Patent Law FAQ

A ‘person to whom the inventor has assigned or is under an obligation to assign the invention’ refers to an individual or entity that has received rights to the invention through a legal agreement or contract. This concept is important in patent applications filed on or after September 16, 2012, as explained in MPEP 409.05:

Quote: ‘A person to whom the inventor has assigned or is under an obligation to assign the invention may make an application for patent.’

This provision allows assignees or those with a contractual right to the invention to file patent applications, even if they are not the original inventors.

To learn more:

• assignee
• obligation to assign
• patent application
• inventor rights