By
Sarah Fendrick —

As
part of its effort to reduce paperwork, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is seeking public comment on
its current continuing information collection systems.

The
first information collection system includes information collected to pay fees
for issued patents, to request corrections of errors in issued patents, and to
submit applications for reissue patents.  The USPTO
estimates that under this collection system 217,184 responses are submitted
each year at a cost of $284,296,310.  The estimated cost includes the time required to prepare the
information, the postage costs, and the fees assessed by the USPTO.

The
second information collection system includes the collection of information in
relation to the deposit of biological materials.  When an invention involves a biological material and words
are not sufficient to describe how to make and use the invention, the
biological material must be deposited in a suitable depository.  The associated
cost for submission of biological samples is estimated to be
$9,831,120 per year.  Postage and
shipping ($1,081,115 per year) and capital start-up costs ($8,750,000) account for
the total cost per year.

The
USPTO is soliciting public comment on each of the information collection system
discussed above.  Specifically, the
federal notices are seeking comments on:

(a)  Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b)  The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost)
of the proposed collection of information;
(c)  Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(d)  Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.

All written comments
must be submitted on or before April 12, 2010.  Comments can be submitted via e-mail to Susan.Fawcett@uspto.gov or via regular mail directed to 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.