How to Get Patent Owners to Disclose Identity Debated at Hearing

A law that would require patent owners to disclose their identities would cut down on costly litigation, but needs more more incentives for compliance, attorneys and lawmakers said at a Senate subcommittee hearing Tuesday.

The Pride in Patent Ownership Act would encourage patent owners to disclose their identities to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office when a patent issues and when its ownership changes by making parties who didn’t comply unable to collect increased damages. Currently, the only way to uncover a patent owners identity is through litigation.

More measures are needed in the legislation to encourage disclosure, Sens. Chris ...