us patent assignment form

The basics of patent assignments

What is a patent assignment, what are the requirements to make it valid, and why would a business enter into a patent assignment agreement? Read on to find answers to these questions and more.

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by   Cindy DeRuyter, Esq.

Cindy DeRuyter, Esq., has been writing for LegalZoom since 2018. She earned a Juris Doctor from Mitchell Hamline Scho...

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Updated on: December 4, 2023 · 2min read

Defining Patent Assignment

Requirements to assign a patent, searching for patent assignments.

Assigning patents can be a great way for companies to generate revenue and reduce risks associated with intellectual property ownership. If you are considering entering into a patent assignment agreement, understand that it is irrevocable. Because of that, evaluate proposed terms and provisions carefully before moving forward.

Here's a high-level overview of how patent assignments work: when a patent's owner or applicant assigns it to another individual or company, the assignor agrees to relinquish their rights to enforce or benefit from it in the future.

You can assign rights for applications still pending with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). When the USPTO approves the application, the assignee benefits from and may use and enforce the patent, not the assignor. Companies also assign rights for issued patents, which relieves the assignor of the burden of enforcing their intellectual property and provides a source of revenue.

Patent assignments can be lucrative for both parties. While assignors make money right away, assignees can create revenue streams by earning money from royalty payments. After an assignment is complete, the assignee has exclusive rights to such income.

A patent assignment agreement documents the transfer and arrangement between the parties. If you are considering entering into one, know that you need it to be written—a verbal agreement alone is insufficient.

Don't underestimate the importance of this, either. Without a valid agreement on file with the USPTO, an intended assignor remains legally responsible for the patent and an intended assignee gains none of the rights or benefits.

Here are the requirements for a valid written assignment:

• Confirm that the assignor has the full, legal right to make the assignment and that the assignee can legally assume the rights and obligations.
• Clearly identify both the assignor and assignee using legal names. If more than one company owns the patent, identify all owners.
• Identify the underlying patent by title and number and include a complete and accurate description of it.
• Describe the terms of the agreement, including financial arrangements.
• All parties must sign the agreement, with limited exceptions in situations where the assignor cannot be reached but where enough evidence exists that documents their intentions and rights.
• File the patent assignment with the USPTO within three months after the agreement is signed, paying the then-current fee.

Though the agreement is a legal document, it does not need to be notarized. However, obtaining notarization for the signatures provides added protection, limiting the risk of a party later claiming a signature was not valid.

The USPTO maintains a patent assignment database that includes all the assignments recorded since August 1980. Using the database, you can search with the assignor's or assignee's name, the patent number, application number, publication number, or other identifying information.

Properly assigning patents protects both assignors and assignees. If you want to assign a patent, downloading a patent assignment form can help. Alternatively, you can consult an intellectual property attorney .

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Patent Assignment: How to Transfer Ownership of a Patent

By Michael K. Henry, Ph.D.

• Intellectual Property
• Patent Prosecution

This is the second in a two-part blog series on owning and transferring the rights to a patent. ( Read part one here. )

As we discussed in the first post in this series, patent owners enjoy important legal and commercial benefits: They have the right to exclude others from making, selling, using or importing the claimed invention, and to claim damages from anyone who infringes their patent.

However, a business entity can own a patent only if the inventors have assigned the patent rights to the business entity. So if your employees are creating valuable IP on behalf of your company, it’s important to get the patent assignment right, to ensure that your business is the patent owner.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what a patent assignment even is — and the best practices for approaching the process. But remember, assignment (or transfer of ownership) is a function of state law, so there might be some variation by state in how all this gets treated.

What Is a Patent Assignment and Why Does it Matter?

A patent assignment is an agreement where one entity (the “assignor”) transfers all or part of their right, title and interest in a patent or application to another entity (the “assignee”). 

In simpler terms, the assignee receives the original owner’s interest and gains the exclusive rights to pursue patent protection (through filing and prosecuting patent applications), and also to license and enforce the patent. 

Ideally, your business should own its patents if it wants to enjoy the benefits of the patent rights. But  under U.S. law , only an inventor or an assignee can own a patent — and businesses cannot be listed as an inventor. Accordingly, patent assignment is the legal mechanism that transfers ownership from the inventor to your business.

Patent Assignment vs. Licensing

Keep in mind that an assignment is different from a license. The difference is analogous to selling versus renting a house.

In a license agreement, the patent owner (the “licensor”) gives another entity (the “licensee”) permission to use the patented technology, while the patent owner retains ownership. Like a property rental, a patent license contemplates an ongoing relationship between the licensor and licensee.

In a patent assignment, the original owner permanently transfers its ownership to another entity. Like a property sale, a patent assignment is a permanent transfer of legal rights.

U sing Employment Agreements to Transfer Patent Ownership

Before your employees begin developing IP,  implement strong hiring policies  that ensure your IP rights will be legally enforceable in future.

If you’re bringing on a new employee, have them sign an  employment agreement  that establishes up front what IP the company owns — typically, anything the employee invents while under your employment. This part of an employment agreement is often presented as a self-contained document, and referred to as a “Pre-Invention Assignment Agreement” (PIAA).

The employment agreement should include the following provisions:

• Advance assignment of any IP created while employed by your company, or using your company’s resources
• An obligation to disclose any IP created while employed by your company, or using your company’s resources
• An ongoing obligation to provide necessary information and execute documents related to the IP they created while employed, even after their employment ends
• An obligation not to disclose confidential information to third parties, including when the employee moves on to a new employer

To track the IP your employees create, encourage your employees to document their contributions by completing  invention disclosure records .

But the paperwork can be quite involved, which is why your employment policies should also include  incentives to create and disclose valuable IP .

Drafting Agreements for Non-Employees

Some of the innovators working for your business might not have a formal employer-employee relationship with the business. If you don’t make the appropriate arrangements beforehand, this could complicate patent assignments. Keep an eye out for the following staffing arrangements:

• Independent contractors:  Some inventors may be self-employed, or they may be employed by one of your service providers.
• Joint collaborators:  Some inventors may be employed by, say, a subsidiary or service company instead of your company.
• Anyone who did work through an educational institution : For example, Ph.D. candidates may not be employees of either their sponsoring institution or your company.

In these cases, you can still draft contractor or collaborator agreements using the same terms outlined above. Make sure the individual innovator signs it before beginning any work on behalf of your company.

O btaining Written Assignments for New Patent Applications

In addition to getting signed employment agreements, you should  also  get a written assignments for each new patent application when it’s filed, in order to memorialize ownership of the specific patent property.

Don’t rely exclusively on the employment agreement to prove ownership:

• The employment agreement might contain confidential terms, so you don’t want to record them with the patent office
• Because employment agreements are executed before beginning the process of developing the invention, they won’t clearly establish what specific patent applications are being assigned

While you  can  execute the formal assignment for each patent application after the application has been filed, an inventor or co-inventor who no longer works for the company might refuse to execute the assignment.

As such, we recommend executing the assignment before filing, to show ownership as of the filing date and avoid complications (like getting signatures from estranged inventors).

How to Execute a Written Patent Agreement

Well-executed invention assignments should:

• Be in writing:  Oral agreements to assign patent rights are typically not enforceable in the United States
• Clearly identify all parties:  Include the names, addresses, and relationship of the assignor(s) and assignee
• Clearly identify the patent being assigned:  State the patent or patent application number, title, inventors, and filing date
• Be signed by the assignors
• Be notarized : If notarization isn’t possible, have one or two witnesses attest to the signatures

Recording a Patent Assignment With the USPTO

Without a recorded assignment with the U.S. patent office, someone else could claim ownership of the issued patent, and you could even lose your rights in the issued patent in some cases. 

So the patent owner (the Assignee) should should record the assignment through the  USPTO’s Assignment Recordation Branch . They can use the  Electronic Patent Assignment System (EPAS)  to file a  Recordation Cover Sheet  along with a copy of the actual patent assignment agreement.

They should submit this paperwork  within three months  of the assignment’s date. If it’s recorded electronically, the USPTO  won’t charge a recordation fee .

Need to check who owns a patent?  The USPTO website  publicly lists all information about a patent’s current and previous assignments.

When Would I Need to Execute a New Assignment for a Related Application?

You’ll need only one patent assignment per patent application, unless new matter is introduced in a new filing (e.g., in a  continuation-in-part , or in a non-provisional application that adds new matter to a  provisional application ). In that case, you’ll need an additional assignment to cover the new matter — even if it was developed by the same inventors.

What If an Investor Won’t Sign the Written Assignment?

If you can’t get an inventor to sign an invention assignment, you can still move forward with a patent application — but you’ll need to document your ownership. To document ownership, you can often rely on an   employee agreement ,  company policy ,  invention disclosure , or other employment-related documentation.

D o I Need to Record My Assignments in Foreign Countries?

Most assignments transfer all rights, title, and interest in all patent rights throughout the world.

But in some countries, the assignment might not be legally effective until the assignment has been recorded in that country — meaning that the assignee can’t enforce the patent rights, or claim damages for any infringement that takes place before the recordation. 

And there might be additional formal requirements that aren’t typically required in the United States. For example, some countries might require a transfer between companies to be signed by both parties, and must contain one or both parties’ addresses.

If you’re assigning patents issued by a foreign country, consult a patent attorney in that country to find out what’s required to properly document the transfer of ownership.

N eed Help With Your Patent Assignments?

Crafting robust assignment agreements is essential to ensuring the proper transfer of patent ownership. An  experienced patent professional  can help you to prepare legally enforceable documentation.

Henry Patent Law Firm has worked with tech businesses of all sizes to execute patent assignments —  contact us now  to learn more.

GOT A QUESTION? Whether you want to know more about the patent process or think we might be a good fit for your needs – we’d love to hear from you!

Michael K. Henry, Ph.D.

Michael K. Henry, Ph.D., is a principal and the firm’s founding member. He specializes in creating comprehensive, growth-oriented IP strategies for early-stage tech companies.

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By Michael Henry

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Patent Assignment Agreement

This Patent Assignment Agreement is a comprehensive document designed to facilitate the transfer of patent ownership from the original patent owner, known as the assignor, to another party, known as the assignee .

A patent is a legal grant issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to an inventor, providing exclusive rights to make, use, and sell their invention for a limited period , typically 20 years from the filing date. This protection is granted in exchange for the public disclosure of the invention. This system encourages innovation and lets inventors benefit from their creations for a specified period of time.

An assignment is the legal transfer of ownership or rights of a patent from one party (assignor) to another (assignee) . Using a Patent Assignment Agreement, the assignor forever relinquishes their rights to the patent, and the assignee assumes control and ownership of those rights for the duration of the patent.

This assignment can be made either before or after a patent application has been issued as a patent. By law, a patent is considered personal property and, so, can be sold or transferred in the same way one could sell a car or a piece of furniture. This document formally initiates the transfer process, providing clarity and protection for both parties involved. This agreement is particularly useful when inventors, companies, or individuals who wish to transfer their patent rights, whether for financial considerations, strategic partnerships, or other business transactions.

This document is different from a Trademark Assignment Agreement, which is used for the transfer of a different kind of intellectual property, known as a trademark. A trademark is usually a brand name or logo, unlike a patent, which is usually an invention of some sort. This is also slightly different from an Intellectual Property Release . Although that form could be used for a patent, it is generally used for copyrighted material, like works of art or pieces of music. In that case, payment is not made and, instead, the copyrighted works are simply "released," or given to another party. This document can also be distinguished from an Intellectual Property Permission Letter, as there, one party is writing to request permission to use the intellectual property of another. The Patent Assignment Agreement would then come after the letter, but the letter is not the formal legal document that initiates the transfer.

How to use this document

This document includes all the information necessary to transfer the ownership of a patent from one party to another. This document should be used when the transfer will be permanent, usually for a one-time fee , and no royalties will be due after the assignment. This document allows the parties to fill in details of the patent to be transferred, such as the patent name, original recordation number, and date the patent was initially issued . This ensures that everything needed for new recordation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is present.

Once the document has been completed, both parties should sign the document in front of a notary and have the notary complete the notary page. The document must then be recorded with the USPTO within three months of its signing, or it becomes void. The current cost for filing an assignment with the USPTO is $40 per patent. The assignment can be filed either online or by mail.

Applicable law

In the United States, specific federal laws govern patent assignments, primarily under Title 35 of the United States Code , which pertains to the country's patent system. Section 261 of Title 35 outlines the general provisions related to patent ownership and transfers. According to this statute, patent assignments must be in writing to be valid, and they require the signature of the owner of the patent or their authorized representative. The law also specifies that the assignment must be recorded with the USPTO to establish priority and provide notice to the public.

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Patent Assignment Contract, Intellectual Property Transfer Agreement, Technology Rights Conveyance Agreement, Innovation Assignment and Transfer Accord, Assignation of Patent Rights Contract

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Patent Assignment: A Basic Guide

March 12th, 2020 ‧ 5 min read.

When it comes to patents, many people outside of the industry often make the assumption that the person listed as the inventor on a patent is automatically the owner of that patent as well.

While this is certainly true in some cases, there are several instances when another person or even a company may be assigned ownership of the patent. This is called a “patent assignment,” and it is the subject of today’s article.

Table of contents

Patent assignment: a basic definition, an example of a patent assignment, an additional patent assignment in writing, patent assignments and the uspto, patent assignment database, patent assignment search, is a patent assignment a type of licensing, patent assignment: an important element of the patent ecosystem.

Curious about the patent assignment history? Check out the specific data  here !

Basically speaking, a patent assignment is a legal way for an inventor to transfer ownership of a patent to a business.

As you may recall, in the United States, only a person (or group of people) can be listed as the inventor of a patent; a business cannot be listed as the inventor. However, a business can be assigned the ownership of the patent by a person (or group of people).

In this type of agreement, the “assignor” transfers their patent rights to the “assignee.”

It might be helpful to look at an example of a patent assignment. Let’s say an employee of a company comes up with a new invention. This individual employee is the inventor of the product and will be listed on the patent application as such. However, since patents can be very valuable, most companies already have a patent assignment agreement with their employees in place.

This type of agreement would typically state that any type of intellectual property created by an employee of a company while employed by that company would become the property of the company.

Since the company in this example made sure that its employee signed a patent assignment form upon being hired, the invention that the employee came up in the company’s R&D facility will be assigned to the company. The inventor will still be listed in the patent application (and on the patent, if granted) as the inventor.

In addition to the patent assignment agreement mentioned above, it is also recommended that a specific written assignment from the inventor to the company be made whenever a patent application is filed.

If this step is taken, then there will be less trouble if an inventor leaves the company before the patent application has been completed or attempts to contest the patent down the road.

In the United States, patent assignments can be recorded at the USPTO. This can be done at the US patent office’s  Assignment Recordation Branch .

Although this can be done online (and without any fees if done electronically) using the  Electronic Patent Assignment System (EPAS) , it should be noted that all patent assignment paperwork must be submitted within three months of the patent’s assignment date.

The Patent Assignment Database from USPTO keeps all the patent assignment data records from August 1980 until now. The transfer record will be updated by USPTO, the most recent entry should be the current assignee. However, the system does not check the correctness of the data, specify the current assignee and update timely. It is best to double-check with a third-party database for accuracy.

If you need to find out who owns a patent, then you can conduct a patent assignment search. This will tell you who has been assigned a particular patent in the past and who the current assignee is now. The USPTO does offer a free  patent assignment search tool  on its website, as do other third-party intelligence platforms, such as  Patentcloud .

These platforms often feature superior patent assignment databases, with processes that ensure that the assignment data has been cleansed and corrected, meaning more accurate and comprehensive search results.

Start your patent assignment search  here with Patentcloud’s Patent Search.

Although similar in some ways, these two patent activities are actually quite different.

A licensing agreement means that the owner of the patent (or “licensor”) gives another person or company (the “licensee”) the right to use the patented technology for an agreed-upon period of time. However, the licensor remains the owner of the patent.

A patent assignment, on the other hand, involves a complete and permanent transfer (or “assignment”) of ownership of a patent from the owner (or “assignor”) to another party (the “assignee”). Put simply, patent assignment involves “ownership” while patent licensing involves “permission to use.”

Assignment data analysis can provide actionable insights for those operating in the transaction market and IP stakeholders alike, enabling them to:

• Anticipate the future strategy of a company: the acquisition of patents covering a specific technology could well be an indicator of the company’s future plans and strategies;
• Anticipate the developments of an industry: multiple companies — especially larger ones — acquiring patents in a certain technology field could also prove to be an indicator of the imminent popularity of a technology field.

The acquisition of Oculus VR by Facebook is a perfect example of this: in 2014, Facebook bought the VR company for around $2 billion. In the deal, Facebook also acquired all of the patents. Facebook’s focus on VR was a significant moment: today, VR technology is one of the most active patent-wise. This activity is not just limited to the gaming sector, the following industries have also experienced increased activity:

• Data visualization;
• The treatment of mental illnesses.

The acquisition by Facebook proved to be a clear signal that:

• Facebook was likely to invest heavily in the development of VR technologies;
• The VR industry was going to be popular in the near future.

There you have it. Though often overlooked and even misunderstood, patent assignments are actually a very important element of the patent ecosystem. With a better understanding of patent assignments, you can gain valuable insights into industry trends and even the business strategies of specific companies. You can also gain a better understanding of a company’s own R&D capabilities.

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US Inventor Declarations and Assignments

After a patent application has been filed, the inventor may be required to sign and submit various forms.  What happens if this is several years into the patent process, and the inventor can no longer be reached to sign these forms?  And what can you do now to prevent any complications from arising?  

One country which requires the inventor to submit signed forms is the USA.  Each inventor named on the application must submit a signed declaration and assignment with the US Patent and Trademark Office before payment of the Issue Fee.

What are US Declarations and Assignments?

An inventor declaration confirms the inventor’s belief that they are the original (or joint original) inventor of the claimed invention.  If an inventor declaration is not submitted by each inventor before payment of the Issue Fee, the application will be abandoned.

An assignment provides documentary evidence that the rights in the invention have been transferred from the inventor to the applicant, and that the applicant is the rightful owner of any patent granted for the claimed invention.  If a signed assignment is not submitted by each inventor before payment of the Issue Fee, the application could grant in the name of the inventor(s) instead of the applicant, although this can usually be rectified post-grant.

What if the inventor cannot or will not sign these forms?

In cases where the US application is filed later in the patent process, such as at the 12 month convention deadline, or even the 30 month national phase deadline, it is possible that the inventor(s) may no longer be available to sign the required forms (for example, they have left the company).  What happens then?

A substitute statement can be submitted in lieu of a declaration if an inventor is deceased, is under legal incapacity, has refused to sign the declaration, or cannot be found or reached after a diligent effort.  To demonstrate a “ diligent effort ”, it is usually sufficient to send a copy of the forms to the inventor’s last known address, along with an explanation of what is required and specifying a reasonable time-period for returning the signed forms (for example, 28 days).  If the forms are not returned by the end of this period, then it can be assumed that the inventor is no longer reachable.

If an inventor cannot or will not sign the required assignment to transfer their rights in the invention to the applicant, then one possible option where the inventor is an employee of the applicant is to submit their employment agreement in lieu of the assignment.  However, for the purposes of the USA, the employment agreement must address the employee’s obligation to assign any Intellectual Property (IP) rights created during their employment to their employer.  Ideally the document should contain language which indicates a present and active intent to assign any IP rights (for example, “ I hereby assign… ”), rather than language which merely indicates an intent to assign any IP rights in the future (for example, “ I agree to assign… ”).

If the employment agreement does not contain suitable language, one option is to rely on any local IP laws which legally require the employee to assign any IP rights to their employer.  For example, in the UK, section 39 of the Patents Act 1977 states that an invention made by an employee will automatically belong to the employer if:

“ (a) it was made in the course of the normal duties of the employee or in the course of duties falling outside his normal duties, but specifically assigned to him, and the circumstances in either case were such that an invention might reasonably be expected to result from the carrying out of his duties; or

(b) the invention was made in the course of the duties of the employee and, at the time of making the invention, because of the nature of his duties and the particular responsibilities arising from the nature of his duties he had a special obligation to further the interests of the employer’s undertaking. ”

Therefore, if the employee and the employer are based in the UK and the invention falls into category (a) or (b) above, then the invention will automatically belong to the employer under UK law.

As such, in addition to filing a copy of the employment contract, a copy of the relevant local laws and a memorandum explaining why, under local law, the invention belongs to the employer can also be filed to prove full ownership of the application by the applicant.

What can the applicant do to avoid the above complications?

1/ Make use of PCT declarations if filing an International application, particularly:

• (i) the declaration as to the identity of the inventor;
• (ii) the declaration as to the applicant’s entitlement, as at the international filing date, to apply for and be granted a patent; and,
• (iv) the declaration of inventorship (for the purposes of the designation of the USA).

For example, declaration (ii) satisfies the proof of right requirements in the Indian national phase, and (iv) satisfies the declaration requirements in the US national phase.  Declarations (i) and (ii) can be signed off by the acting attorney; declaration (iv) however must be signed by each inventor.

2/ Make sure any employment agreements, particularly for research & development staff, clearly address the employee’s obligation to assign any IP rights created, and include language which actively and presently assigns those rights to the employer.

If existing employment agreements do not contain such clauses, a separate agreement can be drawn up for the employee to sign and then appended to their contract. 

3/ Include a clause in the employment agreement requiring the employee to sign any necessary forms both during and after their employment.  This contractual agreement can be referred to should the employee actively refuse to sign any required forms later in the patent process.

Taking the above actions now can help to avoid any problems later in the patenting process which will likely incur unnecessary costs to rectify.  Should you require any assistance or advice, please contact me at christina .schiavone@ wynne-jones .com .

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The Offices concluded that existing statutory enforcement mechanisms are currently sufficient to address infringement concerns related to NFT applications.

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IP Identifier

Improved filtering

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