Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 10 / Tuesday, January 15, 2013 / Notices 2961 

1 35 U.S.C. 112(f) replaces 35 U.S.C. 112, ¶ 6 as 

the section of the statute pertaining to means-plusfunction limitations for applications filed on or 

after September 16, 2012. See Leahy-Smith America 

Invents Act, Pub. L. 112–29, § 4(c)(6), 125 Stat. 284, 

296 (2011). 

transitional phrase, and each particular 

claim limitation. 

2. Identifying corresponding support 

in the specification for each of the claim 

limitations utilizing, for example, a 

claim chart or the standardized template 

described above. This practice could be 

particularly beneficial where claims are 

amended or where a continuing 

application (continuation, divisional, 

continuation-in-part) is filed. 

3. Indicating whether examples in the 

specification are intended to be limiting 

or merely illustrative. 

4. Identifying whether the claim 

preamble is intended to be a limitation 

on claim scope. 

5. Expressly identifying clauses 

within particular claim limitations for 

which the inventor intends to invoke 35 

U.S.C. 112(f) and pointing out where in 

the specification corresponding 

structures, materials, or acts are 

disclosed that are linked to the 

identified 35 U.S.C. 112(f) claim 

limitations.1

6. Using textual and graphical 

notation systems known in the art to 

disclose algorithms in support of 

computer-implemented claim 

limitations, such as C-like pseudo-code 

or XML-like schemas for textual 

notation and Unified Modeling 

Language (UML) for graphical notation. 

B. Clarifying the Meaning of Claim 

Terms in the Specification 

The best source for determining the 

meaning of a claim term is the 

specification. See Phillips v. AWH 

Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1315–16 (Fed. Cir. 

2005). The specification should clearly 

define the claim language so that the 

scope of each claim can readily be 

determined, ensuring the public notice 

function of the patent claims is best 

served. In this regard, the USPTO is 

seeking public comments on advantages 

and disadvantages of applicants 

employing the following practices when 

preparing their patent applications: 

1. Indicating whether terms of 

degree—such as substantially, 

approximately, about, essentially—have 

a lay or technical meaning and 

explaining the scope of such terms. 

2. Including in the specification a 

glossary of potentially ambiguous, 

distinctive, and specialized terms used 

in the specification and/or claims, 

particularly for inventions related to 

certain technologies, such as software. 

3. Designating, at the time of filing the 

application, a default dictionary or 

dictionaries (e.g., a technical dictionary 

and a non-technical dictionary) to be 

used in ascertaining the meaning of the 

claim terms. 

III. Guidelines for Written Comments 

As discussed previously, the USPTO 

prefers to receive comments via 

electronic mail. Information provided in 

response to this request for comments 

will be made part of a public record and 

may be available via the Internet. In 

view of this, parties should not submit 

information that they do not wish to be 

publicly disclosed or made 

electronically accessible. Parties who 

would like to rely on confidential 

information to illustrate a point are 

requested to summarize or otherwise 

submit the information in a way that 

will permit its public disclosure. 

Dated: January 10, 2013. 

David J. Kappos, 

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual 

Property and Director of the United States 

Patent and Trademark Office. 

[FR Doc. 2013–00690 Filed 1–14–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–16–P 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meeting—Closed 

Meeting 

The following notice of a closed 

meeting is published pursuant to the 

provisions of the Government in the 

Sunshine Act, Public Law 94–409, 5 

U.S.C. 552b. 

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: 

Commodity Futures Trading 

Commission. 

TIME AND DATE: January 14, 2013 at 10:00 

a.m. 

PLACE: Three Lafayette Center, 1155 21st 

St. NW., Washington, DC, 9th Floor 

Commission Conference Room. 

STATUS: Closed. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Litigation 

Matters. In the event that the time or 

date of this meeting changes, an 

announcement of the change, along with 

the new time and place of the meeting 

will be posted on the Commission’s 

Web site at www.cftc.gov. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Stacy D. Yochum, Counsel to the 

Executive Director, 202–418–5157. 

Stacy D. Yochum, 

Counsel to the Executive Director. 

[FR Doc. 2013–00787 Filed 1–11–13; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 6351–01–P 

BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL 

PROTECTION 

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request 

AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial 

Protection. 

ACTION: Notice and request for comment. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Consumer 

Financial Protection (Bureau), as part of 

its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

invites the general public and other 

Federal agencies to take this 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 

1995, Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 

3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Bureau is 

soliciting comments concerning the 

information collection requirements 

relating to identifying strategies to help 

consumers make better-informed 

financial decisions. 

DATES: Written comments are 

encouraged and must be received on or 

before March 18, 2013 to be assured of 

consideration. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by any of the following methods: 

• Electronic: 

CFPB_Public_PRA@cfpb.gov. 

• Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier: Direct 

all written comments to Consumer 

Financial Protection Bureau (Attention: 

PRA Office), 1700 G Street NW., 

Washington, DC 20552. 

Instructions: Submissions should 

include agency name and Generic 

Clearance for Qualitative Consumer 

Education and Engagement Information 

Collections. Comments will be available 

for public inspection and copying at 

1700 G Street NW., Washington, DC 

20552 on official business days between 

the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern 

Time. You can make an appointment to 

inspect comments by telephoning (202) 

435–7275. All comments, including 

attachments and other supporting 

materials, will become part of the public 

record and subject to public disclosure. 

For this reason, please do not include in 

your comments information of a 

confidential nature, such as sensitive 

personal information or proprietary 

information. You should only submit 

information that you wish to make 

available publicly. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the documents contained 

under this approval number should be 

directed to the Consumer Financial 

Protection Bureau, (Attention: PRA 

Office), 1700 G Street NW., Washington, 


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