[Federal Register: November 26, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 227)]
[Notices]
[Page 66458-66459]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26no99-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Patent and Trademark Office
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Certificate Action Form
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (DoC), as part of its continuing
effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general
public and other Federal agencies to comment on the continuing and
proposed information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 25,
2000.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room
5027, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 or via the
Internet at LEngelme@doc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information
should be directed to the attention of Art Purcell, Patent and
Trademark Office, Office of Systems Architecture and Engineering,
Crystal Park 2, 2121 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202, by telephone
at (703) 308-6856, or by e-mail at art.purcell@uspto.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
I. Abstract
The Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a set of hardware, software,
policies, and procedures that the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has
chosen to support secure electronic communications between the PTO and
its customers. The information collected by the PTO through the
Certificate Action Form (PTO Form PTO-2042) is used by the PTO to
authorize the creation of a digital certificate. The digital
certificate enables the PTO to issue the cryptographic ``keys''
necessary to provide the applicant with a digital identity and to
support encrypted communication between the applicant and the PTO.
Using PKI enables the PTO to offer the option to applicants to review
their patent application information, to send their patent
applications, and to communicate with the PTO electronically, while
preserving the integrity and confidentiality of these various actions.
Both the laws governing patents and the Patent Cooperation Treaties
established between the United States and the international community
require that patent applications be preserved in confidence. Using PKI
ensures that the patent applications are preserved in confidence
because it requires that a user authenticate his or her identity
through passwords or other means before it allows the user access to
the encryption and digital signature services.
The PTO will use PKI to support secure communications and
electronic commerce with its applicant community, international
business partners, the Patent and Trademark Depository Libraries, its
own employees, and support contractors. By implementing PKI, the PTO is
indicating to its customers that the agency is making a major
commitment to preserve the integrity of the electronic transactions.
PKI can also alert the different parties involved that an electronic
transaction has occurred.
[[Page 66459]]
The PTO is implementing PKI in a phased approach. The first phase
is the pilot project for the Patent Application Information and
Retrieval (PAIR) system. PAIR allows applicants secure authenticated
access to their patent application information, through the use of
public key cryptography mechanisms that provide strong authentication,
encryption, and digital signatures.
II. Method of collection
By mail, facsimile, or hand carry when the applicant files a Public
Key Infrastructure Certificate Action Form with the PTO.
III. Data
OMB Number: 0651-XXXX.
Form Number: PTO Form PTO-2042.
Type of Review: Existing collection in use without an OMB control
number.
Affected Public: Individuals or households; businesses or other
for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; farms; Federal, state, local
or tribal government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,000 responses per year.
Estimated Time Per Response: It is estimated to take approximately
10 minutes to read the instructions, gather the necessary data, and
complete the Public Key Infrastructure Certificate Action Form.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,020 hours per year.
Estimated Total Annual Cost Burden: $525,000 (this cost is
associated with the one-time download of additional software that is
needed as part of the encryption process). Using the professional
hourly rate of $175.00 for associate attorneys in private firms, the
PTO estimates $178,500 for salary costs associated with respondents.
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Estimated Estimated
Title of form PTO form No. Estimated time annual burden annual
for response hours responses
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United States Patent and Trademark Office PTO Form PTO- 0.17 1,020 6,000
Certificate Action Form........................ 2042
Totals...................................... .............. .............. 1,020 6,000
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IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on respondents, e.g., the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized or
included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they will also become a matter of public record.
Dated: November 22, 1999.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-30811 Filed 11-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-16-P