How are patents issued to joint inventors?

When multiple inventors collaborate on an invention, the patent can be issued to them jointly. The MPEP 308 provides guidance on this:

‘If more than one inventor is named in the application, the patent will issue to the inventors jointly.’

This means that all named inventors share ownership of the patent equally, unless they have agreed otherwise or assigned their rights to another party. Each joint inventor has the right to make, use, sell, or license the invention without the consent of the other inventors, subject to any agreements between them.

For more information on joint inventors, visit: joint inventors.

For more information on patent issuance, visit: patent issuance.