Can a patent be issued to a deceased inventor?

Yes, a patent can be issued to a deceased inventor. The MPEP 308 states: ‘A patent may be issued to the legal representative (executor, administrator, etc.) of a deceased inventor.’ In such cases, the patent is issued to the legal representative acting on behalf of the deceased inventor’s estate. This ensures that the inventor’s rights…

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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…

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