The USPTO did a nice thing today. As of today, you
can receive a PDF copy of a recorded patent assignment!
Until now, the only way to get a copy of a patent assignment was to place an order with the Order Entry Management System and pay $25. And then wait a couple of weeks for the copy to show up in the mail.
But now, thanks to alert reader Rick Neifeld, I have learned that you can get it for free, and you can get it instantly. The way to make this work requires the user to learn a few steps, but once you learn it, it’s easy.
A first thing to appreciate is that you can’t start with the “assignments” tab of PAIR. You need to go to Assignments on the Web (Patents). Then do a search. You can search on any of the usual things — application number, patent number, whatever. Eventually you will figure out the reel and frame number that you care about. Click on the reel and frame number to get to a page that is specific to your reel and frame number. You will then see a page like the screen shot above (click on the image to see it bigger). Look for a barely visible icon just to the right of the word “details” (marked with a green rectangle), and click on it. What will pop up is a PDF copy of the recordation cover letter and the assignment itself.
This is a welcome development at the USPTO! USPTO deserves kudos for providing this helpful service.
The PTO official indicated to me that the images of assignments are available back to assignments recorded some time in May 1998.
Thank you for another helpful post.
This is an excellent development, however, I have searched a handful of assignments and found a one day difference with the “Date recorded” (day) noted on the initial Assignment abstract page, and the date of recordation (day) printed in the header/footer on the pdf recordation cover letter and assignment. In all instances, the “Date recorded” is one day prior, Anyone else finding this inaccuracy??