How do business mergers affect patent ownership?

Business mergers can have significant implications for patent ownership. According to MPEP 314:

Documents of merger are also proper links in the chain of title. They may represent a change of entity as well as a change of name.

This means that when businesses merge, it can result in both a change of the legal entity owning the patent and a change in the name associated with the patent ownership. It’s crucial to properly document these changes to maintain a clear chain of title for the patent.

To learn more:

Topics: MPEP 300 - Ownership and Assignment, MPEP 314 - Certificates of Change of Name or of Merger, Patent Law, Patent Procedure
Tags: business merger, chain of title, Legal Entity Change, Patent Ownership