[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64925-64926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-25685]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
[Docket No. PTO-P-2013-0011]
Request for Comments on Proposed Elimination of Patents Search
Templates
AGENCY: United States Patent and Trademark Office, Commerce.
ACTION: Request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The USPTO is proposing to eliminate the Patents Search
Templates from the USPTO Web site. In 2006, the United States Patent
and Trademark Office (USPTO) implemented Patents Search Templates,
which are United States Patent Classification (USPC) indexed search
templates that were created to better identify the field of search,
search tools, and search methodologies which should be considered each
time an invention related to a particular USPC is searched. There are
over 1200 search templates covering more than 600 USPC classes and
subclasses. Historically, usage of the search templates by the public
has been extremely low. Additionally, various aspects of the search
templates, such as references to commercial database vendor
information, are in need of updating. Further, the USPTO launched a new
classification system, the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
system, in January 2013 that is based on the International Patent
Classification (IPC) system. The CPC, a joint patent classification
system developed by the USPTO and the European Patent Office (EPO),
incorporates the best classification practices of both the U.S. and
European systems. Since CPC is a detailed, collaborative, and dynamic
system that will enable patent examiners and the public to efficiently
conduct thorough patent searches, the search templates will become
obsolete. Before eliminating the search templates from the USPTO Web
site, the Office is requesting comments from the public.
DATES: Comment Deadline Date: Written comments must be received on or
before November 29, 2013 to ensure consideration. No public hearing
will be held.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent by electronic mail message over the
Internet addressed to: [email protected]. Comments may also
be submitted by postal mail addressed to: United States Patent and
Trademark Office, Mail Stop Comments--Patents, Office of Commissioner
for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450, marked to the
attention of Pinchus M. Laufer. Although comments may be submitted by
postal mail, the Office prefers to receive comments by electronic mail
message over the Internet in order to facilitate posting on the
Office's Internet Web site.
The comments will be available for public inspection at the Office
of the Commissioner for Patents, located at Madison Building East,
Tenth Floor, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia. Comments also
will be available for viewing via the Office's Internet Web site
(http://www.uspto.gov). Because comments will be made available for
public inspection, information that is not desired to be made public,
such as an address or phone number, should not be included in the
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pinchus M. Laufer, Senior Legal
[[Page 64926]]
Advisor, Office of Patent Legal Administration, Office of the Deputy
Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy, by telephone at 571-272-
7726; or by mail addressed to: Mail Stop Comments--Patents,
Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USPTO published a notice for a request
for comments on the search templates on May 16, 2006. See Request for
Comments on Patents Search Templates, 94 FR 28309 (May 16, 2006). The
search templates were created to better identify the field of search,
search tools, and search methodologies which should be considered each
time an invention related to a particular USPC is searched.
The USPTO is proposing to remove the search templates from its Web
site. The search templates are currently out-of-date since they
include, for example, outdated commercial database vendor information
that could be misleading for external stakeholders. Also, the search
templates are indexed under USPC, which will no longer be used.
Updating the search templates, which would require the editing of over
1200 pages, would not be an efficient use of USPTO resources since the
templates are rarely used by the public. Additionally, CPC, the new
internationally compatible classification system, was launched in
January 2013. CPC is a detailed, dynamic classification system that is
based on the IPC and enables patent examiners and the public to
efficiently conduct thorough patent searches. As a result of the
implementation of the CPC, the search templates will become obsolete.
CPC has been jointly developed with the EPO and incorporates the best
classification practices of both the U.S. and European systems. The
USPTO and the EPO also believe that CPC will enhance efficiency and
support work sharing initiatives with a view to reducing unnecessary
duplication of work, thereby leading to enhanced patent quality and
timelier examination of pending applications. Initial feedback from
stakeholders confirms that the transition to CPC is a positive
development. More information about CPC can be found at http://www.cooperativepatentclassification.org.
Due to the factors discussed above, the Office is proposing the
removal of the search templates from the USPTO Web site. Notice and
opportunity for public comment are not required prior to removal of the
search templates. The Office, however, is publishing this notice for
comment as it seeks the benefit of the public's views on the Office's
proposed removal of the search templates. If, after consideration of
the comments, the Office goes forward with the elimination of the
search templates, a notice to that effect will be published, and any
references to the search templates in USPTO documentation (for example,
in the Accelerated Examination FAQs) will be updated.
Dated: October 23, 2013.
Teresa Stanek Rea,
Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy
Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
[FR Doc. 2013-25685 Filed 10-29-13; 8:45 am]
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