Patent Cooperation Treaty Update

   The Assembly of the International Patent Cooperation Union (PCT Union),
in a meeting held in Geneva from September 7 to 15, 1998, decided to
reduce the maximum number of designation fees payable for PCT
international applications from 11 to 10. This reduction will take effect
from January 1, 1999.

   The Assembly also decided to provide applicants who prepare their PCT
international applications using the "PCT-EASY" (Electronic Application
SYstem) software and meet certain other conditions with a reduction of
$140.00 in their PCT international fees. to obtain the reduction, the
international application must be filed with a computer printout of the
request prepared using the PCT-EASY software, a copy of the request in
electronic form prepared using that software and a copy of the abstract
in electronic form. This reduction will also be available January 1,
1999.

December 8, 1998                                          Q. TODD DICKINSON
                                              Deputy Assistant Secretary of
                                        Commerce and Deputy Commissioner of
                                                     Patents and Trademarks