Statement of Budgetary Resources
The following table displays the USPTO’s
total budgetary resources available for spending over the past four years,
with the related percentage of change. The budgetary resources available
for spending do not include amounts that were not available through September
30, 2007, but will become available for spending on October 1, 2007 once
apportioned by the OMB.
Budgetary Resources Available for Spending
Budgetary Resources
Available for Spending
(dollars in millions) |
$1,235.2 |
$1,511.1 |
$1,680.1 |
$1,794.5 |
| Percentage Change |
3.5% |
22.3% |
11.2% |
6.8% |
 |
| Patent Examiners |
3,681 |
4,177 |
4,779 |
5,477 |
| Percentage Change |
2.8% |
13.5% |
14.4% |
14.6% |
|
| Trademark Examining
Attorneys |
286 |
357 |
413 |
404 |
| Percentage Change |
11.7% |
24.8% |
15.7% |
(2.2)% |
|
As evident from the table above, total budgetary resources available
for spending increased in FY 2007, a 6.8 percent increase over the prior
fiscal year and a 45.3 percent increase over the past three fiscal years.
The increase in available budgetary resources was used to fund the increased
cost of additional human capital to address the growing average complexity
of patent applications and the increase in patent and trademark filings.
Patent and Trademark Filings
| Patent Filings |
378,984 |
409,532 |
445,613 |
467,2431 |
| Percentage Change |
6.6% |
8.1% |
8.8% |
4.9% |
|
| Trademark Filings |
298,489 |
323,501 |
354,775 |
394,368 |
| Percentage Change |
11.7% |
8.4% |
9.7% |
11.2% |
|
The increase in available budgetary resources also allows the USPTO to
apply additional funds towards the accomplishment of strategic goals and
other initiatives that are associated with the performance goals contained
in the 2007-2012 Strategic Plan and the PMA.
The USPTO fee collections exceeded the estimated collections of $1,771.0
million during FY 2007; therefore, the USPTO was able to spend up to $1,771.0
million of fees collected during the year. The FY 2007 fee collections
of $1,783.2 million increased 7.6 percent over FY 2006 collections of
$1,657.6 million, all of which was appropriated. This increase in collections
is due to an increase in patent and trademark application filings, as
well as an increase in maintenance fees received.
As defined earlier, temporarily unavailable fee collections occur when
the initial fee estimates are lower than actual collections. During FY
2007, the USPTO collected $12.2 million in fee collections that were designated
as temporarily unavailable. As a result, the $516.5 million in temporarily
unavailable fee collections at the end of FY 2004 increased to $528.7
million at the end of FY 2007.
The chart below illustrates amounts that Congress has appropriated to
the USPTO over the past four fiscal years, as well as the cumulative unavailable
fee collections.
Temporary Unavailable Fee Collections
(Dollars in Millions)
| Fiscal
year fee collections |
$ 1,321.0 |
$ 1,497.2 |
$ 1,657.6 |
$ 1,783.2 |
| Fiscal
year collections appropriated |
(1,222.5) |
(1,497.2) |
(1,657.6) |
(1,771.0) |
| Reductions
- Rescissions |
77.0
 |
-
|
-
|
-
|
| Fiscal
year unavailable collections |
$ 175.5 |
$ - |
$ - |
$ 12.2 |
| Prior
year unavailable collections |
341.0
|
516.5
|
516.5
|
516.5
|
| Cumulative
temporarily unavailable fee collections |
$ 516.5
 |
$ 516.5
|
$ 516.5
|
$ 528.7
|
|
In addition to these annual restrictions, collections of $233.5 million
are unavailable in accordance with the OBRA of 1990, and deposited in
a special fund receipt account at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
|
