Who is considered an ‘applicant’ for Atomic Energy Act and NASA Act statements?

According to MPEP 151, the term ‘applicant’ in the context of Atomic Energy Act and NASA Act statements is interpreted as follows:

“The word ‘applicant’ in both of these statutes is construed by the Office to mean the inventor or joint inventors in person, or an assignee, obligated assignee, or a person who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter.”

This means that the statements must typically be signed by the actual inventor(s), assignee, or someone with a significant proprietary interest in the invention. The USPTO considers these individuals to be the most knowledgeable about the circumstances surrounding the invention’s creation.

For more information on applicant definition, visit: applicant definition.