By
Sarah Fendrick --
In
order to assess the burden of patent-related paperwork, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has retained ICF
International (ICF) to conduct an independent study. As described in a notice in the Federal Regster (75 Fed. Reg. 8649), the overall objectives of the study included:
(1) Develop an independent, publicly vetted, objectively based estimate of the total
cost of paperwork for patent applicants;
(2) Develop recommendations for continued improvement in the accuracy of burden
estimates made by the USPTO in the future; and
(3) Identify opportunities to reduce applicant burdens.
As
a result of the study, the ICF provided a Methodology report that recommends methodologies
independently developed by ICF that aim to set forth the most efficient and
effective mechanisms to address each of the stated objectives. The
Methodology Report is posted on the UPSTO website (http://www.uspto.gov).
The
USPTO is inviting public comment on ICF’s Methodology Report. Comments must be submitted by April 10,
2010, and can be submitted electronically to pra_study_comments@uspto.gov
or by mail addressed to: Mail Stop Comments -- Patents, Commissioner for
Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450,
marked to the attention of Raul Tamayo.
Comments