article thumbnail

All Inventors are Human; All Humans are Inventors

Patently-O

Vidal ask the Supreme Court one simple question: Does the Patent Act categorically restrict the statutory term ‘inventor’ to human beings alone? In Thaler’s case, the PTO and courts short-circuited the patentability analysis because the purported inventor is a machine, and machines simply are not permitted to be inventors.

Inventor 121
article thumbnail

Alleged Co-Inventor Not Bringing Home the Bacon This Time

The IP Law Blog

Well, it turns out that not all contributions count when it comes to being an inventor of a patent for a better method of precooking bacon. Unitherm”), argued that it had rights to the patent because its president was an inventor and should be added to the patent. Also, Howard was not named as an inventor. The court in Pannu v.

Inventor 110
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Federal Circuit asked to Decide whether US Patent Law Excludes Non-Human Inventors

Patently-O

Thaler filed for patent protection, but refused to name himself as the inventor — although he created DABUS, these particular inventions did not originate in his mind. The USPTO rejected the applications — explaining US patents must name a human inventor. Now the case is pending before the Federal Circuit. Thaler Brief.

Inventor 126
article thumbnail

Alleged Co-Inventor Not Bringing Home the Bacon This Time

LexBlog IP

Well, it turns out that not all contributions count when it comes to being an inventor of a patent for a better method of precooking bacon. HIP, formerly Unitherm Food Systems, Inc. (“Unitherm”), argued that it had rights to the patent because its president was an inventor and should be added to the patent. Iolab Corp.

article thumbnail

The America Invents Act, Ten Years After Enactment - Part 1: “First Inventor to File”

JD Supra Law

Ten years ago, on September 16, 2011, the America Invents Act (“AIA”) became law. This article is the second in a multi-part series of articles on the significant changes introduced by the AIA and the results of those changes. By: Nexsen Pruet, PLLC

Invention 115
article thumbnail

Celebrating (?) the America Invents Act: Ten Years On, Many IP Stakeholders Say it’s Time for a Second Look

IP Watchdog

The discussion centered mostly on the change from a first-inventor-to-invent to a first-inventor-to-file system, which was seen as a way to harmonize the United States with the rest of the world, but which many feared would be detrimental to U.S. I began writing for Managing IP magazine in 2007 and remember well the lead-up to the law.

Invention 124
article thumbnail

He, She, or They in US Patent Law

Patently-O

When the Patent Act of 1790 refers to inventors, it lists gender inclusive forms of “he, she, or they:” [The inventor(s) must] set[] forth, that he, she, or they , hath or have invented or discovered any useful art, manufacture, engine, machine, or device, or any improvement therein… Patent Act of 1790. 881 (2011).