(113)              Identification Of Affidavits/Declarations
                    FiledUnder 37 CFR 1.131 Which Establish
                           A Date of Invention In A
                          NAFTA or WTO Member Country

   35 U.S.C. 104 was amended by Public Law 103-182 and 103-465 to permit 
applicant/patentee to establish a date of invention in a NAFTA country no 
earlier than December 8, 1993 and in a WTO member country no earlier than 
January 1, 1996, respectively. 37 CFR 1.131 was amended, effective 
May 31, 1995, to implement the changes made to 35 U.S.C. 104. In order to 
study the impact of the changes to 35 U.S.C. 104 and to track affidavits/
declarations filed under 37 CFR 1.131 as a result of the changes to 35 
U.S.C. 104, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (Office) is requesting 
applicant/patentee to identify in the title of affidavits/declarations 
filed under 37 CFR 1.131 whether the affidavit/declaration is filed to 
establish a date of invention in a NAFTA country other than the U.S. or 
in a WTO member country other than a NAFTA country by providing the 
following:
   
   "131 N" - for NAFTA country other than the U.S.; and
   "131 W" - for WTO member country other than a NAFTA country.
   
   The Office is in the process of modifying the Patent Application
Location and Monitoring system (PALM) to record the receipt of the types
of affidavits/declarations filed under 37 CFR 1.131 identified supra.
   The new procedure for identifying affidavits/declarations filed under
3 7 CFR 1.131 of the "131 N" or "131 W" categories is effective
immediately.
   
Sept. 30, 1997                                             STEPHEN G. KUNIN
                                          Deputy Assistant Commissioner for
                                                 Patent Policy and Projects

                                 [1203 OG 155]