Q: Hi, can I check who has purchased a patent from an inventor?
I am dealing with an unscrupulous inventor who tries to sell his software patent. He tries to sell it with development done by a 3rd party. That 3rd party has already confirmed to me they are not interested in working on it, because the inventor is ineligible. Also, I was hired by the inventor to manage the development and have provided a lot of IP related to how to actually commercialise the patent. After two weeks and me providing the documentation the inventor cut off any kind of communication. I want to warn whoever buys the patent(s) about the practices of the inventor.
A:
Once the patent issues or a patent application is published, then you should be able to see details in the assignment database at https://assignment.uspto.gov/patent/index.html#/patent/search . You will also be able to see the relevant information in Public PAIR once you know the application number. Using the patent assignment database may be better for you as all you need to know is the inventor's name as that name will be the assignor.
The default is that the patent application will publish at 18 months out but there is an opt out if the owner of the patent application chooses non-publication. The invention might be initially filed in the PCT system and not show up here until it publishes at month 34.
Not looking to bury you with detail but I want you know that there may be a long lag before this inventor's application is published.
NOTE -- if people do not do as suggested and record the assignment from the inventor, then the assignment database will not have the name of the inventor as an assignor.
I hope that this helps.
Kevin E Flynn
1 user found this answer helpful
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