2013 US Code
Title 35 - Patents
Part III - PATENTS AND PROTECTION OF PATENT RIGHTS (§§ 251 - 329)
Chapter 25 - AMENDMENT AND CORRECTION OF PATENTS (§§ 251 - 257)
Section 256 - Correction of named inventor
Publication Title | United States Code, 2012 Edition, Supplement 1, Title 35 - PATENTS |
Category | Bills and Statutes |
Collection | United States Code |
SuDoc Class Number | Y 1.2/5: |
Contained Within | Title 35 - PATENTS PART III - PATENTS AND PROTECTION OF PATENT RIGHTS CHAPTER 25 - AMENDMENT AND CORRECTION OF PATENTS Sec. 256 - Correction of named inventor |
Contains | section 256 |
Date | 2013 |
Laws in Effect as of Date | January 16, 2014 |
Positive Law | Yes |
Disposition | standard |
Source Credit | July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 810; Pub. L. 97-247, §6(b), Aug. 27, 1982, 96 Stat. 320; Pub. L. 106-113, div. B, §1000(a)(9) [title IV, §4732(a)(10)(A)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A-582; Pub. L. 107-273, div. C, title III, §13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906; Pub. L. 112-29, §20(f), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 334. |
Statutes at Large References | 66 Stat. 810 96 Stat. 320 113 Stat. 1536 116 Stat. 1906 125 Stat. 334 |
Public Law References | Public Law 97-247, Public Law 106-113, Public Law 107-273, Public Law 112-29 |
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(a)
(b)
(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 810; Pub. L. 97–247, §6(b), Aug. 27, 1982, 96 Stat. 320; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(9) [title IV, §4732(a)(10)(A)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–582; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, §13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906; Pub. L. 112–29, §20(f), Sept. 16, 2011, 125 Stat. 334.)
HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTESThis section is new and is companion to section 116.
The first two paragraphs provide for the correction of the inadvertent joining or nonjoining of a person as a joint inventor. The third paragraph provides that a patent shall not be invalid for such cause, and also provides that a court may order correction of a patent; the two sentences of this paragraph are independent.
AMENDMENTS2011—Pub. L. 112–29 designated first and second pars. as subsecs. (a) and (b), respectively, inserted headings, and, in subsec. (a), struck out "and such error arose without any deceptive intention on his part" after "not named in an issued patent".
2002—Pub. L. 107–273 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 106–113. See 1999 Amendment note below.
1999—Pub. L. 106–113, as amended by Pub. L. 107–273, substituted "Director" for "Commissioner" in two places.
1982—Pub. L. 97–247 substituted "Correction of named inventor" for "Misjoinder of inventor" as section catchline and, in text, substituted "Whenever through error a person is named in an issued patent as the inventor, or through error an inventor is not named in an issued patent and such error arose without any deceptive intention on his part, the Commissioner may, on application of all the parties and assignees, with proof of the facts and such other requirements as may be imposed, issue a certificate correcting such error" for "Whenever a patent is issued on the application of persons as joint inventors and it appears that one of such persons was not in fact a joint inventor, and that he was included as a joint inventor by error and without any deceptive intention, the Commissioner may, on application of all the parties and assignees, with proof of the facts and such other requirements as may be imposed, issue a certificate deleting the name of the erroneously joined person from the patent", substituted "The error of omitting inventors or naming persons who are not inventors shall not invalidate the patent in which such error occurred if it can be corrected as provided in this section" for "Whenever a patent is issued and it appears that a person was a joint inventor, but was omitted by error and without deceptive intention on his part, the Commissioner may, on application of all the parties and assignees, with proof of the facts and such other requirements as may be imposed, issue a certificate adding his name to the patent as a joint inventor", and struck out provision that the misjoinder or nonjoinder of joint inventors not invalidate a patent, if such error could be corrected as provided in this section.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2011 AMENDMENTAmendment by Pub. L. 112–29 effective upon the expiration of the 1-year period beginning on Sept. 16, 2011, and applicable to proceedings commenced on or after that effective date, see section 20(l) of Pub. L. 112–29, set out as a note under section 2 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1999 AMENDMENTAmendment by Pub. L. 106–113 effective 4 months after Nov. 29, 1999, see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, §4731] of Pub. L. 106–113, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1982 AMENDMENTAmendment by Pub. L. 97–247 effective six months after Aug. 27, 1982, see section 17(c) of Pub. L. 97–247, set out as an Effective Date note under section 294 of this title.
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