Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions, 68419-68422 [2013-27214]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 220 / Thursday, November 14, 2013 / Notices
Education Program Southeast; status
reports from NOAA Fisheries Southeast
Regional Office and the Southeast
Fisheries Science Center; review agency
and liaison reports; and discuss other
business and upcoming meetings.
Documents regarding these issues are
available from the Council office (see
ADDRESSES).
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in this agenda may come
before these groups for discussion, those
issues may not be the subject of formal
action during these meetings. Action
will be restricted to those issues
specifically identified in this notice and
any issues arising after publication of
this notice that require emergency
action under section 305(c) of the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
provided the public has been notified of
the Council’s intent to take final action
to address the emergency.
ADDRESSES:
Special Accommodations
These meetings are physically
accessible to people with disabilities.
Requests for auxiliary aids should be
directed to the Council office (see
ADDRESSES) 3 days prior to the meeting.
This meeting time and agenda are
subject to change.
The meeting is convened to hear
presentations and discuss policies and
guidance on the following topics:
Seafood certification and sustainability,
Endangered Species Act and section 7
consultations, outcomes of the
Managing Our Nation’s Fisheries 3
conference and next steps, recreational
fisheries issues, and the NMFS budget.
The meeting will include discussion of
various MAFAC administrative and
organizational matters and may include
meetings of the standing subcommittees.
Note: The times and sequence specified in
this agenda are subject to change.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Dated: November 8, 2013.
Tracey L. Thompson,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable
Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–27225 Filed 11–13–13; 8:45 am]
The meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to
Mark Holliday, MAFAC Executive
Director; 301–427–8004 by November
22, 2013.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC886
Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee
Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of open public meeting.
AGENCY:
This notice sets forth the
proposed schedule and agenda of a
forthcoming meeting of the Marine
Fisheries Advisory Committee
(MAFAC). The members will discuss
and provide advice on issues outlined
under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
below.
DATES: The meeting will be held
December 3–5, 2013 from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m.
TKELleY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
19:20 Nov 13, 2013
Matters To Be Considered
Special Accommodations
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
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The meeting will be held at
the Silver Spring Civic Center, One
Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD
20910; 240–777–5350.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Holliday, MAFAC Executive
Director; (301) 427–8004; email:
Mark.Holliday@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As
required by section 10(a)(2) of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5
U.S.C. App. 2, notice is hereby given of
a meeting of MAFAC. The MAFAC was
established by the Secretary of
Commerce (Secretary), and, since 1971,
advises the Secretary on all living
marine resource matters that are the
responsibility of the Department of
Commerce. The complete charter and
summaries of prior meetings are located
online at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
ocs/mafac/.
Jkt 232001
Dated: November 7, 2013.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
Regulatory Programs, performing the
functions and duties of the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013–27284 Filed 11–13–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board
(TTAB) Actions
ACTION:
Proposed collection; comment
request.
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68419
The United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO), as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork
and respondent burden, invites the
general public and other Federal
agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on this continuing
information collection, as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before January 13, 2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
• Email: InformationCollection@
uspto.gov. Include ‘‘0651–0040
comment’’ in the subject line of the
message.
• Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records
Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, United States Patent and
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313–1450.
• Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information
should be directed to LaToya Brown,
Technical Quality Review Analyst,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board,
United States Patent and Trademark
Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA
22313–1450; by telephone at 571–272–
4283; or by email to LaToya.Brown@
uspto.gov with ‘‘Paperwork’’ in the
subject line. Additional information
about this collection is also available at
https://www.reginfo.gov under
‘‘Information Collection Review.’’
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
I. Abstract
This collection of information is
required by the Trademark Act of 1946,
Sections 13, 14, and 20, 15 U.S.C. 1063,
1064, and 1070, respectively. Under the
Trademark Act, any individual or entity
that adopts a trademark or service mark
to identify its goods or services may
apply to federally register its mark.
Section 14 of the Trademark Act allows
individuals and entities to file a petition
to cancel a registration of a mark, while
Section 13 allows individuals and
entities who believe that they would be
damaged by the registration of a mark to
file an opposition, or an extension of
time to file an opposition, to the
registration of a mark. Section 20 of the
Trademark Act allows individuals and
entities to file an appeal from any final
decision of the Trademark Examining
Attorney assigned to review an
application for registration of a mark.
The USPTO administers the
Trademark Act pursuant to 37 CFR Part
2, which contains the various rules that
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 220 / Thursday, November 14, 2013 / Notices
govern the filing of petitions to cancel
the registration of a mark, notices of
opposition to the registration of a mark,
extensions of time to file an opposition,
appeals, and other papers filed in
connection with inter partes and ex
partes proceedings. These petitions,
notices, extensions, and additional
papers are filed with the Trademark
Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), an
administrative tribunal empowered to
determine the right to register and
subsequently determine the validity of a
trademark.
The information in this collection can
be submitted in paper format or
electronically through the Electronic
System for Trademark Trials and
Appeals (ESTTA). There are no paper
forms associated with this collection.
However, the TTAB has suggested
formats for the Petition to Cancel and
the Notice of Opposition that
individuals and entities can use when
submitting these petitions and notices to
the TTAB. These are not forms and, as
such, do not have form numbers. If
applicants or entities wish to submit the
petitions, notices, extensions, and
additional papers in inter partes and ex
parte cases electronically, they must use
the forms provided through ESTTA.
Oppositions to extensions of protection
under the Madrid Protocol, as well as
requests for extensions to oppose, must
be filed electronically through ESTTA.
This collection contains two suggested
formats and six electronic forms.
The additional papers filed in inter
partes and ex parte proceedings can be
filed in paper or electronically.
Although the number of paper filings is
decreasing in favor of electronic filings,
there still are a small percentage of
paper submissions.
The information in this collection is
a matter of public record, and is used by
the public for a variety of private
business purposes related to
establishing and enforcing trademark
rights. This information is important to
the public, as both common law
trademark owners and federal trademark
registrants must actively protect their
own rights.
II. Method of Collection
By mail, hand delivery, or
electronically through ESTTA when a
party files a petition to cancel a
trademark registration, an opposition to
the registration of a trademark, a request
to extend the time to file an opposition,
a notice of appeal, or additional papers
for inter partes and ex parte proceedings
with the USPTO. However, notices of
opposition and extensions of time to file
notices of opposition against the
extensions of protection under the
Madrid Protocol must be filed
electronically through ESTTA. Only
notices of appeal for ex parte appeals
can be submitted by facsimile, in
accordance with 37 CFR 2.195(d)(3).
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651–0040.
Estimated time
for response
(minutes)
Item
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Form Number(s): PTO 2120, 2151,
2153, 2188, 2189, and 2190.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses or other
for profits; non-profit institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
76,017 responses per year. Of this total,
the USPTO estimates that
approximately 92% (70,100) will be
filed electronically.
Estimated Time per Response: The
USPTO estimates that it will take the
public from 10 to 30 minutes (0.17 to
0.50 hours), depending on the
complexity of the situation, to gather the
necessary information, prepare the
appropriate documents, and submit the
information required for this collection.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent
Burden Hours: 15,524 hours per year.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent
Cost Burden: $3,974,144. The USPTO
estimates that it will take a 50/50 level
of effort by attorneys and
paraprofessional/paralegals to complete
the requirements in this collection. The
hourly rate for attorneys is $389, while
the hourly rate for paraprofessional/
paralegals is $122. After calculating the
average of these rates, the USPTO
estimates that the hourly rate for
completing the petitions, notices,
requests, and other papers will be $256.
Using this hourly rate, the USPTO
estimates that the total respondent cost
burden for this collection will be
$3,974,144 per year.
Petition to Cancel ..................................................................................................................
Electronic Petition to Cancel .................................................................................................
Notice of Opposition ..............................................................................................................
Electronic Notice of Opposition .............................................................................................
Extension of Time to File an Opposition ...............................................................................
Electronic Request for Extension of Time to File an Opposition ..........................................
Papers in Inter Partes Cases ................................................................................................
• Answers
• Amendments to Pleadings
• Amendment of Application or Registration During Proceeding
• Motions (such as consent motions, motions to extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
• Evidence
• Briefs
• Surrender of Registration
• Abandonment of Application
• Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
• Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
Electronic Papers in Inter Partes Cases ...............................................................................
• Answers
• Amendments to Pleadings
• Amendment of Application or Registration During Proceeding
• Motions (such as consent motions, motions to extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
• Evidence
• Briefs
• Surrender of Registration
• Abandonment of Application
• Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
• Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
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Estimated
annual
responses
Estimated
annual
burden
hours
30
30
30
30
10
10
10
77
1,500
140
5,500
70
17,000
3,100
39
750
70
2,750
12
2,890
527
10
37,000
6,290
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 220 / Thursday, November 14, 2013 / Notices
Estimated time
for response
(minutes)
Item
Estimated
annual
responses
68421
Estimated
annual
burden
hours
Notice of Appeal ....................................................................................................................
Electronic Notice of Appeal ...................................................................................................
Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers ............................................................................................
Electronic Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers ...........................................................................
15
15
10
10
130
2,600
2,400
6,500
33
650
408
1,105
Totals .......................................................................................................................
..........................
76,017
15,524
Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour)
Respondent Cost Burden: $2,453,224.
There are no capital start-up,
maintenance, or record keeping costs
associated with this information
collection. However, this collection
does have annual (non-hour) costs in
the form of postage as well as filing fees.
The petitions to cancel, the notices of
opposition and appeal, the extensions of
time to file an opposition, and the
additional papers filed in inter partes
and ex partes cases may be submitted to
the USPTO or served on other parties by
Express or first-class mail through the
United States Postal Service. These
papers can also be hand delivered to the
TTAB. The USPTO estimates that 6% of
the petitions, notices, extensions, and
additional inter partes and ex parte
papers that are filed in paper will be
submitted using Express Mail. The
USPTO estimates that the average
submission will weigh 2 ounces and
that the respondent will be mailing the
original to the TTAB and serving copies
on the other parties involved in the
proceedings. The USPTO estimates that
it costs an average of $19.95 for a
standard flat rate envelope to send the
petitions, notices, extensions, appeals,
and additional papers by Express Mail
to the TTAB. To account for the service
of papers on other parties, the USPTO
is adding an additional 20% of the
postage rate ($4) for an estimated cost of
$23.95.
The USPTO estimates the remaining
petitions to cancel, the notices of
opposition and appeal, the extensions of
time to file an opposition, and the
additional papers filed in inter partes
and ex parte proceedings that are filed
in paper (roughly 94%) will be sent by
first-class mail. The USPTO estimates
that the average submission will weigh
2 ounces and that the respondent will
mail the original to the TTAB and serve
copies on the other parties involved in
the proceedings. The USPTO estimates
that it costs 66 cents to mail the
petitions, notices, extensions, appeals,
and additional papers to the TTAB. To
account for the service of papers on
other parties, the USPTO is adding an
additional 80% of the postage rate (53
cents) for an estimated cost of $1.19.
Responses
Postage costs
($)
Total non-hour
cost burden
(a)
(b)
(a x b) (c)
Petition to Cancel ..................................................................................................................
6% @ $23.95 ..................................................................................................................
94% @ $1.19 ..................................................................................................................
Notice of Opposition ..............................................................................................................
6% @ $23.95 ..................................................................................................................
94% @ $1.19 ..................................................................................................................
Extension of Time to File an Opposition ...............................................................................
6% @ $23.95 ..................................................................................................................
94% @ $1.19 ..................................................................................................................
Papers in Inter Partes Cases ................................................................................................
• Answers
• Amendments to Pleadings
• Amendment of Application or Registration During Proceeding
• Motions (such as consent motions, motions to extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
• Evidence
• Briefs
• Surrender of Registration
• Abandonment of Application
• Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
• Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
6% @ $23.95 ..................................................................................................................
94% @ $1.19 ..................................................................................................................
Notice of Appeal ....................................................................................................................
6% @ $23.95 ..................................................................................................................
94% @ $1.19 ..................................................................................................................
Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers ............................................................................................
6% @ $23.95 ..................................................................................................................
94% @ $1.19 ..................................................................................................................
77
..........................
..........................
140
..........................
..........................
70
..........................
..........................
3,100
..........................
120.00
86.00
..........................
192.00
157.00
..........................
96.00
79.00
..........................
$206.00
..........................
..........................
349.00
..........................
..........................
175.00
..........................
..........................
7,923.00
..........................
..........................
130
..........................
..........................
2,400
..........................
..........................
4,455.00
3,468.00
..........................
192.00
145.00
..........................
3,449.00
2,685.00
..........................
..........................
337.00
..........................
..........................
6,134.00
..........................
..........................
Totals .......................................................................................................................
5,917
..........................
15,124.00
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 220 / Thursday, November 14, 2013 / Notices
Therefore, the USPTO estimates that
the total postage cost for this collection
is 15,124 per year.
There is also annual nonhour cost
burden in the way of filing fees
associated with this collection. The
petitions to cancel and the notices of
registration; therefore the total filing
fees can vary depending on the number
of classes. The total filing fees of
2,438,100.00 shown here are the
minimum fees associated with this
information collection.
opposition and appeal have filing fees.
There are no filing fees for the
remaining items in the collection. The
filing fees for the petitions to cancel,
notices of opposition, and notices of
appeal are per class of goods and
services in the subject application or
Responses
Filing fee ($)
Total non-hour
cost burden
(a)
Item
(b)
(a × b) (c)
Petition to Cancel ..................................................................................................................
Electronic Petition to Cancel .................................................................................................
Notice of Opposition ..............................................................................................................
Electronic Notice of Opposition .............................................................................................
Extension of Time to File an Opposition ...............................................................................
Electronic Request for Extension of Time to File an Opposition ..........................................
Papers in Inter Partes Cases ................................................................................................
• Answers
• Amendments to Pleadings
• Amendment of Application or Registration During Proceeding
• Motions (such as consent motions, motions to extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
• Evidence
• Briefs
• Surrender of Registration
• Abandonment of Application
• Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
• Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
Electronic Papers in Inter Partes Cases ...............................................................................
• Answers
• Amendments to Pleadings
• Amendment of Application or Registration During Proceeding
• Motions (such as consent motions, motions to extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
• Evidence
• Briefs
• Surrender of Registration
• Abandonment of Application
• Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
• Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB Decision
Notice of Appeal (Ex parte) ...................................................................................................
Electronic Notice of Appeal (Ex parte) ..................................................................................
Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers ............................................................................................
Electronic Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers ...........................................................................
77
1,500
140
5,500
70
17,000
3,100
$300.00
300.00
300.00
300.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
$23,100.00
450,000.00
42,000.00
1,650,000.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
37,000
0.00
0.00
130
2,600
2,400
6,500
100.00
100.00
0.00
0.00
13,000.00
260,000.00
0.00
0.00
Totals .......................................................................................................................
76,017
..........................
2,438,100.00
The USPTO estimates that the total
(non-hour) respondent cost burden for
this collection, in the form of postage
costs and filing fees, is 2,453,224 per
year.
TKELleY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
IV. Request for Comments
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval. All comments will become a
matter of public record.
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 will 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;
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19:20 Nov 13, 2013
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(c) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) Minimize the burden
of the collection of information 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.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Dated: November 8, 2013.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
SUMMARY:
[FR Doc. 2013–27214 Filed 11–13–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P
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Patent and Trademark Office
Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
Actions (Formerly Board of Patent
Appeals and Interferences (BPAI)
Actions)
ACTION:
Proposed collection; comment
request.
The United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO), as part of its
continuing efforts to reduce paperwork
and respondent burden, invites the
general public and other Federal
agencies to take this opportunity to
comment on this revision of a
continuing information collection, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, Public Law 104–13 (44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
E:\FR\FM\14NON1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 220 (Thursday, November 14, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68419-68422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27214]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Actions
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as part
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden,
invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this
opportunity to comment on this continuing information collection, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 13,
2014.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Email: InformationCollection@uspto.gov. Include ``0651-
0040 comment'' in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Susan K. Fawcett, Records Officer, Office of the
Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office,
P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to LaToya Brown, Technical Quality Review Analyst,
Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, United States Patent and Trademark
Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; by telephone at 571-
272-4283; or by email to LaToya.Brown@uspto.gov with ``Paperwork'' in
the subject line. Additional information about this collection is also
available at https://www.reginfo.gov under ``Information Collection
Review.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This collection of information is required by the Trademark Act of
1946, Sections 13, 14, and 20, 15 U.S.C. 1063, 1064, and 1070,
respectively. Under the Trademark Act, any individual or entity that
adopts a trademark or service mark to identify its goods or services
may apply to federally register its mark. Section 14 of the Trademark
Act allows individuals and entities to file a petition to cancel a
registration of a mark, while Section 13 allows individuals and
entities who believe that they would be damaged by the registration of
a mark to file an opposition, or an extension of time to file an
opposition, to the registration of a mark. Section 20 of the Trademark
Act allows individuals and entities to file an appeal from any final
decision of the Trademark Examining Attorney assigned to review an
application for registration of a mark.
The USPTO administers the Trademark Act pursuant to 37 CFR Part 2,
which contains the various rules that
[[Page 68420]]
govern the filing of petitions to cancel the registration of a mark,
notices of opposition to the registration of a mark, extensions of time
to file an opposition, appeals, and other papers filed in connection
with inter partes and ex partes proceedings. These petitions, notices,
extensions, and additional papers are filed with the Trademark Trial
and Appeal Board (TTAB), an administrative tribunal empowered to
determine the right to register and subsequently determine the validity
of a trademark.
The information in this collection can be submitted in paper format
or electronically through the Electronic System for Trademark Trials
and Appeals (ESTTA). There are no paper forms associated with this
collection. However, the TTAB has suggested formats for the Petition to
Cancel and the Notice of Opposition that individuals and entities can
use when submitting these petitions and notices to the TTAB. These are
not forms and, as such, do not have form numbers. If applicants or
entities wish to submit the petitions, notices, extensions, and
additional papers in inter partes and ex parte cases electronically,
they must use the forms provided through ESTTA. Oppositions to
extensions of protection under the Madrid Protocol, as well as requests
for extensions to oppose, must be filed electronically through ESTTA.
This collection contains two suggested formats and six electronic
forms.
The additional papers filed in inter partes and ex parte
proceedings can be filed in paper or electronically. Although the
number of paper filings is decreasing in favor of electronic filings,
there still are a small percentage of paper submissions.
The information in this collection is a matter of public record,
and is used by the public for a variety of private business purposes
related to establishing and enforcing trademark rights. This
information is important to the public, as both common law trademark
owners and federal trademark registrants must actively protect their
own rights.
II. Method of Collection
By mail, hand delivery, or electronically through ESTTA when a
party files a petition to cancel a trademark registration, an
opposition to the registration of a trademark, a request to extend the
time to file an opposition, a notice of appeal, or additional papers
for inter partes and ex parte proceedings with the USPTO. However,
notices of opposition and extensions of time to file notices of
opposition against the extensions of protection under the Madrid
Protocol must be filed electronically through ESTTA. Only notices of
appeal for ex parte appeals can be submitted by facsimile, in
accordance with 37 CFR 2.195(d)(3).
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-0040.
Form Number(s): PTO 2120, 2151, 2153, 2188, 2189, and 2190.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for profits; non-profit
institutions.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 76,017 responses per year. Of this
total, the USPTO estimates that approximately 92% (70,100) will be
filed electronically.
Estimated Time per Response: The USPTO estimates that it will take
the public from 10 to 30 minutes (0.17 to 0.50 hours), depending on the
complexity of the situation, to gather the necessary information,
prepare the appropriate documents, and submit the information required
for this collection.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours: 15,524 hours per
year.
Estimated Total Annual Respondent Cost Burden: $3,974,144. The
USPTO estimates that it will take a 50/50 level of effort by attorneys
and paraprofessional/paralegals to complete the requirements in this
collection. The hourly rate for attorneys is $389, while the hourly
rate for paraprofessional/paralegals is $122. After calculating the
average of these rates, the USPTO estimates that the hourly rate for
completing the petitions, notices, requests, and other papers will be
$256. Using this hourly rate, the USPTO estimates that the total
respondent cost burden for this collection will be $3,974,144 per year.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated time Estimated Estimated
Item for response annual annual burden
(minutes) responses hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petition to Cancel........................................... 30 77 39
Electronic Petition to Cancel................................ 30 1,500 750
Notice of Opposition......................................... 30 140 70
Electronic Notice of Opposition.............................. 30 5,500 2,750
Extension of Time to File an Opposition...................... 10 70 12
Electronic Request for Extension of Time to File an 10 17,000 2,890
Opposition..................................................
Papers in Inter Partes Cases................................. 10 3,100 527
Answers
Amendments to Pleadings
Amendment of Application or Registration During
Proceeding
Motions (such as consent motions, motions to
extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
Evidence
Briefs
Surrender of Registration
Abandonment of Application
Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
Electronic Papers in Inter Partes Cases...................... 10 37,000 6,290
Answers
Amendments to Pleadings
Amendment of Application or Registration During
Proceeding
Motions (such as consent motions, motions to
extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
Evidence
Briefs
Surrender of Registration
Abandonment of Application
Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
[[Page 68421]]
Notice of Appeal............................................. 15 130 33
Electronic Notice of Appeal.................................. 15 2,600 650
Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers................................ 10 2,400 408
Electronic Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers..................... 10 6,500 1,105
--------------------------------------------------
Totals............................................... ............... 76,017 15,524
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Total Annual (Non-hour) Respondent Cost Burden:
$2,453,224. There are no capital start-up, maintenance, or record
keeping costs associated with this information collection. However,
this collection does have annual (non-hour) costs in the form of
postage as well as filing fees.
The petitions to cancel, the notices of opposition and appeal, the
extensions of time to file an opposition, and the additional papers
filed in inter partes and ex partes cases may be submitted to the USPTO
or served on other parties by Express or first-class mail through the
United States Postal Service. These papers can also be hand delivered
to the TTAB. The USPTO estimates that 6% of the petitions, notices,
extensions, and additional inter partes and ex parte papers that are
filed in paper will be submitted using Express Mail. The USPTO
estimates that the average submission will weigh 2 ounces and that the
respondent will be mailing the original to the TTAB and serving copies
on the other parties involved in the proceedings. The USPTO estimates
that it costs an average of $19.95 for a standard flat rate envelope to
send the petitions, notices, extensions, appeals, and additional papers
by Express Mail to the TTAB. To account for the service of papers on
other parties, the USPTO is adding an additional 20% of the postage
rate ($4) for an estimated cost of $23.95.
The USPTO estimates the remaining petitions to cancel, the notices
of opposition and appeal, the extensions of time to file an opposition,
and the additional papers filed in inter partes and ex parte
proceedings that are filed in paper (roughly 94%) will be sent by
first-class mail. The USPTO estimates that the average submission will
weigh 2 ounces and that the respondent will mail the original to the
TTAB and serve copies on the other parties involved in the proceedings.
The USPTO estimates that it costs 66 cents to mail the petitions,
notices, extensions, appeals, and additional papers to the TTAB. To
account for the service of papers on other parties, the USPTO is adding
an additional 80% of the postage rate (53 cents) for an estimated cost
of $1.19.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postage costs Total non-hour
Item Responses ($) cost burden
(a) (b) (a x b) (c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petition to Cancel........................................... 77 ............... $206.00
6% @ $23.95.............................................. ............... 120.00 ...............
94% @ $1.19.............................................. ............... 86.00 ...............
Notice of Opposition......................................... 140 ............... 349.00
6% @ $23.95.............................................. ............... 192.00 ...............
94% @ $1.19.............................................. ............... 157.00 ...............
Extension of Time to File an Opposition...................... 70 ............... 175.00
6% @ $23.95.............................................. ............... 96.00 ...............
94% @ $1.19.............................................. ............... 79.00 ...............
Papers in Inter Partes Cases................................. 3,100 ............... 7,923.00
Answers
Amendments to Pleadings
Amendment of Application or Registration During
Proceeding
Motions (such as consent motions, motions to
extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
Evidence
Briefs
Surrender of Registration
Abandonment of Application
Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
6% @ $23.95.............................................. ............... 4,455.00 ...............
94% @ $1.19.............................................. ............... 3,468.00 ...............
Notice of Appeal............................................. 130 ............... 337.00
6% @ $23.95.............................................. ............... 192.00 ...............
94% @ $1.19.............................................. ............... 145.00 ...............
Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers................................ 2,400 ............... 6,134.00
6% @ $23.95.............................................. ............... 3,449.00 ...............
94% @ $1.19.............................................. ............... 2,685.00 ...............
--------------------------------------------------
Totals............................................... 5,917 ............... 15,124.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 68422]]
Therefore, the USPTO estimates that the total postage cost for this
collection is 15,124 per year.
There is also annual nonhour cost burden in the way of filing fees
associated with this collection. The petitions to cancel and the
notices of opposition and appeal have filing fees. There are no filing
fees for the remaining items in the collection. The filing fees for the
petitions to cancel, notices of opposition, and notices of appeal are
per class of goods and services in the subject application or
registration; therefore the total filing fees can vary depending on the
number of classes. The total filing fees of 2,438,100.00 shown here are
the minimum fees associated with this information collection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total non-hour
Item Responses Filing fee ($) cost burden
(a) (b) (a x b) (c)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Petition to Cancel........................................... 77 $300.00 $23,100.00
Electronic Petition to Cancel................................ 1,500 300.00 450,000.00
Notice of Opposition......................................... 140 300.00 42,000.00
Electronic Notice of Opposition.............................. 5,500 300.00 1,650,000.00
Extension of Time to File an Opposition...................... 70 0.00 0.00
Electronic Request for Extension of Time to File an 17,000 0.00 0.00
Opposition..................................................
Papers in Inter Partes Cases................................. 3,100 0.00 0.00
Answers
Amendments to Pleadings
Amendment of Application or Registration During
Proceeding
Motions (such as consent motions, motions to
extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
Evidence
Briefs
Surrender of Registration
Abandonment of Application
Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB decision
Electronic Papers in Inter Partes Cases...................... 37,000 0.00 0.00
Answers
Amendments to Pleadings
Amendment of Application or Registration During
Proceeding
Motions (such as consent motions, motions to
extend, motions to suspend, etc.)
Evidence
Briefs
Surrender of Registration
Abandonment of Application
Documents Related to Concurrent Use Applications
Notice of Intent to Appeal a TTAB Decision
Notice of Appeal (Ex parte).................................. 130 100.00 13,000.00
Electronic Notice of Appeal (Ex parte)....................... 2,600 100.00 260,000.00
Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers................................ 2,400 0.00 0.00
Electronic Miscellaneous Ex Parte Papers..................... 6,500 0.00 0.00
--------------------------------------------------
Totals............................................... 76,017 ............... 2,438,100.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The USPTO estimates that the total (non-hour) respondent cost
burden for this collection, in the form of postage costs and filing
fees, is 2,453,224 per year.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record.
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 will 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 of
information 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.
Dated: November 8, 2013.
Susan K. Fawcett,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2013-27214 Filed 11-13-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P
