Privacy Act Statement
The Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579) requires that you be given certain information in
connection with your submission of the attached form related to a patent application or patent.
Accordingly, pursuant to the requirements of the Act, please be advised that: (1) the general
authority for the collection of this information is 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2); (2) furnishing of the
information solicited is voluntary; and (3) the principal purpose for which the information is used
by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is to process and/or examine your submission related
to a patent application or patent. If you do not furnish the requested information, the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office may not be able to process and/or examine your submission, which may
result in termination of proceedings or abandonment of the application or expiration of the
patent.
The information provided by you in this form will be subject to the following routine uses:
1. The information on this form will be treated confidentially to the extent allowed under the
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). Records
from this system of records may be disclosed to the Department of Justice to determine
whether the Freedom of Information Act requires disclosure of these records.
2. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, in the course of
presenting evidence to a court, magistrate, or administrative tribunal, including
disclosures to opposing counsel in the course of settlement negotiations.
3. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Member of
Congress submitting a request involving an individual, to whom the record pertains,
when the individual has requested assistance from the Member with respect to the
subject matter of the record.
4. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a contractor of
the Agency having need for the information in order to perform a contract. Recipients of
information shall be required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974,
as amended, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(m).
5. A record related to an International Application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty
in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the International Bureau
of the World Intellectual Property Organization, pursuant to the Patent Cooperation
Treaty.
6. A record in this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to another federal
agency for purposes of National Security review (35 U.S.C. 181) and for review pursuant
to the Atomic Energy Act (42 U.S.C. 218(c)).
7. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the
Administrator, General Services, or his/her designee, during an inspection of records
conducted by GSA as part of that agency's responsibility to recommend improvements in
records management practices and programs, under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and
2906. Such disclosure shall be made in accordance with the GSA regulations governing
inspection of records for this purpose, and any other relevant (i.e., GSA or Commerce)
directive. Such disclosure shall not be used to make determinations about individuals.
8. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to the public
after either publication of the application pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 122(b) or issuance of a
patent pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 151. Further, a record may be disclosed, subject to the
limitations of 37 CFR 1.14, as a routine use, to the public if the record was filed in an
application which became abandoned or in which the proceedings were terminated and
which application is referenced by either a published application, an application open to
public inspections or an issued patent.
9. A record from this system of records may be disclosed, as a routine use, to a Federal,
State, or local law enforcement agency, if the USPTO becomes aware of a violation or
potential violation of law or regulation.
