How do I correctly assign an inventor or inventors to a patent?
Under most circumstances only one inventor will be associated with a patent application. If the inventor listed for an obtained patent was not the actual inventor of that particular device, then the patent will likely be considered invalid and criminal penalties can be handed out for fraud.
Circumstances which hinder an inventor’s ability to obtain a patent application, such as the inventor’s death or if the inventor is considered insane, can lead to instances whereby other legal representation, that is, the executor of the estate or the legal guardian, can apply for a patent.
When two or more inventors are involved in an invention they should apply for a patent application jointly. All the listed inventors must have direct involvement in the development of the invention. People who make financial contributions to fund development of a particular invention are not inventors and thus should not be listed as such.