Patent assignments

[whatnextinwa]

What is the name of your state? WA

I've trying to determine whether a particular design patent has been assigned or not.

If it has been assigned since the date of issue would this be of public record and easy to look up or not.

I've been trying to call the patent holder but not able to get ahold of.

Thanks

 

[racer72]

You can find the answers to your questions at the URL below.


http://www.uspto.gov/

 

[divgradcurl]

Patent assignments do not have to be recorded with the USPTO, although they often are -- so checking the USPTO site may or may not show that a patent has been assigned. Even if the patent has been assigned on the USPTO site, it may have been reassigned since, etc. -- so you will need to contact the current assignee (or inventor if no assignee is shown) on the USPTO site to find out for sure.

Actually, I think I just said what Racer72 said, only in 100 words versus a couple...

EDIT:

To answer your other question, assignments do not have to be public record. If the assignment is recorded with the USPTO, then it is public record, of course. However, patents can be (and often are) sold, or a company may be acquired (and have it's intellectual property acquired with it), etc., and all of these assignments are contractually based, and therefore would generally not be public record.