The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB or Board) is established by statute under 35 U.S.C. Section 6. This statute directs that PTAB "shall on written appeal of an applicant, review adverse decisions of examiners upon applications for patent and shall determine priority and patentability of invention in interferences." PTAB has the authority, under pre-AIA sections of the Patent Act, i.e. 35 U.S.C. Sections 134, 135, 306, and 315, to decide ex parte and inter partes appeals and interferences. The information in this collection can be submitted in paper or electronically. In this renewal, the USPTO is adding the Petitions to the Chief Administrative Patent Judge Under 37 CFR 41.3 into the collection, in addition to adjusting the responses, burden hours, and annual (non-hour) costs. The USPTO expects that businesses or other for-profits and non-profit institutions will mainly respond to this collection, in addition to individuals or households and the Federal Government.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.