Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Information

   For information concerning PCT member countries, see the notice
appearing in the Official Gazette at 1205 O.G. 4, on December 2, 1997.
   For use of the European Patent Office as an International Searching
Authority for international applications filed in the United States
Receiving Office, see the notice appearing in the Official Gazette at
1022 O.G. 52, on September 28, 1982.
   For use of the European Patent Office as an International Preliminary
Examining Authority for international applications filed in the United
States Receiving Office, see the notices appearing in the Official
Gazette at 1080 O.G. 2, on July 7, 1987, and at 1091 O.G. 2, on June 7,
1988. There is no longer a limit on the number of such international
applications accepted for international preliminary examination by the
European Patent Office; see the notice appearing at 1116 O.G. 32, on
July 17, 1990.
   The search fee of the European Patent Office was increased, effective
January 1, 1998, and was announced in the Official Gazette at 1205 O.G. 3,
on December 2, 1997.
   International fees were changed, effective on May 1, 1997, 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 1197 O.G. 69, on
April 22, 1997. The basic fee and the designation fee were further
changed effective January 1, 1998 and were announced in the Official
Gazette at 1205 O.G. 3, on December 2, 1997.
   Certain domestic PCT fees and charges for International Search and
Preliminary Examination were changed, effective October 1, 1997, and were
announced in the Official Gazette at 1201 O.G. 63, on August 19, 1997.
   The schedule of PCT fees (in U.S. dollars), effective January 1, 1998,
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)                                        450.00
         - Supplemental search fee, per
           additional invention (payable only upon invitation)     210.00
      European Patent Office as ISA                               1250.00
   International fees
      Basic fee                                                    455.00
      Basic supplemental fee (for each page
      over 30)                                                      10.00
      Designation fee per country or region
         - For the first 11 national or regional
         offices designated                                        105.00
         - For each designation in excess
         of 11 offices                                          No Charge
         Precautionary designation fee and confirmation fee
         for each precautionary designation confirmed
         (PCT Rule 15.5)
         - Designation fee                                         105.00
         - Confirmation fee                                         52.50

International Application (PCT Chapter II) fees associated
      with filing a Demand for Preliminary Examination:
      Handling fee                                                 162.00
      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)                                     49.00      98.00
     - All claims presented did not satisfy
        provisons of PCT Article
        33(2) to (4)                                    360.00     720.00
   USPTO was ISA but not IPEA                           395.00     790.00
   USPTO was neither ISA nor IPEA
     - Search report has not been prepared
        by the European Patent Office or
        the Japanese Patent Office                      535.00    1070.00
     - Search report has been prepared by
        the European Patent Office or the
        Japanese Patent Office                          465.00     930.00

Other National fees
   - For each independent
      claim in excess of 3                               41.00      82.00
   - For each claim in excess of 20                      11.00      22.00
   - 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

Nov. 10, 1997                                               BRUCE A. LEHMAN
                                        Assistant Secretary of Commerce and
                                     Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks