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USPTO To Permit Assignees To File And Prosecute Patent Applications

Posted in Patent Reform; USPTO Proposed Rule Changes

As set forth in the final rules published in the August 14, 2012 Federal Register, assignees will be able to file and prosecute U.S. patent applications filed on or after September 16, 2012. The USPTO’s rules implement changes to 35 USC § 118 embodied in the America Invents Act (AIA), and bring U.S. patent practice in line with most other countries that do not require inventors to be the “applicants” on patent applications. However, these rule changes apply only to U.S. applications filed under 35 USC § 111(a) on or after September 16, 2012, and U.S. national phase applications based on PCT applications filed under 35 USC § 363 on on or after September 16, 2012.

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