Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Information

   For information concerning PCT member countries, see the notice 
appearing in the Official Gazette at 1234 O.G. 28, on May 9, 2000.
   Either the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the 
European Patent Office may act as the International Searching
Authority for an international application filed in the United States 
Receiving Office or the International Bureau as Receiving Office where 
at least one of the applicants is either a national or resident of the 
United States of America.
   The European Patent Office may act as the International Preliminary
Examining Authority for an international application filed in the United 
States Receiving Office or the International Bureau as Receiving Office 
where at least one of the applicants is either a national or resident of 
the United States of America, provided that the European Patent Office 
acted as the International Searching Authority.    
   The search fee of the European Patent Office was decreased, effective 
November 1, 2000, and was announced in the Official Gazette at 1239 
O.G. 116, on October 17, 2000.
   International fees were changed, effective on November 15, 2000, due to 
a change in the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar with regard to the Swiss
franc, and were announced in the Official Gazette at 1229 O.G. 116, on 
October 17, 2000. A change in the maximum number of designation fees
payable, with effect from January 1, 2000, was announced in the Official
Gazette at 1229 O.G. 4, on December 7, 1999. A change in the reduction
for electronic filing, with effect from January 1, 2000, was announced 
in the Official Gazette at 1229 O.G. 4, on December 7, 1999.
   Certain domestic PCT fees have been changed by Public Law 106-113 on 
November 29, 1999, and were announced in the Official Gazette 
at 1229 O.G. 38, on December 14, 1999. The effective date of the fee change 
is December 29, 1999.  
   The schedule of PCT fees (in U.S. dollars), as of November 15, 2000,
is as follows: 
International Application (PCT Chapter I) fees:
   Transmittal fee:                                                 $240.00
   Search Fee  
      U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as 
      International Searching Authority (ISA)  
         - No corresponding prior U.S. national 
           application filed under
           35 U.S.C. 111(a)                                         $700.00
         - Corresponding prior U.S. national 
           application filed under 35 U.S.C. 
           111(a) and filing fee under 
           37 CFR 1.16(a) paid                                      $450.00
         - Supplemental search fee, per                             
           additional invention (payable only upon invitation)      $210.00
      European Patent Office as ISA                                 $846.00
   International fees  
      Basic fee                                                     $382.00
      Basic supplemental fee (for each page
      over 30)                                                       $9.00
      Designation fee per country or region 
         - For the first 8 national or regional  
         offices designated                                          $82.00
         - For each designation in excess 
         of 8 offices                                             No Charge
         Precautionary designation fee and confirmation fee 
         for each precautionary designation confirmed 
         (PCT Rule 15.5)
         - Designation fee                                           $82.00
         - Confirmation fee                                          $41.00

(A reduction of $117 in the international fees is available in certain cases
where PCT-EASY software is used to prepare the request, provided that the
necessary conditions are met. See 1217 OG 131 (December 29, 1998)).

International Application (PCT Chapter II) fees associated
      with filing a Demand for Preliminary Examination:
      Handling fee                                                  $137.00
      Preliminary examination fee  
         USPTO as International Preliminary
         Examining Authority (IPEA) 
       - USPTO was ISA in PCT Chapter I                             $490.00
         - Additional examination fee, per                          
         additional invention (payable only 
         upon invitation)                                           $140.00
       - USPTO was not ISA in PCT Chapter I                         $750.00
         - Additional examination fee, 
         per additional invention (payable 
         only upon invitation)                                      $270.00
                                                    
                                                        Small     
U.S. National Stage Fees                                Entity      Regular

Basic National fee
   USPTO was IPEA
     - All claims presented satisfied 
        provisions of PCT Article 
        33(2) to (4)                                     $50.00     $100.00             
     - All claims presented did not satisfy
        provisons of PCT Article 
        33(2) to (4)                                    $345.00     $690.00             
   USPTO was ISA but not IPEA                           $355.00     $710.00             
   USPTO was neither ISA nor IPEA
     - Search report has not been prepared
        by the European Patent Office or  
        the Japanese Patent Office                      $500.00   $1,000.00
     - Search report has been prepared by
        the European Patent Office or the 
        Japanese Patent Office                          $430.00     $860.00

Other National fees
   - For each independent 
      claim in excess of 3                               $40.00      $80.00
   - For each claim in excess of 20                       $9.00      $18.00
   - For each application con-
      taining a multiple depen-
      dent claim                                        $135.00     $270.00
   - Surcharge for filing oath or                                   
      declaration after the time 
      limit applicable under PCT 
      Article 22 or 39(1)                                $65.00     $130.00
   - Processing fee for filing 
      English translation after 
      the time limit applicable 
      under PCT Article 22 or
      39(1)                                             $130.00     $130.00

Sept. 22, 2000                                            Q. TODD DICKINSON
                                            Under Secretary of Commerce for 
                                  Intellectual Property and Director of the
                                  United States Patent and Trademark Office