[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 37, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 37CFR3.71]

[Page 227]
 
              TITLE 37--PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS
 
                         DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 3--ASSIGNMENT, RECORDING AND RIGHTS OF ASSIGNEE--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 3.71  Prosecution by assignee.

    (a) Patents--conducting of prosecution. One or more assignees as 
defined in paragraph (b) of this section may, after becoming of record 
pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section, conduct prosecution of a 
national patent application or a reexamination proceeding to the 
exclusion of either the inventive entity, or the assignee(s) previously 
entitled to conduct prosecution.
    (b) Patents--Assignee(s) who can prosecute. The assignee(s) who may 
conduct either the prosecution of a national application for patent or a 
reexamination proceeding are:
    (1) A single assignee. An assignee of the entire right, title and 
interest in the application or patent being reexamined who is of record, 
or
    (2) Partial assignee(s) together or with inventor(s). All partial 
assignees, or all partial assignees and inventors who have not assigned 
their right, title and interest in the application or patent being 
reexamined, who together own the entire right, title and interest in the 
application or patent being reexamined. A partial assignee is any 
assignee of record having less than the entire right, title and interest 
in the application or patent being reexamined.
    (c) Patents--Becoming of record. An assignee becomes of record 
either in a national patent application or a reexamination proceeding by 
filing a statement in compliance with Sec. 3.73(b) that is signed by a 
party who is authorized to act on behalf of the assignee.
    (d) Trademarks. The assignee of a trademark application or 
registration may prosecute a trademark application, submit documents to 
maintain a trademark registration, or file papers against a third party 
in reliance on the assignee's trademark application or registration, to 
the exclusion of the original applicant or previous assignee. The 
assignee must establish ownership in compliance with Sec. 3.73(b).

[65 FR 54682, Sept. 8, 2000]