WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO   
IP/N/1/USA/D/4 
IP/N/1/USA/P/8 17 August 2012 
 
 
(12-4483) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects  of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 anglais/  inglés 
 
 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PR OPERTY LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
NOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
UNITED STATES 
 
 The present document reproduces the text
1 of the Notice of Availability of Patent Fee 
Changes Under the Leahy-Smith America In vents Act, which entered into force on 
26 September 2011, as notified by the United St ates on 20 June 2012 under Article 63.2 of the 
Agreement (see document IP/N/1/USA/5).  
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce 
 
 
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET RÉGLEMENTATIONS CONSACRÉES À 
LA PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIÉES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
 
ÉTATS-UNIS 
 
 Le présent document contient le texte
1 de l'Avis de modification des droits de brevet 
conformément à la Loi Leahy-Smith "America Invents", qui est entré en vigueur le 
26 septembre 2011, et a été notifié par les États-Un is le 20 juin 2012 au titre de l'article 63:2 de 
l'Accord (voir le document IP/N/1/USA/5). 
 
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio 
 
 
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA 
PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD 
DEL PÁRRAFO 2 DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
 
ESTADOS UNIDOS 
  En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 del Aviso de publicación de los nuevos 
derechos de patente aplicables en virtud de los cambios introducidos por la Ley Leahy-Smith sobre 
invenciones de los Estados Unidos, que entró en vi gor el 26 de setiembre de 2011, notificado por los 
Estados Unidos el 20 de junio de 2012 en virtud de  lo dispuesto en el párrafo 2 del artículo 63 del 
Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/USA/5). 
                                                      
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente.     
   IP/N/1/USA/D/4 
 IP/N/1/USA/P/8 
 Page 3 
 
 
  DEPARTMENT OF 
COMMERCE  
  
Patent and Trademark Office  
 
[Docket No. PTO–P–2011–
0049]  
 
Notice of Availability of Patent Fee Changes Under 
the Leahy-Smith America 
Invents Act   
AGENCY:  United States 
Patent and Trademark Office, 
Commerce.  
 
ACTION:  Notice of 
availability.  
 SUMMARY:  The United 
States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO) is publishing this notice to advise the public 
of the availability, on the 
USPTO's Web site, of the patent fee amounts that will be 
in effect ten days after the date 
of enactment of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act 
(i.e., September 26, 2011) by 
operation of the fifteen percent surcharge provided for in 
section 11(i) and the prioritized 
examination fee provided for in 
Section 11(h). The USPTO's 
Web site also specifies the additional fee for applications 
not filed by electronic means in 
effect sixty days after the date of enactment of the Leahy-
Smith America Invents Act 
(i.e., November 15, 2011) by 
operation of section 10(h). The 
USPTO's Web site for fee 
information is  http://www.uspto.gov/about/off
ices/cfo/ finance/fees.jsp.  
 
FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION 
CONTACT:  By telephone to 
James J. Engel, at (571) 272–
7725, or Susy Tsang-Foster, at 
571– 272–7711; or by mail 
addressed to: United States Patent and Trademark Office, 
Mail Stop Comments—
Patents, Commissioner for 
Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313–1450, 
marked to the attention of 
James J. Engel or Susy Tsang-Foster.  
 
 Authority:  Pub. L. 112–29.  
 
SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION:  
Sections 11(a) through (e) of 
the Leahy-Smith America 
Invents Act generally codify 
the patent fee provisions of the 
fiscal year 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub. 
L. 108–447), with the patent 
fee amounts in effect on the date of enactment of the 
Leahy-Smith America Invents 
Act. Sections 11(a) through (e) of the Leahy-Smith America 
Invents Act also delete 
provisions pertaining to applicant-provided search 
reports and search reports 
acquired from a qualified search authority, and 
reorganize a few of the patent 
fee provisions of the fiscal year 2005 Consolidated 
Appropriations Act. The 
Leahy-Smith America Invents 
Act includes the following 
additional changes to patent fees:  
 First, section 11(i) of the 
Leahy-Smith America Invents Act provides that there shall be 
a surcharge of 15 percent, 
rounded by standard arithmetic rules, on all fees charged or 
authorized by 35 U.S.C. 41(a), 
(b) and (d)(1), as well as by 35 U.S.C. 132(b). Section 11(i) 
also provides that this 
15 percent surcharge is effective ten days after the date 
of enactment of the Leahy-
Smith America Invents Act (i.e., September 26, 2011).  
 Second, section 11(h) of the 
Leahy-Smith America Invents 
Act includes provisions for prioritized examination, which 
include a fee of $4,800 ($2,400 
for small entities). 
Section 11(h) also provides that the prioritized examination 
provisions are effective ten 
days after the date of enactment of the Leahy-Smith 
America Invents Act ( i.e., 
September 26, 2011).   Third, section 10(h) of the 
Leahy-Smith America Invents 
Act provides that an additional fee of $400 shall be established 
for each application for an 
original ( i.e., non-reissue) 
patent, except for a design, 
plant, or provisional application, that is not filed by 
electronic means as prescribed 
by the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO). Section 10(h) 
also provides that this fee is reduced by 50 percent for 
small entities under 35 U.S.C. 
41(h)(1). Additionally, section 10(h) provides that this 
new fee is effective sixty days 
after the date of enactment of the Leahy-Smith America 
Invents Act 
(i.e., November 15, 2011).  
 The USPTO is publishing 
this notice to advise the public 
of the availability, on the 
USPTO's Web site, of the 
patent fee amounts that will be in effect ten days after the date 
of enactment of the Leahy-
Smith America Invents Act by operation of the fifteen percent 
surcharge provided for in 
section 11(i) and the prioritized examination fee provided for in 
Section 11(h). The USPTO's 
Web site also specifies the additional fee for applications 
not filed by electronic means in 
effect sixty days after the date of enactment of the Leahy-
Smith America Invents Act by 
operation of section 10(h). The USPTO's Web site for fee 
information is  http:// 
www.uspto.gov/about/offices/cf
o/ finance/fees.jsp.   IP/N/1/USA/D/4 
IP/N/1/USA/P/8 Page 4 
 
 
   The fees for the new 
programs provided for in the 
Leahy-Smith America Invents 
Act ( e.g., post-grant review, 
inter partes  review, 
supplemental examination) and 
other fee changes authorized by the Leahy-Smith America 
Invents Act will be 
implemented in separate rule makings. The prioritized 
examination provisions of 
section 11(h) of the Leahy-
Smith America Invents Act will be implemented in a 
separate final rule making.  
  Dated: September 21, 2011.  
 
  
 
Deborah S. Cohn,  
Commissioner for Trademarks.  
 
[FR Doc. 2011–24672 Filed 9–
22–11; 8:45 am]   
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P 
 
 
 
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