On August 27, 2026, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published two Federal Register notices concerning information collections tied to Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) appeals and trademark application prosecution. For OMB Control No. 0651-0063, “PTAB Appeals,” the USPTO revised its annual burden estimates to account for participation in the Standards Participation and Representation Kudos (SPARK) Pilot Program, adding 50 respondents, 50 responses, and 50 burden hours. The change is best read as an update to information-collection and administrative burden estimates under the Paperwork Reduction Act, rather than as a new substantive rule governing PTAB appeals.
A separate notice for OMB Control No. 0651-0054 addresses substantive submissions made during trademark prosecution and again sets out the existing framework for intent-to-use applicants seeking extensions before filing a Statement of Use: each extension is for six months, with no more than five extension requests over a 30-month period. The practical point is procedural rather than doctrinal. Applicants should focus on SPARK eligibility and on accurate deadline management for trademark use filings, while avoiding the assumption that the August 27 notices created new examination standards.
