The inventor

An inventor is the person who creates the innovative part of the invention and can prove that he is at the origin of the idea. He is clearly nominated as such in the patent application and his name is listed on the first page of the patent application and on the patent itself. Several inventors can be cited in a patent.

An executant in the realisation of the invention is not considered as an inventor.

The executant can be paid for his services and/or recognized as a co-authorship in a scientific publication.

In Europe the patent rights belong to the first person who files the patent application. Up to the filling of the application, the invention must remain absolutely secret.

In the United States the patent rights belong to the first person to invent and who is capable of proving the conception of the invention. Laboratory notebooks play an essential role in case of litigation concerning inventorship.

For more detailed information please read the following documents:

• Patenting steps: a brief overview (, 46k)
• Information on good intellectual properties practices (, 28k)
• Useful definitions (in french) (, 19k)