Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Post Allowance and Reissue

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE <SUBAGY>Patent and Trademark Office</SUBAGY> <SUBJECT>Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Post Allowance and Reissue</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice of information collection; request for comments. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The United States Patent and Trademark Office (hereafter “USPTO” or “Agency”), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites comments on the extension and revision of an existing information collection: 0651-0033 (Post Allowance and Reissue). The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comments preceding submission of the information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> To ensure consideration, you must submit comments regarding this information collection on or before December 22, 2025. </DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> 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. • <E T="03">Email:</E> <E T="03">InformationCollection@uspto.gov.</E> Include “0651-0033 comment” in the subject line of the message. • <E T="03">Federal eRulemaking Portal:</E> <E T="03">www.regulations.gov.</E> • <E T="03">Mail:</E> Justin Isaac, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. • <E T="03">Telephone:</E> Raul Tamayo, Senior Legal Advisor, 571-272-7728. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Requests for additional information should be directed to Raul Tamayo, Senior Legal Advisor at: United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450; 571-272-7728; or <E T="03">Raul.Tamayo@uspto.gov</E> with “0651-0033 comment” in the subject line. Additional information about this information collection is also available at <E T="03">www.reginfo.gov</E> under “Information Collection Review.” </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">I. Abstract</HD> This collection of information covers the submission of issue fee payments, requests for certificates of correction, and reissue patent applications to the USPTO. <HD SOURCE="HD2">Issue Fee Payments</HD> The USPTO is required by 35 U.S.C. 131 and 151 to examine patent applications and, when appropriate, allow patent applications and issue them as patents. When an application for a patent is allowed by the USPTO, the USPTO issues a notice of allowance and the applicant must pay the specified issue fee within three months to avoid abandonment of the application. If the appropriate fees are paid within the proper time period, the USPTO can then issue the patent. The rules outlining the procedure or payment of the issue fee and issuance of a patent are found at 37 CFR 1.18, 1.311, and 1.314. <HD SOURCE="HD2">Requests for Certificates of Correction and Reissue Patent Applications</HD> This collection of information also covers several transactions that may be taken after the issuance of a patent. Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 254 and 255, a certificate of correction may be requested to correct an error or errors of an issued patent. If the USPTO determines that the request should be approved, the USPTO will issue a certificate of correction. For an original patent that is believed to be wholly or partly inoperative or invalid, the original patentee, or the current patent owner if there has been a subsequent assignment, may apply for the reissue of the patent pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 251. The reissue patent application process requires, among other items, an oath or declaration specifically identifying at least one error being relied upon as the basis for reissue and stating the reason for the belief that the original patent is wholly or partly inoperative or invalid ( <E T="03">e.g.,</E> a defective specification or drawing, or claiming more or less than the patentee had the right to claim in the patent). The rules outlining reissue application procedures are found at 37 CFR 1.171-1.173 and 1.175-1.178. <HD SOURCE="HD1">II. Method of Collection</HD> The USPTO prefers that the items in this information collection be submitted electronically via the USPTO patent electronic filing system (Patent Center). Respondents may also submit the information in paper form by mail, or by hand delivery to the USPTO. <HD SOURCE="HD1">III. Data</HD> <E T="03">OMB Control Number:</E> 0651-0033. <E T="03">Forms:</E> (AIA = America Invents Act; SB = Specimen Book; PTOL = Patent Trademark Official Legal Forms): <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/AIA/05 (Reissue Application Declaration by the Inventor)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/AIA/06 (Reissue Application Declaration by the Assignee)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/AIA/07 (Substitute Statement in Lieu of an Oath or Declaration for Reissue Patent Application (35 U.S.C. 115(d) and 37 CFR 1.64)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/AIA/50 (Reissue Patent Application Transmittal)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/AIA/53 (Reissue Application: Consent of Assignee; Statement of Non-Assignment)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/SB/44 (Certificate of Correction)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/SB/51 (Reissue Application Declaration by the Inventor)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/SB/51S (Supplemental Declaration for Reissue Patent Application to Correct “Errors” Statement (37 CFR 1.175)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/SB/52 (Reissue Application Declaration by the Assignee)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/SB/53 (Reissue Application: Consent of Assignee; Statement of Non-Assignment)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTO/SB/56 (Reissue Application Fee Transmittal Form)</FP> <FP SOURCE="FP-1">• PTOL-85B (Part B—Fee(s) Transmittal)</FP> <E T="03">Type of Review:</E> Extension and revision of a currently approved information collection. <E T="03">Affected Public:</E> Private sector. <E T="03">Respondent's Obligation:</E> Required to obtain or retain benefits. <E T="03">Frequency:</E> On occasion. <E T="03">Estimated Number of Annual Respondents:</E> 473,710 respondents. <E T="03">Estimated Number of Annual Responses:</E> 473,710 responses. <E T="03">Estimated Time per Response:</E> The USPTO estimates that the responses in this information collection will take the public approximately 30 minutes (0.50 hours) to 5.30 hours to complete. This includes the time to gather the necessary information, create the document, and submit the completed item(s) to the USPTO. <E T="03">Estimated Total Annual Respondent Burden Hours:</E> 392,186 hours. <E T="03">Estimated Total Annual Respondent Hourly Cost Burden:</E> $175,307,142. <GPOTABLE COLS="9" OPTS="L2(,0,),nj,p7,7/8,i1" CDEF="xs24,r50,11,10,15,xs68,15,10,15"> <TTITLE>Table 1—Total Burden Hours and Hourly Costs to Private Sector Respondents</TTITLE> <CHED H="1">Item No.</CHED> <CHED H="1">Item</CHED> <ENT>1.30 (80 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>27,300</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>$12,203,100</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">2</ENT> <ENT>Petition to Correct Assignee After Payment of Issue Fee (37 CFR § 3.81(b))</ENT> <ENT>450</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>450</ENT> <ENT>0.80 (46 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>360</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>160,920</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">3</ENT> <ENT>Reissue Documentation</ENT> <ENT>5.30 (318 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>4,134</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>1,847,898</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">4</ENT> <ENT>Reissue Patent Application Transmittal</ENT> <ENT>780</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>780</ENT> <ENT>0.50 (30 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>390</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>174,330</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">5</ENT> <ENT>Reissue Patent Application Declaration by the Inventor or the Assignee or Substitute Statement in Lieu of an Oath or Declaration for Reissue Patent Application (35 U.S.C. § 115(d) and 37 CFR § 1.64)</ENT> <ENT>1,450</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>1,450</ENT> <ENT>0.80 (46 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>1,160</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>518,520</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">6</ENT> <ENT>Supplemental Declaration for Reissue Patent Application to Correct “Errors” Statement (37 CFR § 1.175)</ENT> <ENT>55</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>55</ENT> <ENT>0.60 (36 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>33</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>14,751</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">7</ENT> <ENT>Reissue Application: Consent of Assignee: Statement of Non-assignment</ENT> <ENT>1,045</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>1,045</ENT> <ENT>0.50 (30 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>523</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>233,781</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">8</ENT> <ENT>Reissue Patent Application Fee Transmittal</ENT> <ENT>780</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>780</ENT> <ENT>0.50 (30 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>390</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>174,330</ENT> </ROW> <ROW RUL="n,n,s"> <ENT I="01">9</ENT> <ENT>Issue Fee Transmittal</ENT> <ENT>447,370</ENT> <ENT>1</ENT> <ENT>447,370</ENT> <ENT>0.80 (46 minutes)</ENT> <ENT>357,896</ENT> <ENT>447</ENT> <ENT>159,979,512</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="22"> </ENT> <ENT O="oi3">Totals</ENT> <ENT>473,710</ENT> <ENT/> <ENT>473,710</ENT>  2023 Report of the Economic Survey, published by the Committee on Economics of Legal Practice of the American Intellectual Property Law Association; pg. F-41. The USPTO uses the average billing rate for intellectual property work in all firms, which is $447 per hour ( <E T="03">www.aipla.org/home/news-publications/economic-survey</E> ). </TNOTE> </GPOTABLE> <E T="03">Estimated Total Annual Respondent Non-hourly Cost Burden:</E> $477,303,798. There are no capital start-up costs, maintenance co ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 19k characters. Full document text is stored and available for version comparison. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━