Patent Law FAQ

Keeping assignment documents separate from patent application files is significant for several reasons. MPEP 318 mandates this separation:

“Assignment documents submitted for recording should not be placed directly in application or patent files, but should be forwarded to Assignment Division for recording.”

The significance of this practice includes:

• Maintaining clear distinction between technical content and ownership information
• Ensuring proper recording and indexing of assignment documents
• Facilitating easier searches for patent ownership information
• Reducing the risk of confidential ownership information being inadvertently disclosed
• Allowing for more efficient management of ownership changes throughout a patent’s lifecycle
• Enabling the Assignment Division to specialize in handling ownership matters

This separation streamlines both the patent examination process and the management of patent ownership records.