A bill to authorize appropriations to the Patent and Trademark Office in the Department of Commerce, and for other purposes.

(Measure passed House, amended)

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1983-1985 for the Patent and Trademark Office. Requires the use of these funds to reduce by 50 percent the payment of fees by independent inventors, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses.

Authorizes supplemental appropriations for FY 1982.

Requires the Commissioner of Patents to charge fees according to a schedule set forth in this Act rather than establishing fees himself according to a prescribed formula.

Permits the Commissioner to accept the payment of maintenance fees after the six-month grace period if the delay is unavoidable. Protects the use or manufacture by others of anything covered by such a patent during the period between the grace period and the actual payment of the fee. Permits the Commissioner to require a surcharge for the delay.

Directs the Commissioner to establish fees for other unspecified services to cover their estimated cost to the Office.

Amends the Trademark Act of 1946 to grant the Commissioner of Patents discretion to establish fees for registering a trademark and requires the exclusive use of such fees for processing registrations and other services related to trademarks.

Eliminates the ceiling on the number of examiners-in-chief in the Office.

Revises the patent application procedures. Permits the Commissioner to certify a correction of inventor in an issued patent even though such error did not involve joint inventors.

Amends the Trademark Act of 1946 to permit the Commissioner, upon petition rather than unilaterally, to declare that an interference exists between two trademarks.

Establishes a patent term of 14 years for designs.

Permits a contract involving a patent or any right under a patent to contain a provision requiring arbitration of any dispute relating to patent validity or infringement arising under the contract. Allows both parties, even without such a provision, to still agree in writing to binding arbitration. Sets forth the arbitration conditions and procedures.