Voglio sapere a riguardo di…

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 125 / Friday, July 2, 2021 / Rules and Regulations access to Government information and services, and for other purposes.
List of Subjects in 37 CFR Part 1
Administrative practice and procedure, Biologics, Courts, Freedom of information, Inventions and patents, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Small businesses.
For the reasons stated in the preamble, the USPTO amends chapter 1
of title 37 as follows:
PART 1RULES OF PRACTICE IN
PATENT CASES
1. The authority citation for part 1
continues to read as follows:

Authority: 35 U.S.C. 2b2, unless otherwise noted.
Amended
2. Section 1.4 is amended by removing and reserving paragraph e.

1.6

Amended
3. Section 1.6 is amended by removing and reserving paragraph d1.

Andrew Hirshfeld, Commissioner for Patents, Performing the Functions and Duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
FR Doc. 202114036 Filed 7121; 8:45 am BILLING CODE 351016P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office 37 CFR Parts 1 and 2
Docket No. PTOP20200063
RIN 0651AD52

Mailing Address Changes Related to USPTO Deposit Accounts and Patent Maintenance Fees United States Patent and Trademark Office, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:

The United States Patent and Trademark Office USPTO or Office is revising the Rules of Practice to update the addresses for payments of patent maintenance fees that are not submitted electronically, correspondence related to maintenance fees, and the replenishment of a USPTO deposit account by mail. From December 15, 2020, through December 14, 2021, maintenance fee payments, maintenance fee-related correspondence, and USPTO

lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with RULES1

SUMMARY:

VerDate Sep<11>2014

16:05 Jul 01, 2021

Jkt 253001

To improve operational efficiencies and consolidate space, the USPTOs Office of Finance, which includes the Maintenance Fee and Deposit Account Branches, was relocated as of December 15, 2020, from 2051 Jamieson Avenue, Suite 300, in Alexandria, Virginia, to the main USPTO campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Accordingly, this final rule updates the Rules of Practice in Patent Cases and the Rules of Practice in Trademark Cases with both the new mailing address for patent maintenance fees and maintenance fee-related correspondence and the new mailing address for USPTO deposit account replenishments. As of December 15, 2020, correspondence sent by U.S.
Postal Service USPS first-class mail to pay a USPTO patent maintenance fee, as well as other maintenance fee-related correspondence, should be mailed to:
Mail Stop Maintenance Fee, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 223131450.
Also as of December 15, 2020, checks and money orders that are sent by USPS
first-class mail to replenish a USPTO
deposit account should be mailed to:
Mail Stop Deposit Accounts, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 223131450.
From December 15, 2020, through December 14, 2021, maintenance fee payments, maintenance fee-related correspondence, and USPTO deposit account replenishments sent to the Jamieson Avenue addresses will be forwarded to the new addresses. After December 14, 2021, such mailings may be returned to the sender by the USPS.
The appropriate sections of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure and the Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure will be revised in due course to reflect these mailing address changes.
Maintenance fee payments and USPTO deposit account replenishments submitted electronically on the USPTO
website at www.uspto.gov are not
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1.4

deposit account replenishments sent to the old addresses will be forwarded to the new addresses.
DATES: This final rule is effective on July 2, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Inquiries related to maintenance fees and USPTO deposit accounts may be made by calling 5712726500.
Inquiries related to this final rule should be directed to Matthew Lee, Office of Finance, USPTO, at matthew.lee@
uspto.gov.

PO 00000

Frm 00013

Fmt 4700

Sfmt 4700

35229

affected by these mailing address changes.
Discussion of Specific Rules The following is a discussion of the amendments to 37 CFR part 1.
Section 1.1: Section 1.1a is amended to remove the reference to paragraph d1 of this section from the listed exceptions.
Section 1.1d is amended to add the paragraph heading Payments of patent maintenance fees and to change the address for payments of patent maintenance fees that are not submitted electronically and correspondence related to maintenance fees to Mail Stop Maintenance Fee, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 223131450.
Section 1.25: Section 1.25c is amended to remove the reference to paragraph c4 of this section, as the paragraph was previously removed.
Section 1.25c3 is amended to change the address for payments to replenish a USPTO deposit account to Mail Stop Deposit Accounts, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 223131450.
The following is a discussion of the amendment to 37 CFR part 2.
Section 2.208: Section 2.208c3 is amended to change the address for payments to replenish a USPTO deposit account to Mail Stop Deposit Accounts, Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 22313
1450.
Rulemaking Considerations A. Administrative Procedure Act:
Since this final rule is directed to changing an Office address, this final rule merely involves rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice within the meaning of 5 U.S.C.
553bA and is a non-substantive change to the regulations. Accordingly, this final rule may be adopted without prior notice and opportunity for public comment under 5 U.S.C. 553b and c.
Furthermore, the Office finds good cause to waive the 30-day delayed effectiveness period, as provided by 5
U.S.C. 553d3, because such delay would be contrary to the public interest in providing accurate contact information for the Office.
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act: As prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553 or any other law, neither a Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis nor a certification under the Regulatory
E:FRFM02JYR1.SGM

02JYR1