Federal Register Proposed Rule Regarding Facsimiles

(The complete rule is available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=2008_register&docid=fr06au08-23.)

[Federal Register: August 6, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 152)]
[Page 45662-45673]
Changes to Practice for Documents Submitted to the United States
Patent and Trademark Office

SUMMARY: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) is proposing to revise the rules of practice to limit the types of correspondence that may be submitted to the Office by facsimile. The Office is also proposing an increased minimum font size for use on papers submitted to the Office for a patent application, patent or reexamination proceeding. The proposed changes will improve the legibility of documents in the Office's files of patent applications and reexamination proceedings.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 6, 2008. No public hearing will be held.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent by electronic mail over the Internet addressed to AC27.comments@uspto.gov. Comments may also be submitted 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, Legal Advisor, Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA). Although comments may be submitted by mail, the Office prefers to receive comments via the Internet. Comments may also be sent by electronic mail message over the Internet via the Federal eRulemaking Portal. See the Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site(http://www.regulations.gov) for additional instructions on providing comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

The comments will be available for public inspection at the Office of Patent Legal Administration, Office of the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy, currently located at Room 7D74 of Madison West, 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia and will also be available through anonymous file transfer protocol (ftp) via the Internet (address: 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 a telephone number, should not be included in the comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hiram H. Bernstein ((571) 272-7707), Senior Legal Advisor, or Raul Tamayo, Legal Advisor, ((571) 272-7728), Office of Patent Legal Administration, Office of Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy, directly by telephone, 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 the Office of Patent Legal Administration.

For information regarding reexamination issues, contact Stephen Marcus ((571) 272-7743) or Kenneth Schor ((571) 272-7710), Senior Legal Advisors, Office of Patent Legal Administration, Office of Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy.