USPTO Rolls Out Cost Saving Updates to the Patent Assignment Search Database

The USPTO’s Patent Assignment Search database was recently updated to version 1.4 bringing welcome enhancements to the system. In a step that will lessen cost concerns and time restraints for anyone seeking patent assignment information, one can now download original patent assignments and coversheets from the Patent Assignment Search website. Before this update, copies of the original documents had to be ordered from the USPTO and paid for accordingly.

In addition to accessing the original assignment and coversheet, you can now search for assignment information using a variety of fields, including reel/frame number, patent number, and assignee name. For instance, when searching for assignment information related to patent 8,000,000, the system returns the result that one assignment was recorded. By clicking on the pdf icon (circled in red) within the result, a copy of the original assignment is immediately available.

Click here to learn more about the new features and enhancements related to assignment data. A few highlights include:

• "Quick Look-Up" allows for entry of a reel/frame number, property number, or name to display the desired detailed assignment data directly, thus bypassing the search results screen
• Favorite views from Legacy Assignments on the Web (AOTW) have returned, such as Assignee Summary/Details and Assignor Summary/Details
• "Quick Nav Links" allow the user to "jump" to desired detailed information from hyperlinks on many of the detailed data views