Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/10/22/2014-24891/renaming-of-express-mail-to-priority-mail-express
Timestamp: 2017-08-21 16:24:42
Document Index: 559629156

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 1', 'arts 1', '§\u20091', '§\u20091', '§\u20091', '§\u20091', '§\u20091', '§\u20091', '§\u20091', '§\u20092', '§\u20092', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20092', '§\u20092', 'art 7', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20097', '§\u20092', 'art 11', '§\u200911', 'art 41', 'art 42', '§\u200942']

Federal Register :: Renaming of Express Mail® to Priority Mail Express®
Renaming of Express Mail® to Priority Mail Express®
A Rule by the Patent and Trademark Office on 10/22/2014
63036-63044 (9 pages)
0651-AC98
PTO-P-2014-0045
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2014-24891 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2014-24891
The United States Patent and Trademark (Office) is revising the rules of practice to change the phrase Express Mail or EXPRESS MAIL® to Priority Mail Express® due to the United States Postal Service (USPS) renaming Express Mail® to Priority Mail Express® on July 28, 2013, and to make other changes to conform the nomenclature used in the Start Printed Page 63037rules of practice to the current nomenclature used by the USPS.
Eugenia A. Jones, Senior Legal Advisor, at (571) 272-7727, or Erin M. Harriman, Legal Advisor, at (571) 272-7747; 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 Eugenia A. Jones.
Executive Summary: Purpose: Effective July 28, 2013, the USPS changed the name of Express Mail® to Priority Mail Express®. Accordingly, the Office is revising the rules of practice to conform the nomenclature used in the rules of practice to the current nomenclature used by the USPS.
More specifically, the Office is changing the phrase Express Mail or EXPRESS MAIL® to Priority Mail Express® in 37 CFR 1.5, 1.6, 1.10, 2.119, 2.195, 2.198, 7.4, 11.35, 11.41, 11.42, 11.51, 41.106, 42.6, 42.105, 42.205, and 42.406. In addition, the USPS has updated the Priority Mail Express® mailing label. The mailing label now has a “date accepted” field rather than a “date-in” field, which was previously used on the Express Mail® mailing label. The Office is revising 37 CFR 1.10, 2.198, and 41.106 accordingly.
All characteristics of the Priority Mail Express® service are the same as those of the former Express Mail® service, although the mailing labels differ. The modifications to the rules are purely changes in terminology resulting from the renaming implemented by the USPS on July 28, 2013. There is no substantive change in practice before the Office as a result of these rule changes. Thus, parties still cannot use a foreign or international mail service (such as the newly renamed Priority Mail Express International®) or other forms of U.S. mail, such as certified mail, to obtain the benefit under 37 CFR 1.10 and 2.198. The procedure in 37 CFR 1.10 and 2.198 is limited to correspondence deposited in Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee service of the USPS.
The changes in this final rule are effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register. Papers submitted prior to the effective date containing language pertaining to Express Mail® and the mailing label “date-in” field will be accepted by the Office. Papers submitted after the effective date containing language pertaining to Express Mail® and the mailing label “date-in” field will be accepted by the Office. Although the new terminology should be used, papers submitted using the former language of Express Mail® and “date-in” will be presumed by the Office to mean Priority Mail Express® and “date accepted” after the effective date. The Office is in the process of updating its patent application transmittal forms (e.g., PTO/AIA/15, PTO/AIA/18, PTO/AIA/19, PTO/AIA/50, PTO/SB/16, PTO/SB/29) to change the reference Express Mail® Label No. to Priority Mail Express® Label No.
Background: Effective July 28, 2013, the USPS changed the name of Express Mail® to Priority Mail Express®. This final rule revises the rules of practice to change the phrase Express Mail to Priority Mail Express® and to make other changes to conform the nomenclature used in the rules of practice to the current nomenclature used by the USPS.
The following is a discussion of amendments to Title 37 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 1, 2, 7, 11, 41, and 42.
Section 1.5: Section 1.5(a) is amended to change “Express Mail procedure” to “Priority Mail Express® procedure.”
Section 1.6: Section 1.6(a) is amended to change “Express Mail date of deposit” to “Priority Mail Express® date of deposit.” Section 1.6(a)(2) is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 1.10: Section 1.10 is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®” and to change “date-in” or “date in” to “date accepted.” In particular, 37 CFR 1.10(a)(1), (c), (d), (d)(3), (e), (e)(3), (g), and (h) are amended to change “Express Mail Post Office to Addressee” to “Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee” and 37 CFR 1.10(a)(2), (b), (c), (c)(2), (c)(3), (d), (d)(2), (e)(2)-(4), (f), (g), (g)(2)-(4), (h), (h)(2)-(4), (i), (i)(1), and (i)(3) are amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.” In addition, 37 CFR 1.10(a)(2), (b), (c), (c)(3), (d), (e)(3), and (g)(3) are amended to change “date-in” or “date in” to “date accepted.”
Section 2.119: Section 2.119(b)(4) is amended to change “Express Mail Post Office to Addressee” to “Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee” and 37 CFR 2.119(c) is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 2.195: Sections 2.195(a), (a)(4), (e)(2)(iii), and (e)(3) are amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®,” and 37 CFR 2.195(e)(1) is amended to change “Express Mail Post Office to Addressee” to “Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee.”
Section 2.198: Section 2.198 is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®” and to change “date in” or “date-in” to “date accepted.” In particular, 37 CFR 2.198(a)(1), (c), (d), (d)(3), (e), and (e)(3) are amended to change “Express Mail Post Office to Addressee” to “Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee” and 37 CFR 2.198(a)(1), (a)(2), (b), (c), (c)(2), (c)(3), (d), (d)(2), (e)(2)-(4), and (f) are amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.” In addition, 37 CFR 2.198(a)(2), (b), (c), (c)(3), (d), and (e)(3) are amended to change “date in” or “date-in” to “date accepted.”
Section 7.4: Section 7.4(b)(1) is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 11.35: Section 11.35(a)(2) is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 11.41: Section 11.41(b) is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 11.42: Sections 11.42(a)(2), (b)(2), (c)(2), and (e) are amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 11.51: Section 11.51(a) is amended to change “Express Mail” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 41.106: Section 41.106(d)(1) is amended to change each occurrence of “EXPRESS MAIL®” to “Priority Mail Express®” and to change “date-in” to “date accepted.”
Section 42.6: Section 42.6(e)(1) is amended to change each occurrence of “EXPRESS MAIL®” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 42.105: Section 42.105(b) is amended to change each occurrence of “EXPRESS MAIL®” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 42.205: Section 42.205(b) is amended to change each occurrence of “EXPRESS MAIL®” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
Section 42.406: Section 42.406(b) is amended to change each occurrence of Start Printed Page 63038“EXPRESS MAIL®” to “Priority Mail Express®.”
A. Administrative Procedure Act: This rulemaking revises the rules of practice to change the phrase Express Mail or EXPRESS MAIL® to Priority Mail Express® due to the United States Postal Service (USPS) renaming Express Mail® to Priority Mail Express® on July 28, 2013, and to make other changes to conform the nomenclature used in the rules of practice to the current nomenclature used by the USPS. Therefore, the changes in this rulemaking involve rules of agency practice and procedure and/or interpretive rules. See Bachow Commc'ns Inc. v. F.C.C., 237 F.3d 683, 690 (D.C. Cir. 2001) (stating that rules governing an application process are procedural under the Administrative Procedure Act); Inova Alexandria Hosp. v. Shalala, 244 F.3d 342, 350 (4th Cir. 2001) (holding that rules for handling appeals were procedural where they did not change the substantive standard for reviewing claims).
Accordingly, prior notice and opportunity for public comment were not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b) or (c) (or any other law). See Cooper Techs. Co. v. Dudas, 536 F.3d 1330, 1336-37 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (stating that 5 U.S.C. 553, and thus 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2)(B), does not require notice and comment rulemaking for “interpretative rules, general statements of policy, or rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice” (quoting 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(A))).
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act: As prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, neither a regulatory flexibility analysis nor a certification under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) is required. See 5 U.S.C. 603. Further, this rulemaking only revises nomenclature to be consistent with the current nomenclature used by the USPS, and therefore the changes in this rulemaking will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
D. Executive Order 13563 (Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review): The Office has complied with Executive Order 13563 (Jan. 18, 2011). Specifically, the Office has, to the extent feasible and applicable: (1) Made a reasoned determination that the benefits justify the costs of the rule; (2) tailored the rule to impose the least burden on society consistent with obtaining the regulatory objectives; (3) selected a regulatory approach that maximizes net benefits; (4) specified performance objectives; (5) identified and assessed available alternatives; (6) involved the public in an open exchange of information and perspectives among experts in relevant disciplines, affected stakeholders in the private sector, and the public as a whole, and provided on-line access to the rulemaking docket; (7) attempted to promote coordination, simplification, and harmonization across government agencies and identified goals designed to promote innovation; (8) considered approaches that reduce burdens and maintain flexibility and freedom of choice for the public; and (9) ensured the objectivity of scientific and technological information and processes.
K. Congressional Review Act: Under the Congressional Review Act provisions of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), prior to issuing any final rule, the United States Patent and Trademark Office will submit a report containing the final rule and other required information to the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office. The changes in this document are not expected to result in an annual effect on the economy of 100 million dollars or more, a major increase in costs or prices, or significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets. Therefore, this document is not expected to result in a “major rule” as defined in 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
O. Paperwork Reduction Act: This rulemaking does not contain any information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a Start Printed Page 63039collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 37 CFR parts 1, 2, 7, 11, 41, and 42 are amended as follows:
2. Section 1.5 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:
(a) No correspondence relating to an application should be filed prior to receipt of the application number from the Patent and Trademark Office. When a letter directed to the Patent and Trademark Office concerns a previously filed application for a patent, it must identify on the top page in a conspicuous location, the application number (consisting of the series code and the serial number; e.g., 07/123,456), or the serial number and filing date assigned to that application by the Patent and Trademark Office, or the international application number of the international application. Any correspondence not containing such identification will be returned to the sender where a return address is available. The returned correspondence will be accompanied with a cover letter which will indicate to the sender that if the returned correspondence is resubmitted to the Patent and Trademark Office within two weeks of the mail date on the cover letter, the original date of receipt of the correspondence will be considered by the Patent and Trademark Office as the date of receipt of the correspondence. Applicants may use either the Certificate of Mailing or Transmission procedure under § 1.8 or the Priority Mail Express® procedure under § 1.10 for resubmissions of returned correspondence if they desire to have the benefit of the date of deposit in the United States Postal Service. If the returned correspondence is not resubmitted within the two-week period, the date of receipt of the resubmission will be considered to be the date of receipt of the correspondence. The two-week period to resubmit the returned correspondence will not be extended. In addition to the application number, all letters directed to the Patent and Trademark Office concerning applications for patent should also state the name of the first listed inventor, the title of the invention, the date of filing the same, and, if known, the group art unit or other unit within the Patent and Trademark Office responsible for considering the letter and the name of the examiner or other person to which it has been assigned.
3. Section 1.6 is amended by revising the introductory text of paragraph (a) and revising paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows:
(2) Correspondence filed in accordance with § 1.10 will be stamped with the date of deposit as Priority Mail Express® with the United States Postal Service.
4. Section 1.10 is revised to read as follows:
(a)(1) Any correspondence received by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that was delivered by the Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee service of the United States Postal Service (USPS) will be considered filed with the USPTO on the date of deposit with the USPS.
(2) The date of deposit with USPS is shown by the “date accepted” on the Priority Mail Express® label or other official USPS notation. If the USPS deposit date cannot be determined, the correspondence will be accorded the USPTO receipt date as the filing date. See § 1.6(a).
(3) The petition includes a true copy of the Priority Mail Express® mailing label showing the “date accepted,” and of any other official notation by the USPS relied upon to show the date of deposit.Start Printed Page 63040
(e) Any person mailing correspondence addressed as set out in § 1.1(a) to the Office with sufficient postage utilizing the Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee service of the USPS but not received by the Office, may petition the Director to consider such correspondence filed in the Office on the USPS deposit date, provided that:
(g) Any person who mails correspondence addressed as set out in § 1.1(a) to the Office with sufficient postage utilizing the Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee service of the USPS, but has the correspondence returned by the USPS due to an interruption or emergency in Priority Mail Express® service, may petition the Director to consider such correspondence as filed on a particular date in the Office, provided that:
(h) Any person who attempts to mail correspondence addressed as set out in § 1.1(a) to the Office with sufficient postage utilizing the Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee service of the USPS, but has the correspondence refused by an employee of the USPS due to an interruption or emergency in Priority Mail Express® service, may petition the Director to consider such correspondence as filed on a particular date in the Office, provided that:
(3) The petition includes a statement which establishes, to the satisfaction of the Director, that the correspondence would have been deposited with the USPS but for the designated interruption or emergency in Priority Start Printed Page 63041Mail Express® service, and that the correspondence or copy of the correspondence is the original correspondence or a true copy of the correspondence originally attempted to be deposited with the USPS on the requested filing date.
6. Section 2.119 is amended by revising paragraphs (b)(4) and (c) to read as follows:
(c) When service is made by first-class mail, Priority Mail Express®, or overnight courier, the date of mailing or of delivery to the overnight courier will be considered the date of service. Whenever a party is required to take some action within a prescribed period after the service of a paper upon the party by another party and the paper is served by first-class mail, Priority Mail Express®, or overnight courier, 5 days shall be added to the prescribed period.
7. Section 2.195 is revised to read as follows:
(4) Correspondence filed in accordance with § 2.198 will be given a filing date as of the date of deposit as Priority Mail Express® with the United States Postal Service.
(c) Facsimile transmission. Except in the cases enumerated in paragraph (d) of this section, correspondence, including authorizations to charge a deposit account, may be transmitted by facsimile. The receipt date accorded to the correspondence will be the date on which the complete transmission is received in the Office, unless that date is a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday within the District of Columbia. See § 2.196. To facilitate proper processing, each transmission session should be limited to correspondence to be filed in a single application, registration or proceeding before the Office. The application serial number, registration number, or proceeding number should be entered as a part of the sender's identification on a facsimile cover sheet.
(5) Madrid-related correspondence submitted under § 7.11, § 7.21, § 7.14, § 7.23, § 7.24, or § 7.31.
(3) Paragraphs (e)(1) and (e)(2) of this section do not apply to correspondence that is excluded from the Priority Mail Express® procedure pursuant to § 2.198(a)(1).
8. Section 2.198 is revised to read as follows:
(b) Correspondence should be deposited directly with an employee of the USPS to ensure that the person depositing the correspondence receives Start Printed Page 63042a legible copy of the Priority Mail Express® mailing label with the “date accepted” clearly marked. Persons dealing indirectly with the employees of the USPS (such as by deposit in a Priority Mail Express® drop box) do so at the risk of not receiving a copy of the Priority Mail Express® mailing label with the desired “date accepted” clearly marked. The paper(s) or fee(s) that constitute the correspondence should also include the Priority Mail Express® mailing label number thereon. See paragraphs (c), (d) and (e) of this section.
(e) If correspondence is properly addressed to the Office pursuant to § 2.190 and deposited with sufficient postage in the Priority Mail Express® Post Office to Addressee service of the USPS, but not received by the Office, the party who mailed the correspondence may petition the Director to consider such correspondence filed in the Office on the USPS deposit date, provided that:
9. The authority citation for 37 CFR part 7 continues to read as follows:
10. Section 7.4 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(1) to read as follows:
(1) International applications under § 7.11, subsequent designations under § 7.21, requests to record changes in the International Register under § 7.23 and § 7.24, and petitions to the Director to review an action of the Office's Madrid Processing Unit, when filed by mail, will be accorded the date of receipt in the Office, unless they are sent by Priority Mail Express® pursuant to § 2.198, in which case they will be accorded the date of deposit with the United States Postal Service.
11. The authority citation for 37 CFR part 11 continues to read as follows:
12. Section 11.35 is amended by revising the introductory text of paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows:
13. Section 11.41 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
(b) All papers filed after entry of an initial decision by the hearing officer shall be filed with the USPTO Director. A copy of the paper shall be served on Start Printed Page 63043the OED Director. The hearing officer or the OED Director may provide for filing papers and other matters by hand, by Priority Mail Express®, or by other means.
14. Section 11.42 is revised to read as follows:
(2) Mailing a copy of the paper by first-class mail, Priority Mail Express®, or other delivery service to the attorney at the address provided by the attorney under § 11.40(a)(1); or
15. Section 11.51 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as follows:
16. The authority citation for 37 CFR part 41 continues to read as follows:
17. Section 41.106 is amended by revising paragraphs (d)(1) and (e)(3) to read as follows:
18. The authority citation for 37 CFR part 42 continues to read as follows:
19. Section 42.6 is amended by revising paragraph (e)(1) to read as follows:
20. Section 42.105 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
§ 42.105
21. Section 42.205 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
22. Section 42.406 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as follows:
Start Printed Page 63044
[FR Doc. 2014-24891 Filed 10-21-14; 8:45 am]