[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 37, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 37CFR1.48]

[Page 44-45]
 
              TITLE 37--PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS
 
  CHAPTER I--UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                                COMMERCE
 
PART 1--RULES OF PRACTICE IN PATENT CASES--Table of Contents
 
                Subpart B--National Processing Provisions
 
Sec. 1.48  Correction of inventorship in a patent application, other than a 
reissue application, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 116.

    (a) Nonprovisional application after oath/declaration filed. If the 
inventive entity is set forth in error in an executed Sec. 1.63 oath or 
declaration in a nonprovisional application, and such error arose 
without any deceptive intention on the part of the person named as an 
inventor in error or on the part of the person who through error was not 
named as an inventor, the inventorship of the nonprovisional application 
may be amended to name only the actual inventor or inventors. If the 
nonprovisional application is involved in an interference, the amendment 
must comply with the requirements of this section and must be 
accompanied by a motion under Sec. 1.634. Amendment of the inventorship 
requires:
    (1) A request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the 
desired inventorship change;
    (2) A statement from each person being added as an inventor and from 
each person being deleted as an inventor that the error in inventorship 
occurred without deceptive intention on his or her part;
    (3) An oath or declaration by the actual inventor or inventors as 
required by Sec. 1.63 or as permitted by Sec.Sec. 1.42, 1.43 or Sec. 
1.47;
    (4) The processing fee set forth in Sec. 1.17(i); and
    (5) If an assignment has been executed by any of the original named 
inventors, the written consent of the assignee (see Sec. 3.73(b) of this 
chapter).
    (b) Nonprovisional application--fewer inventors due to amendment or 
cancellation of claims. If the correct inventors are named in a 
nonprovisional application, and the prosecution of the nonprovisional 
application results in the amendment or cancellation of claims so that 
fewer than all of the currently named inventors are the actual inventors 
of the invention being claimed in the nonprovisional application, an 
amendment must be filed requesting deletion of the name or names of the 
person or persons who are not inventors of the invention being claimed. 
If the application is involved in an interference, the amendment must 
comply with the requirements of this section and must be accompanied by 
a motion under Sec. 1.634. Amendment of the inventorship requires:
    (1) A request, signed by a party set forth in Sec. 1.33(b), to 
correct the inventorship that identifies the named inventor or inventors 
being deleted and acknowledges that the inventor's invention is no 
longer being claimed in the nonprovisional application; and
    (2) The processing fee set forth in Sec. 1.17(i).
    (c) Nonprovisional application--inventors added for claims to 
previously unclaimed subject matter. If a nonprovisional application 
discloses unclaimed subject matter by an inventor or inventors not named 
in the application, the application may be amended to add claims to the 
subject matter and name the correct inventors for the application. If 
the application is involved in an interference, the amendment must 
comply with the requirements of this section and must be accompanied by 
a motion under Sec. 1.634. Amendment of the inventorship requires:
    (1) A request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the 
desired inventorship change;
    (2) A statement from each person being added as an inventor that the 
addition is necessitated by amendment of the claims and that the 
inventorship error occurred without deceptive intention on his or her 
part;
    (3) An oath or declaration by the actual inventors as required by 
Sec. 1.63 or as permitted by Sec.Sec. 1.42, 1.43, or Sec. 1.47;
    (4) The processing fee set forth in Sec. 1.17(i); and
    (5) If an assignment has been executed by any of the original named 
inventors, the written consent of the assignee (see Sec. 3.73(b) of this 
chapter).
    (d) Provisional application--adding omitted inventors. If the name 
or names

[[Page 45]]

of an inventor or inventors were omitted in a provisional application 
through error without any deceptive intention on the part of the omitted 
inventor or inventors, the provisional application may be amended to add 
the name or names of the omitted inventor or inventors. Amendment of the 
inventorship requires:
    (1) A request, signed by a party set forth in Sec. 1.33(b), to 
correct the inventorship that identifies the inventor or inventors being 
added and states that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive 
intention on the part of the omitted inventor or inventors; and
    (2) The processing fee set forth in Sec. 1.17(q).
    (e) Provisional application--deleting the name or names of the 
inventor or inventors. If a person or persons were named as an inventor 
or inventors in a provisional application through error without any 
deceptive intention on the part of such person or persons, an amendment 
may be filed in the provisional application deleting the name or names 
of the person or persons who were erroneously named. Amendment of the 
inventorship requires:
    (1) A request to correct the inventorship that sets forth the 
desired inventorship change;
    (2) A statement by the person or persons whose name or names are 
being deleted that the inventorship error occurred without deceptive 
intention on the part of such person or persons;
    (3) The processing fee set forth in Sec. 1.17(q); and
    (4) If an assignment has been executed by any of the original named 
inventors, the written consent of the assignee (see Sec. 3.73(b) of this 
chapter).
    (f)(1) Nonprovisional application--filing executed oath/declaration 
corrects inventorship. If the correct inventor or inventors are not 
named on filing a nonprovisional application under Sec. 1.53(b) without 
an executed oath or declaration under Sec. 1.63 by any of the inventors, 
the first submission of an executed oath or declaration under Sec. 1.63 
by any of the inventors during the pendency of the application will act 
to correct the earlier identification of inventorship. See Sec.Sec. 
1.41(a)(4) and 1.497(d) and (f) for submission of an executed oath or 
declaration to enter the national stage under 35 U.S.C. 371 naming an 
inventive entity different from the inventive entity set forth in the 
international stage.
    (2) Provisional application--filing cover sheet corrects 
inventorship. If the correct inventor or inventors are not named on 
filing a provisional application without a cover sheet under Sec. 
1.51(c)(1), the later submission of a cover sheet under Sec. 1.51(c)(1) 
during the pendency of the application will act to correct the earlier 
identification of inventorship.
    (g) Additional information may be required. The Office may require 
such other information as may be deemed appropriate under the particular 
circumstances surrounding the correction of inventorship.
    (h) Reissue applications not covered. The provisions of this section 
do not apply to reissue applications. See Sec.Sec. 1.171 and 1.175 for 
correction of inventorship in a patent via a reissue application.
    (i) Correction of inventorship in patent or interference. See Sec. 
1.324 for correction of inventorship in a patent, and Sec. 1.634 for 
correction of inventorship in an interference.

[65 FR 54663, Sept. 8, 2000, as amended at 67 FR 523, Jan. 4, 2002]

                             The Application