See Elimination of the
Classification Requirement in the Green
Technology Pilot Program, 75 FR 28554
(May 10, 2010), 1355 Off. Gaz. Pat.
Office 188 (June 15, 2010). The USPTO
further extended the program to expire
at the earlier of December 31, 2011, or
the date that 3,000 applications have
PO 00000
Frm 00018
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
been accorded special status under this
program. See Expansion and Extension
of the Green Technology Pilot Program,
75 FR 69049 (Nov. 10, 2010), 1361 Off.
Gaz. Pat. Office 50 (Dec. 7, 2010). In
view of the success of the Green
Technology Pilot Program in the
designated technology areas, the Green
Technology Pilot Program will be
extended until an additional 500
applications have been accorded special
status under this program (for a total of
3,500 applications) or March 30, 2012,
whichever occurs earlier. Following the
expiration of this extension, the
program will be eliminated, and
applicants may instead seek to use the
newly enacted Prioritized Examination
(Track I) program.
The Prioritized Examination (Track I)
program permits an applicant to have an
application advanced out of turn
(accorded special status) for
examination under 37 CFR 1.102(e), if
the application contains, upon filing, a
request for prioritized (Track I)
examination accompanied by the
appropriate fees. See Changes to
Implement the Prioritized Examination
Track (Track I) of the Enhanced
Examination Timing Control Procedures
Under the Leahy-Smith America Invents
Act, 76 FR 59050 (September 23, 2011),
1371 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 151 (October
18, 2011) (Track I Notice).
The Track I Program provides
prioritized examination having a more
aggressive time frame for examination
than the Green Technology Pilot
Program, with an aggregate goal of
reaching final disposition within 12
months and maintains an enhanced
special status of the application
throughout prosecution until final
disposition. Additionally, the Track I
Program does not have the restrictions
of the Green Technology Pilot Program
on the types of inventions for which
special status may be sought, as the
Track I Program does not require a
connection to any particular technology.
In view of the ability of any applicant
to request prioritized examination with
the filing of an application under the
procedure set forth in the Track I
Notice, the Green Technology Pilot
Program will not be extended past the
earlier of March 30, 2012, or the date
that 3,500 applications have been
accorded special status under this
program.
Dated: December 7, 2011.
David J. Kappos,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual
Property and Director of the United States
Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2011–32115 Filed 12–14–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77979-77980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32115]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No. PTO-P-2011-0078]
Sunset of the Patent Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan
and a Limited Extension of the Green Technology Pilot Program
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) has
provided two procedures under which an applicant may have an
application accorded special status for examination. The Patent
Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan is available if the
applicant expressly abandons another copending unexamined
[[Page 77980]]
application. The Green Technology Pilot Program is available to patent
applications pertaining to environmental quality, energy conservation,
development of renewable energy resources, and greenhouse gas emission
reduction. In view of the trend in filings under the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, this plan has fulfilled its purpose
and will not be extended. In view of the success of the Green
Technology Pilot Program, this plan will be extended until 500
additional applications have been accorded special status under this
program or until March 30, 2012, whichever occurs earlier. Following
the expiration of this extension, the program will be eliminated, and
applicants may instead use the newly enacted Prioritized Examination
(Track I) program. The Track I program not only provides advancement of
examination, but sets a target of reaching final disposition within 12
months from the time advancement is initiated. Furthermore, the
advancement in the Track I program is available to all technologies and
is not restricted to certain categories of invention as in the Pilot
Program.
DATES: Effective Date: December 15, 2011. The Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan became effective on November 27, 2009,
was modified on June 24, 2010, and was extended on November 22, 2010.
The Green Technology Pilot Program became effective on December 8,
2009, was modified to eliminate the classification requirement on May
21, 2010, and was extended on November 10, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pinchus M. Laufer or Michael Cygan,
Office of Patent Legal Administration, Office of the Associate
Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy, by telephone at (571) 272-
7726 or (571) 272-7700; or by mail addressed to: Mail Stop Comments
Patents, Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-
1450.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 27, 2009, the USPTO published a
notice in the Federal Register providing an additional temporary basis
(the Patent Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan) under which a
small entity applicant may have an application accorded special status
for examination if the applicant expressly abandons another copending
unexamined application. See Patent Application Backlog Reduction
Stimulus Plan, 74 FR 62285 (Nov. 27, 2009), 1349 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office
304 (Dec. 22, 2009) (notice). The USPTO indicated that the plan would
last for the period ending on February 28, 2010, but may be extended
for an additional time period thereafter. See Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, 74 FR at 62287, 1349 Off. Gaz. Pat.
Office at 306. The USPTO extended the plan for an additional four
months to June 30, 2010. See Extension of the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, 75 FR 5041 (Feb. 1, 2010), 1351 Off.
Gaz. Pat. Office 202 (Feb. 23, 2010). Subsequently, the USPTO expanded
the plan to eliminate the small entity requirement and further extended
its duration to expire at the earlier of the December 31, 2010 date, or
the date that 10,000 applications have been accorded special status
under this plan. See Expansion and Extension of the Patent Application
Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan, 75 FR 36063 (June 24, 2010), 1356 Off.
Gaz. Pat. Office 173 (July 20, 2010). The USPTO further extended the
plan to expire at the earlier of December 31, 2011, or the date that
10,000 applications have been accorded special status under this plan.
See Extension of the Patent Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus
Plan, 75 FR 71072 (Nov. 22, 2010), 1361 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 230 (Dec.
28, 2010). Filings under this plan reached a peak in late 2010 and have
since steadily decreased. Accordingly, as those desiring the benefits
of this plan have taken advantage of its provisions, the Patent
Application Backlog Reduction Stimulus Plan has run its course and will
not be further extended beyond December 31, 2011.
On December 8, 2009, the USPTO published a notice for the
implementation of the Green Technology Pilot Program. See Pilot Program
for Green Technologies Including Greenhouse Gas Reduction, 74 FR 64666
(December 8, 2009), 1349 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 362 (December 29, 2009)
(Green Technology Notice). The Green Technology Notice indicated that
an applicant may have an application advanced out of turn (accorded
special status) for examination, if the application pertained to green
technologies and met other requirements specified in the Green
Technology Notice. The USPTO published a notice eliminating the
classification requirement of the Green Technology Pilot Program on May
21, 2010. See Elimination of the Classification Requirement in the
Green Technology Pilot Program, 75 FR 28554 (May 10, 2010), 1355 Off.
Gaz. Pat. Office 188 (June 15, 2010). The USPTO further extended the
program to expire at the earlier of December 31, 2011, or the date that
3,000 applications have been accorded special status under this
program. See Expansion and Extension of the Green Technology Pilot
Program, 75 FR 69049 (Nov. 10, 2010), 1361 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 50
(Dec. 7, 2010). In view of the success of the Green Technology Pilot
Program in the designated technology areas, the Green Technology Pilot
Program will be extended until an additional 500 applications have been
accorded special status under this program (for a total of 3,500
applications) or March 30, 2012, whichever occurs earlier. Following
the expiration of this extension, the program will be eliminated, and
applicants may instead seek to use the newly enacted Prioritized
Examination (Track I) program.
The Prioritized Examination (Track I) program permits an applicant
to have an application advanced out of turn (accorded special status)
for examination under 37 CFR 1.102(e), if the application contains,
upon filing, a request for prioritized (Track I) examination
accompanied by the appropriate fees. See Changes to Implement the
Prioritized Examination Track (Track I) of the Enhanced Examination
Timing Control Procedures Under the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, 76
FR 59050 (September 23, 2011), 1371 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 151 (October
18, 2011) (Track I Notice).
The Track I Program provides prioritized examination having a more
aggressive time frame for examination than the Green Technology Pilot
Program, with an aggregate goal of reaching final disposition within 12
months and maintains an enhanced special status of the application
throughout prosecution until final disposition. Additionally, the Track
I Program does not have the restrictions of the Green Technology Pilot
Program on the types of inventions for which special status may be
sought, as the Track I Program does not require a connection to any
particular technology.
In view of the ability of any applicant to request prioritized
examination with the filing of an application under the procedure set
forth in the Track I Notice, the Green Technology Pilot Program will
not be extended past the earlier of March 30, 2012, or the date that
3,500 applications have been accorded special status under this
program.
Dated: December 7, 2011.
David J. Kappos,
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of
the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2011-32115 Filed 12-14-11; 8:45 am]
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