What types of documents can be recorded as assignments with the USPTO?
What types of documents can be recorded as assignments with the USPTO?
The USPTO allows for the recording of various types of documents related to patent ownership. According to MPEP 302:
“The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) records assignments, grants, and similar instruments relating to interests in patents and applications as provided in 37 CFR Part 3.”
Types of documents that can be recorded include:
- Assignments: Transfers of the entire right, title, and interest in a patent or application
- Security Agreements: Documents creating a security interest in a patent or application
- Licenses: Agreements granting rights to use or practice a patented invention
- Releases: Documents releasing previous security interests or other encumbrances
- Name Changes: Documents evidencing a change in the name of the owner of record
- Mergers: Documents showing the merger of companies and the resulting transfer of patent rights
It’s important to note that the USPTO records these documents without making a determination of their validity. As stated in MPEP 302, “The recording of a document pursuant to 37 CFR 3.11 is not a determination by the USPTO of the validity of the document or the effect that document has on the title to an application, a patent, or a registration.”
For more information on patent assignments, visit: patent assignments.