USPTO Proposes Attributable Owner Requirements

Last week, the USPTO released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Changes to Require Identification of Attributable Owner. The proposals would heap significant new administrative requirements on patent owners in the name of thwarting abusive patent suits. The agency explains the new reporting requirements will, in part, reduce risk of abusive patent litigation by helping the public defend itself against such abusive assertions by providing more information about all the parties that have an interest in patents or patent applications.

The proposal is unlikely to cause any kind of meaningful relief for companies targeted by patent trolls. Unfortunately, this effort is being driven from the White House. The PTO is fully expecting the firestorm that is coming to push back on this misguided mandate….unleash the fury.