Source: https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s605.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 13:17:44+00:00

Document:
Effective September 16, 2012, the Office revised the rules of practice to permit a person to whom the inventor has assigned or is under an obligation to assign an invention to file and prosecute an application for patent as the applicant, and to permit a person who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter to file and prosecute an application for patent as the applicant on behalf of the inventor. See MPEP § 605.01 for information regarding the applicant in applications filed on or after September 16, 2012.
For applications filed before September 16, 2012, a person to whom the inventor assigned an invention could file and prosecute an application for patent, but the inventor is considered the applicant. See MPEP § 605.02 for information regarding the applicant in applications filed before September 16, 2012.
37 CFR 1.42 Applicant for patent.
(d) Any person having authority may deliver an application and fees to the Office on behalf of the applicant. However, an oath or declaration, or substitute statement in lieu of an oath or declaration, may be executed only in accordance with § 1.63 or 1.64 , a correspondence address may be provided only in accordance with § 1.33(a), and amendments and other papers must be signed in accordance with § 1.33(b).
(c) Any request to correct or update the name of the applicant after an applicant has been specified under paragraph (b) of this section must include an application data sheet under § 1.76 specifying the correct or updated name of the applicant in the applicant information section (§ 1.76(b)(7)). Any request to change the applicant after an original applicant has been specified under paragraph (b) of this section must include an application data sheet under § 1.76 specifying the applicant in the applicant information section (§ 1.76(b)(7)) and comply with §§ 3.71 and 3.73 of this title.
(1) Correction or update in the name of the applicant. Any request to correct or update the name of the applicant after an applicant under this section must include an application data sheet under § 1.76 specifying the correct or updated name of the applicant in the applicant information section (§ 1.76(b)(7)). in accordance with § 1.76(c)(2). A change in the name of the applicant recorded pursuant to Hague Agreement Article 16(1)(ii) will be effective to change the name of the applicant in a nonprovisional international design application.
(2) Change in the applicant. Any request to change the applicant under this section after an original applicant has been specified must include an application data sheet under § 1.76 specifying the applicant in the applicant information section (§ 1.76(b)(7)) and comply with §§ 3.71 and 3.73 of this title.
(d) Even if the whole or a part interest in the invention or in the patent to be issued is assigned or obligated to be assigned, an oath or declaration must be executed by the actual inventor or each actual joint inventor, except as provided for in § 1.64. See§ 1.64 concerning the execution of a substitute statement by an assignee, person to whom the inventor is under an obligation to assign the invention, or a person who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter.
37 CFR 1.42 defines who is the applicant for a patent. The word “applicant” when used in title 37 refers to the inventor or all joint inventors, or to the person applying for a patent as provided in 37 CFR 1.43, 1.45, or 1.46. If a person is applying for a patent as provided in 37 CFR 1.46, the word “applicant” refers to the assignee, the person to whom the inventor is under an obligation to assign, or the person who otherwise shows sufficient proprietary interest in the matter, who is applying for the patent under 37 CFR 1.46 and not the inventor. If fewer than all joint inventors are applying for the patent as provided in 37 CFR 1.45, the phrase “the applicant” means the joint inventors who are applying for the patent without the omitted inventor(s).
37 CFR 1.41 (pre-AIA) Applicant for patent.
(1) The inventorship of a nonprovisional application is that inventorship set forth in the oath or declaration as prescribed by § 1.63, except as provided for in §§ 1.53(d)(4) and 1.63(d). If an oath or declaration as prescribed by § 1.63 is not filed during the pendency of a nonprovisional application, the inventorship is that inventorship set forth in the application papers filed pursuant to § 1.53(b), unless applicant files a paper, including the processing fee set forth in § 1.17(i), supplying or changing the name or names of the inventor or inventors.
37 CFR 1.45 (pre-AIA) Joint inventors.
(a) Joint inventors must apply for a patent jointly and each must make the required oath or declaration; neither of them alone, nor less than the entire number, can apply for a patent for an invention invented by them jointly, except as provided in § 1.47.
Pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.41(a) defines the inventorship of a nonprovisional application as that inventorship set forth in the oath or declaration filed to comply with the requirements of pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.63, except as provided for in 37 CFR 1.53(d)(4) and pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.63(d). The oath or declaration may be filed on the filing date of the application or on a later date. If an oath or declaration is not filed during the pendency of a nonprovisional application, the inventorship is that inventorship set forth in the application papers filed pursuant to 37 CFR 1.53(b), unless an applicant files a paper under pre-AIA 37 CFR 1.41(a)(1) accompanied by the processing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(i) supplying or changing the name or names of the inventor or inventors.
For correction of inventorship, see MPEP § 602.01(c)et seq.
For applications filed before September 16, 2012, if the application is filed by another, see MPEP § 409.03et seq.
For assignments of application by inventor, see MPEP § 301.
For applications filed before September 16, 2012 by another on behalf of a deceased or legally incapacitated inventor, see MPEP § 409.01(b). For applications filed before September 16, 2012 where at least one inventor is unavailable, see MPEP § 409.03et seq.

References: § 605
 § 605
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 602
 § 409
 § 301
 § 409
 § 409