Opinion ID: 212034
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Ownership of the ’187 Patent

Text: As noted previously, the ’410 patent issued to three named co-inventors: Bellehumeur, Nehmens, and Haarlammert. On January 1, 1996, Bellehumeur, Nehmens, and Haarlammert assigned to RHI Partnership “the entire right, title and interest in United States Letters Patent No. 5,275,410 and the pending foreign applications listed in Attachment A and any foreign patents issuing on said pending foreign applications . . . .” At oral argument, Bellehumeur’s counsel conceded that the January 1, 1996 assignment only expressly assigned the ’410 patent, and not any subsequent continuation applications, and that no foreign applications were filed. Based on the record before us, and the representations of Bellehumeur’s counsel at oral argument, it appears that in 1998, RHI Partnership assigned all of its assets, including the ’410 patent, to Roller Hockey International Inc., a Florida corporation (“RHI Corporation”). 04-1258 3 On July 16, 1999, RHI Corporation assigned “the entire right, title and interest of RHI [Corporation], domestic and foreign, in and to the inventions and discoveries in: ‘PUCK FOR USE ON A NON-ICE SURFACE’ set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 5,275,410 (the ‘Patent’), and assigned to RHI [Corporation] . . .” to Bellehumeur and his wife, Linda Dryer-Bellehumeur. The ’161 patent issued to three named co-inventors: Bellehumeur, Nehmens, and Haarlammert. Similarly, the reissue ’187 patent also issued to Bellehumeur, Nehmens, and Haarlammert—the three named co-inventors listed on the ’410 and ’161 patents. At oral argument, Bellehumeur’s counsel conceded that there is no assignment of the ’161 or ’187 patents recorded at the PTO or in the record on appeal.