In April 2026, the Federal Circuit handed down a ruling that every U.S. business owner sourcing products from China should read carefully. In Fortress Iron, LP v. Digger Specialties, Inc. (2026), the court invalidated two fully issued patents — not because the invention was obvious, and not because of a flawed prior art search. The patents died because one coinventor, an … [Read more...]
Patent Ownership
Patent ownership vests with the individual that conceives or thinks of the invention. The patent rights must be assigned to the employer from the employee or independent contractor. Browse related articles below.
Who’s the Applicant when filing a patent application?
An applicant, for the purposes of filing a patent application, is the individual or entity that owns the invention and is seeking patent protection for the invention. While this may sound straightforward, determining the right ownership structure for your specific situation often requires careful analysis. 1. Who Can Be an Applicant? The applicant for a patent is … [Read more...]
What Is the Right Ownership Structure for Your IP?
Determining the right ownership structure for your intellectual property (IP) is a crucial decision for startups. In the early stages, the IP is often owned by the inventor, founder, or the operating or use corporation. This straightforward approach simplifies operations and supports initial product development and growth. However, as the company evolves and the value of its … [Read more...]
What Does Assignment, Assignor, and Assignee Mean?
When you hire an engineer, designer, independent contractor or anyone that will contribute to your idea, they have to assign their invention rights to you or your company. As such, it’s important to understand the basic terminology, including assignments, assignor and assignee. For startups, inventors, and businesses, understanding these terms is key to maintaining ownership … [Read more...]
What is a patent assignment?
Patent assignments are common during the patent process. They allow startups to own the ideas, solutions, and work products of the independent contractors that they hire. They also allow companies to own the inventions or solutions that their engineers create. In this article, we'll explore everything you need to know about patent assignments, from their definition and purpose … [Read more...]
What is an assignee search?
An assignee search is a patent database search for all patent documents (i.e., patents and pre-grant publications) owned by a particular entity. The patent databases that are searched are typically the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the European Patent Office (EPO), and the patent databases of specific countries. What is an assignee and assignor? An … [Read more...]
Who Owns the Patent – The Inventor or The Company?
You can lose your patent rights when you work with others on an invention. Continue reading to understand how to keep your patent rights and not destroy the value of your idea. Who owns the patent? Patent rights belong to the inventor who conceived the invention unless that inventor assigns the patent rights to another, or the courts apply the equitable doctrines of … [Read more...]
Can Multiple People Own a Patent?
Patents allow people and companies to claim ideas and inventions as their own. Nevertheless, it is quite confusing and tricky when multiple entities are involved. Disagreements can and do arise between the owners. You need to know how to address these potential pitfalls. Can multiple people own a patent? Yes, but we do not recommend joint patent ownership. The patent’s … [Read more...]